Open-Source

When I hear the term “Open Source”, I think about projects that are open to the public so people can contribute to them. I assume “open” doesn’t mean completely unstructured, since there still needs to be an organized workflow to ensure contributions are consistent, high-quality, and traceable.

One advantage of open-source is that it allows contributers with different levels of experience to make meaningful aimed at improving the user experience. This can build strong communities that are willing to fix complex bugs, add large-scale features, and write clear documentation. It’s an easier way to modify source code without needing to contact privatetly owned companies. An advantage to closed-source projects is that they offer protection against bad actors who might find vulnerabilities in the publicly accessible code.

Projects

CellProfiler is an open-source software that I frequentely used during a research internship to rapidly quantify microscope images.

7TV is another open-source platform I use while watching streams on Twitch, a live-streaming platform. It’s a browser extension that allows broadcasters to add custom emotes that viewers can use in the chatroom.

WatchParty is a communication platform used to share your screen in a private room. It has a chatbox feature, profile custimization, and videa/audio enhancment features to improve the overall streaming and viewing experience.