Sharing software code via free open source has been around since the 1980s and has enjoyed much success. Open source has been applied to content, websites, technological parts, and other materials. Can and should an open source platform be monetized?
On GitHub, anyone with an account can share improvements of existing code by downloading it from public repositories (online storage spaces for code) on that website, modifying this downloaded copy, and submitting his or her modifications to the original owner for approval. If the original owner likes the modification, the originator can combine it with the original code and share this updated version with others, and the modifier will get credit for his or her contribution.
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