Love open source? You’re in good company

At smartclip, “no closed source” is the core of our tech philosophy and this translates into the technologies we build, work with, and contribute to. 

Our tech stack comprises over 100 different open source software programmes including Flowman, a project initiated by a smartclipper and financed by smartclip. We also built the HybridTV Viewer, a plugin for Chrome that simulates a smart TV inside your browser for backing and development purposes. Additionally, smartclip regularly supports the open source user community by sharing system patches for open source tools such as Fluentd and Vector, essential components of our logging stack.

We believe that open source tools provide developers with the autonomy to dig into the code of various tools, test for vulnerabilities, and fix errors themselves.

Why smartclip loves open source software

We know we may be preaching to the choir but here’s what we love about open source…

• Endless innovation: A vast community of users continuously develop and contribute new features to open source software, resulting in a constant state of innovation.
• Full transparency: The source code is the most precise documentation. Since smartclip developers have full access to it, they can investigate any undocumented behaviour without black box debugging.
• Improved code quality and security: Thousands of external developers can access the code of open source tools to find and fix issues, resulting in better code quality and security.
• Lower costs: While open source applications are not always completely free, the cost of the licence is often lower when compared with closed source software licences. Open source applications also have little to no maintenance cost since this is primarily taken care of by the creator of the application. smartclip saves tens of thousands of euros annually by using open source software.
• Non-stop access: Since open source allows for “forking” code, other contributors can continue to make updates in case of dropped interest from the key maintainer or bankruptcies. Basically, open source codes can live forever.
• Opportunities to upskill: smartclippers can upskill themselves by studying the code of open source projects as well as creating new tools which the open source community can review and provide feedback for improvements.
• Community building: Open source projects inspire communities of like-minded people within and beyond smartclip to collectively develop, test, promote, and enhance powerful software applications.

Are we forgetting anything? 

“Using actively updated technology is fantastic because you don’t have to maintain it yourself. You can enjoy the benefits of new features without having to push for them.” Nadine Wagner, Director Data Products at smartclip

Why we hire open source software experts  

Although open source software has huge benefits, we know it’s not always smooth sailing when working with it. That’s why we hire and train people with a heart for open source technology and the expertise to navigate some of the challenges that come with it, such as…

• Poor user experience: The developers who create open source applications often prioritise functionality over user experience, assuming that the tools will be used by tech nerds who can comprehend and manipulate the code easily.
• Complexity: In software projects where multiple developers are involved, the abundance of new features can lead to complications. Each update has the potential to introduce new bugs, which can further compound the issue.

“Open source technology often requires a higher level of technical expertise. At smartclip, we hire experts who possess the necessary skills and knowledge to work with open source software. Our team members are passionate about what they do and are dedicated to finding innovative solutions to any challenges that arise. We believe that this commitment to technical excellence is what sets us apart and allows us to fully embrace the benefits of open source technology.” René Wagner, Chief Innovation Officer at smartclip

We are constantly on the lookout for people to join us in embracing our open source obsession. If this article sparked your interest, let’s have a chat.