Open source can be off-the-shelf and off-the-shelf can be open source

I have just spent the last couple of weekends and after work hours developing https://www.obione.no , a platform with reading resources for kids.

As always when doing platform development with open source, I have learned a lot. Most important lessons are:

• Even though I am no UX designer, open source design helps me with off the shelf components and color pallets - my skills on color understanding are very limited to say the least, but yet I am fairly happy with the design.
• Even though I have very limited time to spend on this project, open source components and libraries help me get this platform up and running in days, not weeks. I am in no way a brilliant software developer, so using open source components helps a lot.?
• Because of a large pool of organizations producing open learning resources, I have been able to source over 400 high quality books in no time. This landscape has changed dramatically over the last 10 years. This makes it fairly straight forward to get access to content that one can re-use, re-mix and translate.

After just spending two weekends, and aprox 20-30 hours in total working on this, I have a fully running beta up that includes over 400 learning resources covering 5 languages. This includes navigation, search and multi-language support on the platform.

Of course this is a beta product, and I will have to expect to spend maybe 2-3 weeks of work in total to have something fully production ready, but still, that is not much.

Open source can be off-the-shelf

In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, the narrative surrounding open source has undergone a transformative shift. While historically perceived as a realm for tech enthusiasts and developers to tinker with code, open source has transcended its traditional boundaries. Today, it stands as a robust and efficient avenue for obtaining off-the-shelf solutions that can swiftly breathe life into new products.

This paradigm shift challenges the conventional wisdom that open source and off-the-shelf solutions are at opposing ends.

While writing this it feels in many ways like I am addressing a problem that should be ancient history, but I still hear people talk about this like it was 2005, and this actually prevents many organizations from harnessing the power of open source.

We need to realize that the days are gone when open source was synonymous with do-it-yourself projects and extensive customization. Now, open source repositories are treasure troves of pre-built, high-quality components and frameworks, ready to be seamlessly integrated into your projects.?