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# Intro to Open Source Software <!-- toc:auto --> ## Contents *Nothing to install beforehand — but bring the list. Blocks 1 and 4 both run off three months of your own subscriptions, and that is the part you cannot do in the room.* **START HERE** - [Before the Workshop](#Before-the-Workshop) — do this days ahead, not on class day - [What to Bring](#What-to-Bring) - [Optional Prep](#Optional-Prep) — three months of bank statements — the part you cannot do in the room **RECORDINGS** - [October 10](#October-10) · 1 recording — 10 October 2026 — the most recent session - [September 12](#September-12) · 1 recording — 12 September 2026 - [July 25](#July-25) · 1 recording — 25 July 2026 - [May 9 '26](#May-9-26) · 1 recording — 9 May 2026 - [March 26](#March-26) · 1 recording — 28 March 2026 - [Feb '26'](#Feb-‘26’) · 1 recording — 28 February 2026 - [More recordings for this class](#More-recordings-for-this-class) · 5 recordings — short skill clips — Unix, GitHub, Cooklang, Python. Not session recordings **WHAT THIS IS** - [Course Overview](#Course-Overview) - [Who This Is For](#Who-This-Is-For) - [The Mindset: Software Should Work For You](#The-Mindset-Software-Should-Work-For-You) - [What You'll Leave With](#What-You’ll-Leave-With) - [Schedule](#Schedule) **THE SESSION, BLOCK BY BLOCK** - [Block 1 (0:00–0:10): The Software Audit](#Block-1-000–010-The-Software-Audit) - [The Exercise](#The-Exercise) — list every paid tool, what it does, what it costs a month - [Common Paid Tools — Reference Table](#Common-Paid-Tools-—-Reference-Table) - [Block 2 (0:10–0:20): What "Open Source" Actually Means](#Block-2-010–020-What-“Open-Source”-Actually-Means) - [The 5-Minute Explanation](#The-5-Minute-Explanation) - [How to Tell If It's Good](#How-to-Tell-If-It’s-Good) — stars and last-commit date — the two numbers - [Types of Open Source Software](#Types-of-Open-Source-Software) - [Block 3 (0:20–0:35): Live Demo — openalternative.co](#Block-3-020–035-Live-Demo-—-openalternativeco) - [The Walkthrough](#The-Walkthrough) - [Example Searches to Demo](#Example-Searches-to-Demo) - [Block 4 (0:35–0:55): Exercise 1 — Find Your Replacements](#Block-4-035–055-Exercise-1-—-Find-Your-Replacements) - [The Exercise](#The-Exercise1) — twenty minutes, timed — a replacement for every tool on your audit list - [The Replacement Tables — Cheat Sheet](#The-Replacement-Tables-—-Cheat-Sheet) - [Block 5 (0:55–1:05): Group Share](#Block-5-055–105-Group-Share) - [Block 6 (1:05–1:20): Exercise 2 — Install One Right Now](#Block-6-105–120-Exercise-2-—-Install-One-Right-Now) - [The Exercise](#The-Exercise2) — you will need permission to install on your laptop - [While Installing](#While-Installing) **AFTER THE SESSION** - [Block 7 (1:20–1:30): The Monthly Progression](#Block-7-120–130-The-Monthly-Progression) - [Month 1: Easy Wins (This Workshop)](#Month-1-Easy-Wins-This-Workshop) - [Month 2: Self-Hosted Tools](#Month-2-Self-Hosted-Tools) - [Month 3: Business Tool Migration](#Month-3-Business-Tool-Migration) - [Month 4+: Advanced](#Month-4-Advanced) - [Track Your Savings](#Track-Your-Savings) - [Homework](#Homework) — use it for a week, then add one more swap - [The Progression](#The-Progression) - [Next Suggested Courses](#Next-Suggested-Courses) **REFERENCE** - [Resources](#Resources) - [Primary Resource](#Primary-Resource) - [Recommended First Installs](#Recommended-First-Installs) - [Learn More About Open Source](#Learn-More-About-Open-Source) **FOR FACILITATORS** - [Facilitator Notes](#Facilitator-Notes) — teaching notes — students can skip - [Pacing](#Pacing) - [Common Issues](#Common-Issues) - [Energy Management](#Energy-Management) <!-- /toc:auto --> **Stop paying for software you can get for free.** [Slides](https://docs.themultiverse.school/p/jk6T3VVdI) --- ## October 10 <p><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/14Ct-b52yZrL6bFABccPrhYuRHWD6V0Qt/view">▶︎ Recording</a></p> ## September 12 <p><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AENgO9U0J9Wo-0c16xSfcIHdZb65VNcF/view">▶︎ Recording</a></p> ## May 9 '26 <p><a href="https://www.loom.com/share/93bc32a328dd433bbeb482f240091f1d">▶︎ Recording</a></p> ## Feb '26' <p><a href="https://www.loom.com/share/37e3586a6fb943cf86291db46504206c">▶︎ Recording</a></p> ## March 26 <p><a href="https://www.loom.com/share/cafc5114eb10488c8b451ed8dbd37582">▶︎ Recording</a></p> ## July 25 <p><a href="https://www.loom.com/share/f1e249f51ee5434aae6a26be90477c5a">▶︎ Recording</a></p> ## Course Overview Every month, most people and small businesses quietly hand over hundreds of dollars to software companies — for tools that have free, open-source alternatives that work just as well. This workshop is about finding those alternatives, trying them out, and starting to reclaim that money. We use [openalternative.co](https://openalternative.co) as our primary resource — it's a curated directory of open-source replacements for popular paid software, complete with GitHub stats and comparison cards. **The Throughline:** By the end of the workshop, you'll have audited your software spending, found free replacements for at least 3-5 paid tools, and installed one replacement on your own machine. **Duration:** 90 minutes **Format:** 2 exercises + group discussion **Prerequisites:** None — this workshop is designed for non-technical people **Required:** A laptop and a list of software you currently pay for (we'll build one together if you don't have it) **Cost:** $0 --- ## Who This Is For - **Small business owners** paying for a stack of SaaS tools every month - **Freelancers and solopreneurs** trying to keep overhead low - **Anyone** who sees $300+ in monthly software subscriptions and thinks "there has to be a better way" - **Non-technical people** who've heard of open source but don't know where to start - **People who came last month** — this is a recurring workshop, and each session you go deeper > **You don't need to be technical.** If you can install an app on your computer, you can do this. We focus on the easiest swaps first. --- ## The Mindset: Software Should Work For You Most of us signed up for free trials that became $10/month that became $20/month. We don't even remember what half of our subscriptions do. **Open source isn't "sketchy free software" — it's how most of the internet actually works.** Think of it like this: - **Open source** = a recipe that's been published for everyone. Thousands of cooks have tested it, improved it, and verified it's safe - **Paid software** = ordering delivery every night. Convenient, but expensive, and you never learn to cook - **The switch** = learning a few recipes so you can stop paying for delivery on the ones that are easy to make at home **Key principle:** - You don't have to replace everything at once - Start with the easy wins, build confidence, come back next month for the harder ones - Track your savings — it adds up fast --- ## Schedule | Time | Block | Topic | |------|-------|-------| | 0:00–0:10 | **Block 1** | The Software Audit | | 0:10–0:20 | **Block 2** | What "Open Source" Actually Means | | 0:20–0:35 | **Block 3** | Live Demo: openalternative.co | | 0:35–0:55 | **Block 4** | Exercise 1: Find Your Replacements | | 0:55–1:05 | **Block 5** | Group Share | | 1:05–1:20 | **Block 6** | Exercise 2: Install One Right Now | | 1:20–1:30 | **Block 7** | The Monthly Progression | --- ## Block 1 (0:00–0:10): The Software Audit **Learning Objectives:** - Identify every piece of software you currently pay for - Calculate your actual monthly software spend - Spot the subscriptions you forgot about ### The Exercise Open a blank document (or use paper) and list every piece of paid software and SaaS you use. Include: 1. **The tool name** 2. **What you use it for** 3. **What you pay per month** (or per year — divide by 12) Don't forget the sneaky ones: - Cloud storage (Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud) - Password managers - Design tools (Canva, Figma) - Email marketing (Mailchimp, ConvertKit) - Project management (Monday, Asana, Notion) - Communication (Slack, Zoom) - Accounting (QuickBooks, FreshBooks) - Website builders (Squarespace, Wix) ### Common Paid Tools — Reference Table | Category | Tool | Typical Cost | |----------|------|-------------| | Office Suite | Microsoft 365 | ~$100/yr | | Cloud Storage | Google One / Dropbox | $10–20/mo | | Password Manager | 1Password / LastPass | $3–5/mo | | Notes / Wiki | Notion | $10/mo | | Design | Canva Pro | $13/mo | | Team Chat | Slack | $7–12/user/mo | | Project Management | Monday / Asana | $10–25/user/mo | | Email Marketing | Mailchimp | $13–350/mo | | CRM | Salesforce | $25–300/user/mo | | Automation | Make.com / Zapier | $20–100/mo | | Photo Editing | Adobe Photoshop | $23/mo | | Video Editing | Adobe Premiere Pro | $23/mo | | Illustration | Adobe Illustrator | $23/mo | **Add up your total.** Most people are surprised — it's usually $100–500/month for individuals, and $500–2,000+ for small businesses. --- ## Block 2 (0:10–0:20): What "Open Source" Actually Means **Learning Objectives:** - Understand what open source software is in plain language - Know how to assess whether an open-source tool is trustworthy - Lose the fear of "free software" ### The 5-Minute Explanation Open source software means: 1. **Someone built it and gave it away for free.** Not as a trial, not as a freemium hook — actually free, forever. 2. **The code is public.** Anyone can look at how it works, which means bugs and security issues get found and fixed by thousands of people, not just one company's team. 3. **Communities maintain it.** The biggest open-source projects have thousands of contributors — more than most companies have employees. 4. **It's not sketchy.** Linux runs most of the world's servers. Firefox is open source. Android is open source. Wikipedia runs on open-source software. Your bank probably does too. ### How to Tell If It's Good Two numbers to look for on any open-source project: - **GitHub stars** — Think of these like reviews. More stars = more people use and trust it. 1,000+ stars is solid. 10,000+ is very established. - **Last commit date** — This tells you when someone last worked on it. If the last update was yesterday, it's actively maintained. If it was 3 years ago, it might be abandoned. ### Types of Open Source Software | Type | What It Means | Difficulty | |------|--------------|------------| | **Desktop app** | Download and install, just like any other app | Easy | | **Web app** | Runs in your browser, hosted by someone else | Easy | | **Self-hosted** | You run it on your own server or computer | Harder (but Month 2 covers this) | > **For this workshop, we focus on desktop apps and web apps.** Self-hosted tools are powerful but need a bit more setup — that's what Month 2 is for. --- ## Block 3 (0:20–0:35): Live Demo — openalternative.co **Learning Objectives:** - Navigate [openalternative.co](https://openalternative.co) confidently - Read a comparison card and assess maturity - Distinguish between easy swaps and harder migrations ### The Walkthrough We'll search for alternatives together, step by step: 1. **Go to [openalternative.co](https://openalternative.co)** 2. **Search for a tool** — e.g., type "Notion" 3. **Read the results** — you'll see alternatives like AppFlowy, Affine, and others 4. **Click into a comparison card** — look at: - What it does (feature comparison) - GitHub stars (popularity/trust) - Last commit (is it alive?) - How to get it (download, web app, self-hosted?) 5. **Assess the swap difficulty:** - Can you download it and run it right now? → **Easy win** - Do you need to migrate data? → **Medium effort** - Does it require a server? → **Save for Month 2** ### Example Searches to Demo | Search For | You'll Find | Verdict | |-----------|------------|---------| | Notion | AppFlowy, Affine | Desktop apps — easy swap | | 1Password | Bitwarden | App + browser extension — easy swap | | Canva | Penpot | Web app — easy swap | | Slack | Rocket.Chat, Element | Self-hosted — Month 2 | | Mailchimp | Listmonk | Self-hosted — Month 2 | --- ## Block 4 (0:35–0:55): Exercise 1 — Find Your Replacements *(20 minutes, timed)* ### The Exercise Go to [openalternative.co](https://openalternative.co) and search for alternatives to every paid tool on your audit list from Block 1. Fill in this table for each one: | My Paid Tool | Monthly Cost | Open Source Alternative | Stars | Last Updated | Type | Swap Difficulty | |-------------|-------------|----------------------|-------|-------------|------|----------------| | | | | | | | Easy / Medium / Hard | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | **Tips:** - Don't just pick the first result — compare a few options - Check the GitHub stars and last commit date - Note whether it's a desktop app, web app, or self-hosted - Mark the easy wins — those are what we install today - If you can't find a replacement, that's fine — not everything has one yet ### The Replacement Tables — Cheat Sheet If you want a head start, here are proven replacements: **For Everyone:** | Paid Tool | Cost | Open Source Alternative | Type | |-----------|------|----------------------|------| | Microsoft Office | $100/yr | LibreOffice | Desktop app | | Google Drive / Dropbox | $10–20/mo | Nextcloud | Self-hosted or hosted | | 1Password / LastPass | $3–5/mo | Bitwarden | App + cloud | | Notion | $10/mo | AppFlowy, Affine | Desktop app | | Canva Pro | $13/mo | Penpot | Web app | **For Business Owners:** | Paid Tool | Cost | Open Source Alternative | Type | |-----------|------|----------------------|------| | Slack | $7–12/user/mo | Rocket.Chat, Element | Self-hosted | | Monday / Asana | $10–25/user/mo | Plane, Focalboard | Self-hosted | | Mailchimp | $13–350/mo | Listmonk | Self-hosted | | Salesforce | $25–300/user/mo | Twenty, Erxes | Self-hosted | | Make.com / Zapier | $20–100/mo | n8n | Self-hosted or cloud | **For Creatives:** | Paid Tool | Cost | Open Source Alternative | Type | |-----------|------|----------------------|------| | Photoshop | $23/mo | GIMP, Photopea | Desktop / Web | | Illustrator | $23/mo | Inkscape | Desktop app | | Premiere Pro | $23/mo | Kdenlive, Shotcut | Desktop app | --- ## Block 5 (0:55–1:05): Group Share **What did you find?** Go around the room (or unmute) and share: 1. **Your biggest surprise** — a paid tool you didn't know had a free alternative 2. **Your easiest win** — the swap you could make today with zero friction 3. **Your hardest swap** — the tool that would be painful to replace (and why) 4. **Your potential monthly savings** — add up the "easy win" costs > **This is where the group learns from each other.** Someone else probably found a replacement you didn't think to search for. --- ## Block 6 (1:05–1:20): Exercise 2 — Install One Right Now *(15 minutes)* ### The Exercise Pick ONE easy-win replacement from your list and install it right now. Not later. Not tomorrow. Right now. **Recommended first installs** (all take under 5 minutes): | Tool | Replaces | Install | |------|---------|---------| | **Bitwarden** | 1Password, LastPass | [bitwarden.com](https://bitwarden.com) — app + browser extension | | **LibreOffice** | Microsoft Office | [libreoffice.org](https://libreoffice.org) — download and install | | **Signal** | WhatsApp, iMessage (for privacy) | [signal.org](https://signal.org) — phone + desktop app | | **Thunderbird** | Outlook (email client) | [thunderbird.net](https://www.thunderbird.net) — download and install | | **AppFlowy** | Notion | [appflowy.io](https://appflowy.io) — download and install | | **Penpot** | Canva (for design) | [penpot.app](https://penpot.app) — web app, just sign up | ### While Installing - Open one of your existing files/projects in the new tool - Does it work? Does it feel usable? - What's different? What's better? What's worse? - Would you actually use this day-to-day? > **The goal isn't perfection.** The goal is to prove to yourself that the switch is possible. You can always fine-tune later. --- ## Block 7 (1:20–1:30): The Monthly Progression This workshop is designed as a recurring practice. Same people come back, go deeper each month. ### Month 1: Easy Wins (This Workshop) - Desktop apps and browser-based tools - Bitwarden, LibreOffice, Signal, AppFlowy, Penpot - **Expected savings: $20–80/month** ### Month 2: Self-Hosted Tools - Someone technical helps set up a server (or use a cheap VPS) - Install Nextcloud (replaces Google Drive/Dropbox) - Install n8n (replaces Make.com/Zapier) - **Expected savings: $30–120/month** ### Month 3: Business Tool Migration - CRM migration (Twenty or Erxes instead of Salesforce) - Project management (Plane or Focalboard instead of Monday/Asana) - Email marketing (Listmonk instead of Mailchimp) - **Expected savings: $50–500/month** ### Month 4+: Advanced - Custom workflows connecting your self-hosted tools - Contributing back to open-source projects you use - Helping friends and colleagues make the switch - **Cumulative savings: $100–700+/month** ### Track Your Savings Keep a running log: | Month | Tool Replaced | Was Paying | Now Paying | Monthly Savings | |-------|--------------|-----------|-----------|----------------| | 1 | 1Password → Bitwarden | $5/mo | $0 | $5 | | 1 | MS Office → LibreOffice | $8/mo | $0 | $8 | | 2 | Google Drive → Nextcloud | $15/mo | $5 (VPS) | $10 | | | | | **Running Total:** | **$23/mo** | ### Homework - Use your new tool for one full week before the next session - Add at least one more "easy win" swap on your own - Bring your updated savings log to the next session --- ## What You'll Leave With By the end of this 90-minute workshop, you'll have: - ✅ A complete audit of your software spending - ✅ A list of open-source alternatives for your paid tools - ✅ At least one new open-source tool installed and working - ✅ A plan for which tools to swap next month - ✅ A savings tracker to watch your costs drop over time ### The Progression 1. **Awareness** → Know what you're paying and that alternatives exist (Block 1–3) 2. **Discovery** → Find specific replacements for your tools (Block 4–5) 3. **Action** → Install one and prove it works (Block 6) 4. **Momentum** → Build a monthly practice of replacing more (Block 7) --- ## Before the Workshop ### What to Bring | Item | Notes | |------|-------| | **Laptop** | Mac, Windows, or Linux — doesn't matter | | **Your software subscriptions list** | Check your bank/credit card statements for recurring charges | | **An open mind** | The tools look different from what you're used to — that's okay | ### Optional Prep - Look at your bank statement for the last 3 months and flag every software subscription - Visit [openalternative.co](https://openalternative.co) and browse around --- ## Resources ### Primary Resource - [openalternative.co](https://openalternative.co) — Curated directory of open-source alternatives to paid software ### Recommended First Installs - [Bitwarden](https://bitwarden.com) — Password manager (replaces 1Password, LastPass) - [LibreOffice](https://libreoffice.org) — Office suite (replaces Microsoft Office) - [Signal](https://signal.org) — Private messaging (replaces WhatsApp) - [Thunderbird](https://www.thunderbird.net) — Email client (replaces Outlook) - [AppFlowy](https://appflowy.io) — Notes and docs (replaces Notion) - [Penpot](https://penpot.app) — Design tool (replaces Canva) ### Learn More About Open Source - [opensource.com/resources/what-open-source](https://opensource.com/resources/what-open-source) — What is open source? - [github.com](https://github.com) — Where most open-source projects live --- ## Facilitator Notes ### Pacing - **Block 1** (Software Audit) — Keep this moving. Some people will want to be thorough — remind them they can add to the list later. The goal is a rough count, not a perfect inventory. - **Block 2** (What is Open Source) — 5 minutes max. Don't let this become a lecture. The audience doesn't need to know about licenses, Git, or contribution workflows. - **Block 3** (Live Demo) — Search for tools the audience actually uses. Ask what's on their lists and demo those searches live. - **Block 4** (Exercise 1) — Set a timer. Walk around and help people who are stuck. Common issue: they search for something too specific (e.g., a niche industry tool) and find nothing. - **Block 6** (Exercise 2) — The most important block. Everyone should leave with something installed. If someone is stuck, pair them with a neighbor. ### Common Issues - **"I can't find a replacement for X"** — That's fine. Not every tool has an open-source alternative yet. Note it and move on. - **"This looks different from what I'm used to"** — Acknowledge it. The learning curve is real but usually short. Emphasize that "different" doesn't mean "worse." - **"Is this safe?"** — Yes. Explain GitHub stars, active maintenance, and the fact that open code is actually more transparent than closed code. - **"I'm not technical enough for this"** — Stick to desktop apps and web apps for now. Self-hosted tools are for Month 2 with help. ### Energy Management - **Opening** — Start with the audit. Money is a great motivator — seeing the total spend creates urgency. - **Mid-session** — The exercises are the energy. Keep them moving, not lecturing. - **Closing** — End with the savings tracker. Make it concrete and forward-looking. --- ## Next Suggested Courses - [Control AI Spend](/dxpJu9I5R--tuCzHi1TECg) — Apply the same audit-and-replace approach to AI subscriptions - [Business Automation](/RuvQ6AyrRL6s9H29Ch6ITw) — Automate business workflows with AI, no coding required - [[../../Creative Automation/Creative Automation Syllabus|Creative Automation]] — Build AI-powered creative workflows and story generation systems --- *Last updated: August 2026* ## More recordings for this class - [Understanding Unix Commands](https://www.loom.com/share/acb63e31f96a4729ab7235c3711fe4a1) — Navigate directories, create files, and edit text using Unix commands like cd, ls, and vi - [Understanding GitHub: Navigating Repositories and Collaborating](https://www.loom.com/share/eda0dd7af1cc4d3c87bd8b1a5e21fb40) — Stage, commit, and push changes, then open a pull request to collaborate on GitHub - [Understanding the Cooklang Data Model](https://www.loom.com/share/182bc461c0e543d298a6f8d1ebca5419) — Parse recipe data from plain text files using an existing open-source specification and parser - [Functions in Python: Understanding the Return Statement](https://www.loom.com/share/ff2a184c35f04a69a5b05b4ca0c62af2) — Capture a function's output in a variable using the return statement instead of print - [Writing a Simple Function in Python](https://www.loom.com/share/221b343cb99a4c61bb6c3520243156a5) — Define a Python function, handle type errors, and validate user input with .isdigit()