Facebook’s TODO Project To Simplify Open-Source Software

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Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) has announced the formation of the TODO project that will simplify the way in which open-source software projects, which are an important part of a cloud and mobile computing development, are executed. According to the announcement of the project on Monday, September 15th, TODO will incorporate best practices for updating the open-source software, methods of securing legal compliance or tools and tools to create software easily available to anyone.

Facebook's TODO Project To Simplify Open-Source Software

Facebook aims software with lesser bugs

Open source offers free access to software to anyone and allows all to contribute, as well as use the code. It will be possible to design software with fewer bugs, and the software will be a major part of world’s mobile and computer server operating systems along with other applications.

“There is a problem here we all feel is not getting better anytime soon,” said Jay Parikh, global head of engineering at Facebook. “We feel there is a speed at which things have to move.”

However, this effort from Facebook might be also looked upon as another effort to increase corporate control of one of the most important technologies in today’s world. This might be the case, but it also makes clear the increasing importance of these technologies, making it even more vital to be managed in ways that are more practical, clear and consistent than was possible in the movement’s early days.

New members joining TODO

Other members of TODO (talk openly, develop openly) are Google and Walmart’s online operations, along with GitHub, the primary source for working on open-source projects, and Khan Academy, a nonprofit online educational organization. Other members include Twitter, Dropbox, Stripe and Square.

The TODO members list is expanding with 30 more companies joining the project including The New York Times, according to a company spokesperson. The reason behind setting up this group is that a substantial part of the software that supports Facebook, Google search and the Android mobile operating system is based on open source. The project will allow Facebook and others to release new parts of its software twice a day, much faster than the speed at which open-source releases have come in the past.

Along with the benefits there are also some concerns, such as people working on different versions may cause breakdowns as the software for mobile phones, tablets, applications and remote computing infrastructure becomes more complex.

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