The Biggest Myth About Open Source

Does making your code public mean giving away your best ideas?

It's a question more developers are asking as AI makes software creation more accessible than ever.

After spending decades believing software development wasn't for him, Andy Lapteff has spent the last several months building real applications with AI-assisted coding tools like Claude Code. That journey led to a bigger question:

Should you make your GitHub repositories public?

Joining Andy is William Collins for a thoughtful discussion about open source software, GitHub, intellectual property, AI-assisted development, and why the real value in software may have far less to do with code than most people think.

Together they explore why projects like Terraform became industry standards, how open source communities create powerful network effects, and why execution—not ideas—often becomes the real competitive advantage.

They also discuss the changing role of AI in software development, the future of technical careers, and why builders, entrepreneurs, and network engineers should rethink what it means to create value in the age of AI.

In this episode, you'll learn:

•  Why open source doesn't necessarily mean giving away your ideas 
•  When to keep a GitHub repository private—and when to make it public 
•  Why community can become a stronger competitive advantage than code 
•  How AI tools like Claude Code are changing software development 
•  What network engineers can learn from open source software 
•  Why execution matters more than protecting ideas 

Whether you're a developer, network engineer, entrepreneur, or simply curious about how AI is changing software, this conversation will challenge some long-held assumptions about open source, intellectual property, and building technology.

Full show notes, transcript and links: https://artofnetworkengineering.com/episodes/the-biggest-myth-about-open-source

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