Open source was built on the promise of openness, freedom to use, study, and improve.

However, somewhere between GitHub, DevOps, and the cloud, “open” became synonymous with “for developers only.”

This session looks at how open source grew from a rebellious idea of collective creation into the foundation of modern software and how that success quietly narrowed who gets to take part. We’ll go back to where it all started, from GNU and Linux to the rise of GitHub, to see how the tools that made global collaboration possible also decided who gets to take part.

We’ll talk about why roles like UX, product, and documentation still sit on the sidelines of open source, even though they shape how people actually experience it. With real stories like Keycloak’s tough onboarding or Grafana’s more welcoming approach we’ll look at how usability became the missing piece, and how better design could finally make open source feel open again.

You will leave with a new perspective on open collaboration and practical ideas for how designers, developers, and maintainers can bridge the gap between code and experience.