Welcome to the world of open source software!

Why should I use open source software?

Open source software is 100% free! The source code is also available meaning you can make your own edits/customizations, help the maintainer fix bugs, or add features to the program.

I can download a bunch of apps for free, why aren't they open source?

A lot of proprietary software is free as in money. But open source software is free as in freedom. Open source projects are typically licensed under the GNU GPL, MIT, or Apache license. Those licenses allow you to view, modify and distribute the source code.

Do I need to know coding to get involved in open source?

No you don't! The easiest way to get into open source software is to start using it. There are decent FOSS replacements for most proprietary apps and services. Once you start using it, you can contribute by reporting bugs to the maintainer. If you know coding, you can fix bugs and add features using pull requests.