The Open Source Ward Weekly (05 August 2025)
CopyParty
Transform any device into a file server with resumable uploads and downloads. It's really easy to use, just run a single Python file, and that's it. If, like me, you have a toaster device and a hard drive, you can easily create a shared movie/series library and share it with your friends. The project's README is really complete and will help you set it up securely.
n.eko
n.eko is a self-hosted virtual browser that lets you share a browser, or even a full desktop with friends or teammates in real-time. It runs in Docker and uses WebRTC, a peer-to-peer technology that streams audio and video directly between users, with no central server in the middle.
OpenBB-finance
Stonks again, my friends!
The OpenBB Platform offers access to a large panel of financial data (equity, options, crypto, forex, etc.) as well as easy integration features to bring your own data or connect AI agents.
That being said, my experience with the tool so far was full of registrations to different services as well as to the OpenBB ecosystem and doesn't feel that open to me. Nonetheless, the project is heavily trending this week and offers interesting modularity for people wanting to explore the quant world.
hrms
Open Source and easy-to-use HR and Payroll Software.
You can deploy it using Frappe Cloud if you don't want to bother yourself with hosting. Otherwise, you can run docker-compose and set it up on the machine of your choice.
In the News
Create open source versions of popular tools and win prizes. The hackathon will be running from the 1st to the 7th of September.
- 1st Herman Miller Aeron or Bambu Lab P1S or Framework Laptop 13 + Leap credits
- 2nd WalkingPad C2 or Teenage Engineering OB-4 or Steam Deck OLED + Leap credits
- 3rd AirPods Pro 2 or Keychron Q1 Pro or Sony WH-1000XM5 + Leap credits
ACM's Transition to Full Open Access:
ACM, the world's largest computing society, has announced its transition to a fully Open Access publishing model by the end of 2025. This represents a significant shift for an organization that has been gatekeeping computing research for over seven decades.
The timing feels inevitable. The current scientific publishing model, where publicly-funded research gets locked behind expensive paywalls, has become increasingly untenable. Researchers, institutions, and funding bodies have been pushing for open access mandates, and major publishers are finally responding.
ACM's transition puts pressure on other major scientific publishers, particularly IEEE, to follow suit.
Maybe I’m overoptimistic and this move is just another way to increase their pricing models. Still, I want to believe that the new publishing methods with increased usage of ArXiv have finally impacted one of the two giants of our field.
Member discussion