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Explore the critical parallels between physical and digital infrastructure in this 36-minute conference talk from the Linux Foundation's Open Source Summit. Examine how open source software components form the backbone of global digital infrastructure, yet lack the systematic government support that maintains physical infrastructure like sewers, roads, and bridges. Discover the precarious nature of digital foundations maintained by individual developers like Daniel for curl, small teams for Log4j, and countless other maintainers who keep essential systems running. Learn about the German concept of "digitale Daseinsvorsorge" (digital public services) and investigate whether governments can help secure the public digital commons without disrupting the sprawling ecosystem of FOSS communities that created it. Understand how nations might invest in digital services and open source software in the same way they provide education, clean water, and transportation for the public good, addressing the terrifying fragility of software infrastructure in an era where software is eating the world.
