Poking through some other sites that I like, I stumbled on a link to a recipe site, and it bore the rather interesting logo you see above. Okay, I was intrigued, so I clicked.

I was taken to an article about how secret recipes are a dumb idea. Well! Isn't that something?

The parallel is obvious. The source code to a piece of software, the blueprints to build something or the sheet music to a favourite song are no different in purpose than a recipe. It's a complete set of instructions on how to create something, and having them unlocks the collective wisdom that can lead to the creation of newer, greater things. Of course, your version will have your own personal touches in it, making it distinctly yours.

Don't get me wrong: I don't believe that all secrets should be laid open. I don't, for instance, want to know about your sex life any more than I want you to know about mine. My customer list is also a valid secret, both for my benefit as a business owner and theirs in being left alone by advertisers. However, how stuff works, and how it's made, should not be a secret, because keeping secrets stifles innovation.