Linus Torlvalds created a family open source operating systems kernels in September 1991. These are similar to Unix, an operating system for multi-user computing. Linux soon gained popularity with computer programmers as it was open source. Programmers wanted to write programmes independent of closed operating systems such as Windows, iOS, Android.

Since 2004, Linux has been able to run on Windows-based Operating systems. It now also runs seamlessly on Macs and other hardware.

Linus Torlvalds created a programming language called Git some years ago to overcome the difficulties of making Linux and Windows compatible. Both Linux and Git allow for a great deal of collaboration among programmers.

Programmers would like to share the repositiories of computer code in Git. One such repository is GitHub, which was founded in 2008. It provides internet hosting for software development. The hub gathered millions of subscribers. Microsoft acquired it in 2018.

A competing firm was GitLab. It was founded as a fully remote company, with no HQ and no real estate. All employees across the world had enough access to information. GitLab has over 2000 web pages forming its handbook. This handbook defines how the company operates.

IT firms too are undergoing metamorphosis. Their platforms are being used for requisitioning and delivery of services. Software development cost is crashing as there are reusable code libraries, e.g. those available on GitHub and GitLab. Large amount of software development is done in open source.

There were contracts of buying and selling software. The contracting costs are coming down. Off-shore services are now de rigueur at most organisations.

In future, software services firms will act as platforms for buyers and sellers to collaborate. There could be offerings of Quality Control and the availability of programmer. It is akin to a marketplace model. The industry is likely to be disrupted by a player who provides most IT services. The repositories would come handy.