Because open source assets are developed collectively, there is no single source for cost estimates of how much it has taken to develop the technology. There is a great value on open source delopments (OSD), but current legal framework for financial reporting doesn’t allow to report on them...

Open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials, spreading development burden amongst individuals and companies. This model has resulted in a large and efficient ecosystem and unheralded software innovation, freely available...