The Broad Wave of Open Source: Code Outflow

Consider sailing from Los Angeles to Santa Catalina island. That is equally dependent upon (1) a boat, and (2) water (Santa Monica Bay, Pacific Ocean, etc). Yet those two things come about in totally different ways, existentially, economically and functionally. Neither Hunter nor BayLiner have to "build" or maintain the ocean. While many people are willing to pay for their products (boats), no money goes into funding the ownership of, or rights to, the water. Manufacturers and owners of both sail and power boats have a "freedom to operate," using the water -- and other "open" assets like current and wind -- in different ways. While one sailor may choose a milk jug raft, with a broom-and-towel sail, another may choose (and pay for) a gorgeous Beneteau 57. And the ocean serves both, equally well. What and how does this serve? Read on...

Code outflow
Popular software programs for desktops and servers today have much in common. Most have years-old code involving not-so-great technical skill, doing the same mundane functions done in competitor's code
(screen elements, control structures, common data and access structures, etc) with slight inconsequential coding differences. Over years of upgrades, this code -- and the cost of maintaining it -- mounts up. Imagine how much of this lower value code could "outflow" into an Open Source project for a given category of application (word processing), providing

• a huge base of programmers to provide maintenance
• distillation to a common, streamlined, 'best practices' code base continually updated to current thinking and techniques
• emergence of an industry-wide "lite" program meeting everyone's price point (free) and a common set of use-skills that everyone could learn
• an increased focus by the proprietary software companies on innovations and specialized, high-value functionality, with similar revenue potential to that of the previous product
• a natural cooperation of the Open Source and proprietary models addressing progressive global needs

Do you think this can work? How would this benefit or threaten your work environment?