On open source projects, programmers build tools to solve specific problems, then make those tools freely available so others can use them and contribute their own improvements. The communities of programmers that grow up around successful open source projects often produce tools that are more secure, flexible, and cost-effective than those produced by a team working in isolation.
The key is building a community.
That’s why I’m pleased to announce that we’ve established an official White House presence on Drupal.org, an online community dedicated to maintaining and improving Drupal, the software that powers WhiteHouse.gov. We’ve released the source code for several Drupal modules in the past and we’re now working with members of the Drupal community who are helping us improve We the People, the White House petitions system. In the coming months, we hope to release a new, “white label” theme for We the People that will make it easier for others to re-use the code and set up their own petitions systems.