kcb201 week 9 lecture (adam muir): open source - software and beyond

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Open Source: Software and beyond...

KCB201 Virtual Cultures

Adam [email protected]



This Presentation made with OpenOffice Impress on OpenSUSE Linux...

Free and Open Source Software!



Overview

‒What is Software?‒What is Free Software?‒Proprietary vs Open Source‒Open Source‒Pros and Cons of Open Source‒Examples: GNU/Linux, Sourceforge



How Software Works

‒ Source Code = Instructions written in Programming Languages that tell a computer to do certain things.

Source Code is “compiled” (translated) into files that can run on specific computers...

These files that run on computers are called Binary Files or Executables (e.g: those files on Windows that end in .exe)



‒ Source Code written in an Open Source programming language called Ruby [ http://www.ruby-lang.org/ ].



‒ Historically Software was Free... Anyone could contribute, share and reuse code... “Bazaar style” (Raymond, 1999)

But as Personal Computers moved into the business world ...

=> Commercialisation of software production, transforms software (code) into a commodity that must be guarded...

...Source Code is locked away. Only a select few may see it and change it... “Cathedral model” (Raymond, 1999)



Free Software?‒Free Software Foundation -

Started by MIT “hacker” Richard M Stallman in 1985... (http://www.fsf.org/)

His goal was to create a completely free Unix-like Operating System made from free software (like the good old days before proprietary software)...

This free OS is called GNU (GNU's Not Unix) (http://www.gnu.org/)



Free Software Principles‒ Freedom 0: The freedom to run the program, for any purpose.

‒ Freedom 1: The freedom to study how the program works, and adapt it to your needs. (Access to the source code is a precondition for this.)

‒ Freedom 2: The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor. (In other words, for the good of the community.)

‒ Freedom 3: The freedom to improve the program, and release your improvements to the public, so that the whole community benefits. (Access to the source code is a precondition for this.)

... (cited in Stallman, 2002: 43)



What about Open Source?

‒ In an attempt to push “Free Software” into the business world...

... The Name Free Software is replaced with Open Source...

* Emphasis on “Open”, rather than “Free”

(http://www.opensource.org/)



‒ Open source in its own words:

“The basic idea behind open source is very simple: When programmers can read, redistribute, and modify the source code for a piece of software, the Software evolves. People improve it, people adapt it, people fix bugs. And this can happen at a speed that, if one is used to the slow pace of conventional software development, seems astonishing.“We in the open source community have learned that this rapid evolutionary process produces better software than the traditional closed model, in which only a very few programmers can see the source and everybody else must blindly use an opaque block of bits.”

(Opensource.org)



Open Source vs Proprietary

‒ Software development:• Proprietary Software (closed source) model (e.g. MS-Windows, MacOS,

MS-Office, Internet Explorer):∘ source code remains confidential∘ non-disclosure agreements and other legal protections on code as content∘ software development mainly in-house, by paid staff teams∘ development goals set by software company∘ business model is selling finished software packages∘ traditional software production

• Free Software (open source) model (e.g. Linux, OpenOffice, Firefox):∘ source code freely and openly available∘ anyone can see it, edit it, use it, under limited-rights licence∘ software development by teams of volunteers in the community∘ development goals set by community, ‘forking’ is possible∘ business model is providing services around the software∘ software produsage



How Open Source Works‒ Key assumptions:

• everyone has a contribution to make∘ e.g. code changes, beta testing, error reports, feature requests, documentation,

community leadership• community involvement more likely if community experimentation is encouraged

∘ i.e. limited success if project direction is determined from above• users will contribute if to do so is easy and beneficial for them and all

∘ i.e. combination of self-interest and altruistic motives• shared ownership of the project is crucial

∘ i.e. contributions less likely if they only benefit a commercial software publisher

‒ Compare to key preconditions for produsage:• equipotential users: everybody knows something• probabilistic processes: someone will find a solution• granular tasks: even small contributions add up• shared content: nobody will exploit the community



Open Source as Produsage‒ Key aspects:

• “user innovation network” (von Hippel, Feller et al. ch. 14)• “networked-enabled collaboration” (O’Reilly, Feller et al. ch. 24)• “architecture of participation” (O’Reilly, Feller et al. ch. 24)

‒ Produsage principles:• open participation, communal evaluation

∘ project is open for anyone to make contributions (which are tested by the community)• fluid heterarchy, ad hoc meritocracy (adhocracy)

∘ constructive contributors grow in community esteem and influence• unfinished artefacts, continuing process

∘ project is never finished, always under development• common property, individual rewards

∘ project is only feasible with open source licencing, but individuals can benefit

‒ Open source as early precursor to wider produsage trends…



Motivations

‒ What motivates open source participants?• “scratching that itch” (Eric Raymond)

∘ Those that expressed enjoyment and learning as primary motivators• fixing necessary code

∘ Those that simply need the code to satisfy non-work-related user needs

• developing and showcasing skills∘ Those that have work-related needs and career concerns

• contributing to the greater good of the community∘ Those that feel an obligation to the community and believe that

software should be free/open

• i.e. combination of individual and altruistic motivations(Feller et al., p. xix)



Pros and Cons of Open Source‒ Benefits:

• potentially faster development: larger team of developers (no “resource horizon”)• ability to explore multiple solutions quickly• development in direct response to user requests and suggestions• immediate release of new revisions (commercial considerations irrelevant)• greater transparency – no hidden functionality, clearly documented file standards• zero cost for software purchases or upgrades

‒ Problems:• survival of open source project depends on size and viability of community• development mostly in areas of interest to community majority (“interest horizon”)• lack of financial support for marketing or solving ‘dull’ problems• switching costs from commercial software to open source

‒ Solution?• pro-am model: companies investing in open source and offering services



Linux‒ GNU/Linux:

• highly successful operating system• alternative to MS-Windows or MacOS,

especially for high-end / critical uses• Can be run on almost all computer architectures

• 1991: ∘ Finnish IT student Linus Torvalds develops

experimental Linux kernel∘ Torvalds makes kernel source code freely available online∘ Torvalds invites others to test, modify, and share it, under open source licence

(GPL and derivatives)∘ During this phase they added parts from the GNU free OS (hence the full name

GNU/Linux)• 1992:

∘ communities of Linux developers form and grow• 1993-4:

∘ various Linux ‘distros’ emerge (SLS, Slackware, Yggdrasil, Debian, Red Hat, etc) focus on specific uses and users

• today:∘ Linux widely used especially in the server market – ~30% market share



Sourceforge.net

‒Sourceforge provides a space for users and software creators to collaborate

‒Not only a repository to find FLOSS applications, also has tools for teams to track changes and revisions

‒Other community ‒Many platforms supported‒Hosts thousands of FLOSS projects‒Has a very “in progress” feel ...



Open- ?‒ Creative Commons - Creativity that allows “remix” and re-use

‒ Open Knowledge – Ideas, building on those who came before

‒ Open Democracy - Encourages Citizen-Democracy (see KCB201 Week 12 for more information)

‒ Can you think of other examples?



Summary

‒ Free Software principles adapted to describe a community-centric mode of production...

‒ Initially for software but adapted to other areas of creativity

‒ Open model has not one author but many... ‒ More eyeballs = more quality control‒ Wide Participation encouraged by nature of the

central philosophy‒ ... Can be described as one form of “produsage”...



Further Resources:‒ References Cited:

Gay, Joshua (ed). Free Software, Free Society: Selected Essay by Richard M Stallman. GNU Press: Boston, MA: GNU Press, 2002. ( download for free from http://www.gnu.org/doc/book13.html )

Raymond, Eric S. The Cathedral and the Bazaar : musings on Linux and Open Source by an accidental revolutionary. Cambridge, Mass: O'Reilly, 2001.

‒ Documentaries Shown:Richard M Stallman on “the Four Freedoms” from “the CodeBreakers” BBC Documentary, (2006) (you can get it legally online at a bunch of places including torrent sites)

Eric S Raymond on “the Cathedral and the Bazaar” in JTS Moore's “Revolution O.S.”, (2003).

‒ Extra websites:Free Software Foundation - http://www.fsf.org/Distro-Watch (Linux distributions) - http://distrowatch.com/



Your Mission:

‒Try some free software today!‒Mozilla firefox, mozilla thunderbird,

openoffice.org, gimpshop, amsn, pidgin, etc etc...

kcb201 week 9 lecture (adam muir): open source - software and beyond

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