Organization in Open Source Communities At the Crossroads of the Gift and Market Economies |
|
| Author:
| Berdou, Evangelia |
| Series title: | Routledge Studies in Innovation, Organizations and Technology Ser. |
| ISBN: | 978-1-136-97320-8 |
| Publication Date: | Oct 2010 |
| Publisher: | Routledge
|
| Book Format: | Digital (delivered electronically) |
| List Price: | USD $56.95 |
Book Description:
|
This book contributes new insights into the organization of free/open source (F/OS) software communities by examining the links between learning, division of labour and commercialization, demonstrating the need for a synthesis of work on both community organization and cooperation to understand F/OS community dynamics. These aspects are examined in the light of detailed case studies of the GNOME and KDE projects. This book offers an innovative theoretical framework, a critical...
More Description
This book contributes new insights into the organization of free/open source (F/OS) software communities by examining the links between learning, division of labour and commercialization, demonstrating the need for a synthesis of work on both community organization and cooperation to understand F/OS community dynamics. These aspects are examined in the light of detailed case studies of the GNOME and KDE projects. This book offers an innovative theoretical framework, a critical assessment of various methodologies for examining the organisation of F/OS communities, and a typology of commercial involvement in F/OS. The analysis reveals the diversity and evolution of F/OS communities and their connections with other socio-economic networks and institutional practices. The insights afforded by the book have implications for future research and the design and implementation of open source efforts.