Ilkka Tuomi
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199269051
- eISBN:
- 9780191699337
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199269051.003.0010
- Subject:
- Business and Management, Knowledge Management, Innovation
This chapter describes both the social and technological evolution of Linux and its development community. By analysing in detail the evolution of the structure of Linux source code over a period of ...
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This chapter describes both the social and technological evolution of Linux and its development community. By analysing in detail the evolution of the structure of Linux source code over a period of years, it shows how social control and coordination become embedded in a technological artefact. It also shows how social interaction can be ‘translated’ into resources by ‘black-boxing’ some of the underlying complexity behind technological interfaces. The chapter argues that one reason why the open source development model has been successful is that the social translation mechanisms it uses allow several communities to interface simultaneously to a common technological artefact. Moreover, the open source model guarantees that when software fails, it fails gracefully, at least in the social sense. In open source, black boxes have transparent and penetrable walls. The chapter also discusses the bug removal process in Linux and highlights some trade-offs that are needed to make distributed innovation and technology development effective.Less
This chapter describes both the social and technological evolution of Linux and its development community. By analysing in detail the evolution of the structure of Linux source code over a period of years, it shows how social control and coordination become embedded in a technological artefact. It also shows how social interaction can be ‘translated’ into resources by ‘black-boxing’ some of the underlying complexity behind technological interfaces. The chapter argues that one reason why the open source development model has been successful is that the social translation mechanisms it uses allow several communities to interface simultaneously to a common technological artefact. Moreover, the open source model guarantees that when software fails, it fails gracefully, at least in the social sense. In open source, black boxes have transparent and penetrable walls. The chapter also discusses the bug removal process in Linux and highlights some trade-offs that are needed to make distributed innovation and technology development effective.
Josh Lerner and Mark Schankerman
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- August 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780262014632
- eISBN:
- 9780262289573
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- The MIT Press
- DOI:
- 10.7551/mitpress/9780262014632.003.0003
- Subject:
- Business and Management, Information Technology
This chapter examines the origins and evolution of the open source software sector. It discusses the three distinct areas of open source development. These include the development of many of the key ...
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This chapter examines the origins and evolution of the open source software sector. It discusses the three distinct areas of open source development. These include the development of many of the key features of computer operating systems in the 1960s and 1970s, the formalization of rules for software development and the advent of the Internet in the 1990s which accelerated open source activity. This chapter also considers the pace of change in the open source community, the role of corporations and corporate contributors and cost concerns of open source program users.Less
This chapter examines the origins and evolution of the open source software sector. It discusses the three distinct areas of open source development. These include the development of many of the key features of computer operating systems in the 1960s and 1970s, the formalization of rules for software development and the advent of the Internet in the 1990s which accelerated open source activity. This chapter also considers the pace of change in the open source community, the role of corporations and corporate contributors and cost concerns of open source program users.
