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Cyberspace Engineers

Engineering Cyberspace!

Open Source

Introduction

Software becomes Open Source when it is published under an Open Source compliant license. To be Open Source does not entail open and collaborative development, but such development typically requires that even the initial work is covered by an Open Source license, thus ensuring current and future work remains within the public domain. Because it is so useful to open, collaborative development the term ‘Open Source’ is often used to encompass this activity too.

Open Source means ‘software that is truly public domain, in the most benign and philanthropic way’.

Safety out of the shadows

One of the safest places to put priceless technology is in full view of the world. No one else can steal it or obtain a monopoly on it. And most would not think of anyone leaving anything valuable in such a place.

Not worthwhile to predators

If anyone recognises its worth, what are they going to do? They can’t patent it or sue anyone. If they tried to do a faster, secret development in parallel, they have a great risk of wasting such a more expensive, duplicated effort. The most logical choice is to join in the development on a collaborative basis – ‘the whole being greater than the sum of its parts’. It is better to share experience and skills, than to miss out by going it alone.

Starting up

Collaborative Open Source software development works in practice by being pump-primed by an interested party. Once it has reached a stage where new-comers can usefully take some aspect and refine, test, document it, then it’s ready for open collaboration. Development can start out in the open from the outset, if only to begin the gradual publicity process among the open source development community. This way, when the project is ready for all-comers, there are enough volunteers around waiting to be given the go-ahead.

Obviously, software that only benefits a single party, is unlikely to attract any collaborators. The most successful Open Source projects are those that many other people can recognise as useful applications or potentially advantageous adjuncts or foundations to their own projects.

Sticking your neck out gets respect

Surprisingly, it is probable that other extremely interest parties, if they are enlightened in the Open Source philosophy may join in with the instigator of the project and add financial sponsorship. It is not about exploiting a bunch of crazy hackers with too much time on their hands. It is about philanthropists getting together to achieve a common end. It is not about a lone fool investing in a project for the benefit of many other contemptuous free-loaders.