Comments on: Musing about opensource: The threat is stronger than the move http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2007/01/10/musing-about-opensource-the-threat-is-stronger-than-the-move/ a blog about information Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:38:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Setting the record straight | confused of calcutta http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2007/01/10/musing-about-opensource-the-threat-is-stronger-than-the-move/comment-page-1/#comment-74265 Setting the record straight | confused of calcutta Fri, 12 Jan 2007 20:31:59 +0000 http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2007/01/10/musing-about-opensource-the-threat-is-stronger-than-the-move/#comment-74265 [...] My musings on a post by James McGovern attracted a number of comments, and I want to set the record straight: [...] [...] My musings on a post by James McGovern attracted a number of comments, and I want to set the record straight: [...]

]]> By: Paul Downey http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2007/01/10/musing-about-opensource-the-threat-is-stronger-than-the-move/comment-page-1/#comment-74154 Paul Downey Fri, 12 Jan 2007 13:28:19 +0000 http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2007/01/10/musing-about-opensource-the-threat-is-stronger-than-the-move/#comment-74154 There was an excellent Radio4 programme on Open Source this weekend: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/news/inbusiness/inbusiness.shtml In which one person voiced a similar notion "we know [open source] is an experiment, but we can't not be involved in it". There was an excellent Radio4 programme on Open Source this weekend: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/news/inbusiness/inbusiness.shtml

In which one person voiced a similar notion “we know [open source] is an experiment, but we can’t not be involved in it”.

]]> By: Dannie Jost http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2007/01/10/musing-about-opensource-the-threat-is-stronger-than-the-move/comment-page-1/#comment-71722 Dannie Jost Thu, 11 Jan 2007 13:47:02 +0000 http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2007/01/10/musing-about-opensource-the-threat-is-stronger-than-the-move/#comment-71722 But why is the threat bigger that the move? Clearly, almost logically, you can not have just leaders, somebody oughta follow. So, if the future - a word that really gives me the creeps - was not for profit, what would it be about? Commercial operations might these days be spelled evil, but what is it that we are not addressing in addressing what is behind the open source idea? But why is the threat bigger that the move? Clearly, almost logically, you can not have just leaders, somebody oughta follow.

So, if the future – a word that really gives me the creeps – was not for profit, what would it be about? Commercial operations might these days be spelled evil, but what is it that we are not addressing in addressing what is behind the open source idea?

]]> By: Justin Brister http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2007/01/10/musing-about-opensource-the-threat-is-stronger-than-the-move/comment-page-1/#comment-71675 Justin Brister Thu, 11 Jan 2007 11:45:49 +0000 http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2007/01/10/musing-about-opensource-the-threat-is-stronger-than-the-move/#comment-71675 As in the physical world, different on-line communities have different values and behaviors. Experience at our Corporation of the Open Source community has been quiet good. As an organisation we have contributed to a number of Open Source inititives including Tarrobane, Apache AXIS, Kandula, and Apache Sandesha. We have been welcomed by these communities and continue to be a significant contributor to Open Source. I think that the observations regarding core contributors are bang on. I don't think that actively inviting contributions on a large scale would be healthy or manageable. If you have to work hard to become a contributor then the community will have a degree of confidence in your enthusiasm and commitment. Those Open Source communities that actively discourage participation, I would imagine are not really communities and I would question how open their source is. In these instances you can take the code and modify, but cannot easily share with and collaborate with the wider community; that doesn't sound very open! As in the physical world, different on-line communities have different values and behaviors. Experience at our Corporation of the Open Source community has been quiet good. As an organisation we have contributed to a number of Open Source inititives including Tarrobane, Apache AXIS, Kandula, and Apache Sandesha. We have been welcomed by these communities and continue to be a significant contributor to Open Source.

I think that the observations regarding core contributors are bang on. I don’t think that actively inviting contributions on a large scale would be healthy or manageable. If you have to work hard to become a contributor then the community will have a degree of confidence in your enthusiasm and commitment.

Those Open Source communities that actively discourage participation, I would imagine are not really communities and I would question how open their source is. In these instances you can take the code and modify, but cannot easily share with and collaborate with the wider community; that doesn’t sound very open!

]]> By: Ric http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2007/01/10/musing-about-opensource-the-threat-is-stronger-than-the-move/comment-page-1/#comment-71669 Ric Thu, 11 Jan 2007 11:27:25 +0000 http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2007/01/10/musing-about-opensource-the-threat-is-stronger-than-the-move/#comment-71669 The core needs the audience - take away the audience and the core will stop performing. Even the Grateful Dead would have stopped touring if nobody showed up to see them. I find also from my own experience, that an individual may play all of the roles, but in different communities. The core needs the audience – take away the audience and the core will stop performing. Even the Grateful Dead would have stopped touring if nobody showed up to see them. I find also from my own experience, that an individual may play all of the roles, but in different communities.

]]> By: anya http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2007/01/10/musing-about-opensource-the-threat-is-stronger-than-the-move/comment-page-1/#comment-71363 anya Wed, 10 Jan 2007 22:26:57 +0000 http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2007/01/10/musing-about-opensource-the-threat-is-stronger-than-the-move/#comment-71363 Ofcourse the number of people contributing is important as it creates a certain degree of dymamism, but also important is the number of 'watchers' as you call them. Isnt that exactly what open source is all about? If there arent enough people to scan the written code how will different bugs and inefficiencies get detected? Ofcourse the number of people contributing is important as it creates a certain degree of dymamism, but also important is the number of ‘watchers’ as you call them. Isnt that exactly what open source is all about? If there arent enough people to scan the written code how will different bugs and inefficiencies get detected?

]]> By: JP http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2007/01/10/musing-about-opensource-the-threat-is-stronger-than-the-move/comment-page-1/#comment-71340 JP Wed, 10 Jan 2007 22:07:03 +0000 http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2007/01/10/musing-about-opensource-the-threat-is-stronger-than-the-move/#comment-71340 Dennis, I don't know the people at Drupal. When you say "the community is a turn off" that implies to me there is no community. Which is a different problem. A healthy community is characterised by people willing to help each other. Dennis, I don’t know the people at Drupal. When you say “the community is a turn off” that implies to me there is no community. Which is a different problem.

A healthy community is characterised by people willing to help each other.

]]> By: Dennis Howlett http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2007/01/10/musing-about-opensource-the-threat-is-stronger-than-the-move/comment-page-1/#comment-71287 Dennis Howlett Wed, 10 Jan 2007 20:46:22 +0000 http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2007/01/10/musing-about-opensource-the-threat-is-stronger-than-the-move/#comment-71287 I have to say JP that the lot over at Drupal are among the most UNfriendly on the planet. Most answers are a variation of: You're stupid You don't get it Read the manual (which doesn't exist) See this (equally incomprehensible) link Sorry - open source is fine but we're moving to a point where the geeks are not in control and if this is the way the community responds then it should be hardly surprising when people get hot under the collar. Much as I like Drupal as a system, it does take some understanding, the learning curve is near vertical and the community is a turn off. Hence I don't touch it these days. I have to say JP that the lot over at Drupal are among the most UNfriendly on the planet. Most answers are a variation of:
You’re stupid
You don’t get it
Read the manual (which doesn’t exist)
See this (equally incomprehensible) link

Sorry – open source is fine but we’re moving to a point where the geeks are not in control and if this is the way the community responds then it should be hardly surprising when people get hot under the collar.

Much as I like Drupal as a system, it does take some understanding, the learning curve is near vertical and the community is a turn off. Hence I don’t touch it these days.

]]> By: DesiPundit » Archives » Communities And Opensource http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2007/01/10/musing-about-opensource-the-threat-is-stronger-than-the-move/comment-page-1/#comment-71218 DesiPundit » Archives » Communities And Opensource Wed, 10 Jan 2007 18:35:19 +0000 http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2007/01/10/musing-about-opensource-the-threat-is-stronger-than-the-move/#comment-71218 [...] Confused of Calcutta muses about opensource and communities Does it really matter, the number of people who actively contribute to an opensource project? Is there something about the way opensource communities work, something that will always ensure that a very small number are the hyperactive core? [...] [...] Confused of Calcutta muses about opensource and communities Does it really matter, the number of people who actively contribute to an opensource project? Is there something about the way opensource communities work, something that will always ensure that a very small number are the hyperactive core? [...]

]]>