Preface 1. Property and the Problem of Software 2. The Early History of Open Source 3. What Is Open Source and How Does It Work? 4. A Maturing Model of Production 5. Explaining Open Source: Microfoundations 6. Explaining Open Source: Macro-Organization 7. Business Models and the Law 8. The Code That Changed the World? Notes Index
We can blindly continue to develop, reward, protect, and organize around knowledge assets on the comfortable assumption that their traditional property rights remain inviolate. Or we can listen to Steven Weber and begin to make our peace with the uncomfortable fact that the very foundations of our familiar "knowledge as property" world have irrevocably shifted. -- Alan Kantrow, Chief Knowledge Officer, Monitor Group Ever since the invention of agriculture, human beings have had only three social-engineering tools for organizing any large-scale division of labor: markets (and the carrots of material benefits they offer), hierarchies (and the sticks of punishment they impose), and charisma (and the promises of rapture they offer). Now there is the possibility of a fourth mode of effective social organization--one that we perhaps see in embryo in the creation and maintenance of open-source software. My Berkeley colleague Steven Weber's book is a brilliant exploration of this fascinating topic. -- J. Bradford DeLong, Department of Economics, University of California at Berkeley Steven Weber has produced a significant, insightful book that is both smart and important. The most impressive achievement of this volume is that Weber has spent the time to learn and think about the technological, sociological, business, and legal perspectives related to open source. The Success of Open Source is timely and more thought provoking than almost anything I've come across in the past several years. It deserves careful reading by a wide audience. -- Jonathan Aronson, Annenberg School for Communication, University of Southern California
Steven Weber is Professor in the School of Information and Department of Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley. He is a global leader in the analysis of issues at the intersection of technology markets, intellectual property, and international politics. His books include The Success of Open Source and, with Bruce W. Jentleson, The End of Arrogance: America in the Global Competition of Ideas (both from Harvard).
A valuable new account of the [open-source software] movement.
*New York Times*
Weber’s ideas are timely and informative for anyone who wants to
explain or advocate Open Source… The Success of Open Source…gives a
readable, thought-provoking, and occasionally funny account of what
Open Source is and means, making it an extremely valuable resource
for those who want to engage and discuss these issues on an
intellectual level.
*Slashdot*
In the world of open-source software, true believers can be a
fervent bunch. Linux, for example, may act as a credo as well as an
operating system. But there is much substance beyond zealotry, says
Steven Weber, the author of The Success of Open Source… An
open-source operating system offers its source code up to be played
with, extended, debugged, and otherwise tweaked in an orgy of user
collaboration. The author traces the roots of that ethos and
process in the early years of computers… He also analyzes the
interface between open source and the worlds of business and law,
as well as wider issues in the clash between hierarchical
structures and networks, a subject with relevance beyond the
software industry to the war on terrorism.
*Chronicle of Higher Education*
While much in Weber’s account will be familiar to anyone concerned
with this debate, his book should make this extraordinary
phenomenon understandable to a much wider audience… [The Success of
Open Source] deserve[s] the careful attention of a wide audience,
including, especially, governments.
*London Review of Books*
Weber sees the central issues raised by [open source software] as
property, motivation, organisation and governance. He uses a study
of the open source movement to illuminate the motivation of
programmers and the way [open source software] projects are
co-ordinated and governed, and to ask if there are lessons in it
for society… Weber’s work brings to mind an earlier book, The
Machine That Changed the World, a study of how Toyota’s production
system transformed the way cars are made everywhere. That book made
two simple points: that the Toyota ‘system’ was a car, and that it
was not uniquely Japanese. Steve Weber’s book can be—and
is—similarly summarised: ‘Open source is not a piece of software,
and it is not unique to a group of hackers.’ And it has the
potential to change the world.
*The Observer*
Weber’s book deserves the glowing response it has received within
and outwith the computing community, and provides a careful,
thought-provoking study of an important phenomenon of the twentieth
century. For these reasons alone it is worth reading. And while it
will of course appeal to those interested or participating in the
Open Source movement, for the information professional, in
particular, it offers helpful insight into the advantages and
limits of sustainable models of cooperative effort that do not
depend on remuneration or hierarchy. This is particularly pertinent
as libraries increasingly make available metadata they have created
about digital or physical assets, and as they are involved in the
management of digital assets… [I]nformation professionals are
increasingly called on to administer, arbitrate, and communicate
about digital rights. Many of those they interact with in this
capacity, especially in an academic setting, will have been
influenced by the Open Source movement or have parallel attitudes
to collaborative work—this book may assist them to develop a more
nuanced articulation of opinion and a greater understanding of the
issues.
*Library Review*
Steven Weber has produced a significant, insightful book that is
both smart and important. The most impressive achievement of this
volume is that Weber has spent the time to learn and think about
the technological, sociological, business, and legal perspectives
related to open source. The Success of Open Source is timely and
more thought provoking than almost anything I’ve come across in the
past several years. It deserves careful reading by a wide
audience.
*Jonathan Aronson, University of Southern California Annenberg
School for Communication*
Ever since the invention of agriculture, human beings have had only
three social-engineering tools for organizing any large-scale
division of labor: markets (and the carrots of material benefits
they offer), hierarchies (and the sticks of punishment they
impose), and charisma (and the promises of rapture they offer). Now
there is the possibility of a fourth mode of effective social
organization—one that we perhaps see in embryo in the creation and
maintenance of open-source software. My Berkeley colleague Steven
Weber’s book is a brilliant exploration of this fascinating
topic.
*J. Bradford DeLong, Department of Economics, University of
California, Berkeley*
We can blindly continue to develop, reward, protect, and organize
around knowledge assets on the comfortable assumption that their
traditional property rights remain inviolate. Or we can listen to
Steven Weber and begin to make our peace with the uncomfortable
fact that the very foundations of our familiar ‘knowledge as
property’ world have irrevocably shifted.
*Alan Kantrow, Chief Knowledge Officer, Monitor Group*
A valuable new account of the [open-source software] movement. --
Edward Rothstein * New York Times *
Weber's ideas are timely and informative for anyone who wants to
explain or advocate Open Source... The Success of Open
Source...gives a readable, thought-provoking, and occasionally
funny account of what Open Source is and means, making it an
extremely valuable resource for those who want to engage and
discuss these issues on an intellectual level. -- Joshua Daniel
Franklin * Slashdot *
In the world of open-source software, true believers can be a
fervent bunch. Linux, for example, may act as a credo as well as an
operating system. But there is much substance beyond zealotry, says
Steven Weber, the author of The Success of Open Source... An
open-source operating system offers its source code up to be played
with, extended, debugged, and otherwise tweaked in an orgy of user
collaboration. The author traces the roots of that ethos and
process in the early years of computers... He also analyzes the
interface between open source and the worlds of business and law,
as well as wider issues in the clash between hierarchical
structures and networks, a subject with relevance beyond the
software industry to the war on terrorism. -- Nina C. Ayoub *
Chronicle of Higher Education *
While much in Weber's account will be familiar to anyone concerned
with this debate, his book should make this extraordinary
phenomenon understandable to a much wider audience... [The
Success of Open Source] deserve[s] the careful attention of a
wide audience, including, especially, governments. -- Lawrence
Lessig * London Review of Books *
Weber sees the central issues raised by [open source software] as
property, motivation, organisation and governance. He uses a study
of the open source movement to illuminate the motivation of
programmers and the way [open source software] projects are
co-ordinated and governed, and to ask if there are lessons in it
for society... Weber's work brings to mind an earlier book, The
Machine That Changed the World, a study of how Toyota's
production system transformed the way cars are made everywhere.
That book made two simple points: that the Toyota 'system' was a
car, and that it was not uniquely Japanese. Steve Weber's book can
be-and is-similarly summarised: 'Open source is not a piece of
software, and it is not unique to a group of hackers.' And it has
the potential to change the world. -- John Naughton * The Observer
*
Weber's book deserves the glowing response it has received within
and outwith the computing community, and provides a careful,
thought-provoking study of an important phenomenon of the twentieth
century. For these reasons alone it is worth reading. And while it
will of course appeal to those interested or participating in the
Open Source movement, for the information professional, in
particular, it offers helpful insight into the advantages and
limits of sustainable models of cooperative effort that do not
depend on remuneration or hierarchy. This is particularly pertinent
as libraries increasingly make available metadata they have created
about digital or physical assets, and as they are involved in the
management of digital assets... [I]nformation professionals are
increasingly called on to administer, arbitrate, and communicate
about digital rights. Many of those they interact with in this
capacity, especially in an academic setting, will have been
influenced by the Open Source movement or have parallel attitudes
to collaborative work-this book may assist them to develop a more
nuanced articulation of opinion and a greater understanding of the
issues. -- R. John Robertson * Library Review *
Steven Weber has produced a significant, insightful book that is
both smart and important. The most impressive achievement of this
volume is that Weber has spent the time to learn and think about
the technological, sociological, business, and legal perspectives
related to open source. The Success of Open Source is timely
and more thought provoking than almost anything I've come across in
the past several years. It deserves careful reading by a wide
audience. -- Jonathan Aronson, University of Southern California
Annenberg School for Communication
Ever since the invention of agriculture, human beings have had only
three social-engineering tools for organizing any large-scale
division of labor: markets (and the carrots of material benefits
they offer), hierarchies (and the sticks of punishment they
impose), and charisma (and the promises of rapture they offer). Now
there is the possibility of a fourth mode of effective social
organization-one that we perhaps see in embryo in the creation and
maintenance of open-source software. My Berkeley colleague Steven
Weber's book is a brilliant exploration of this fascinating topic.
-- J. Bradford DeLong, Department of Economics, University of
California, Berkeley
We can blindly continue to develop, reward, protect, and organize
around knowledge assets on the comfortable assumption that their
traditional property rights remain inviolate. Or we can listen to
Steven Weber and begin to make our peace with the uncomfortable
fact that the very foundations of our familiar 'knowledge as
property' world have irrevocably shifted. -- Alan Kantrow, Chief
Knowledge Officer, Monitor Group
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