Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.

---

Re: My open source dilemma

Author:	Seth Gordon
Posted:	8/16/2000; 5:48:10 AM
Topic:	scriptingNews outline for 8/15/2000
Msg #:	19752 (In response to 19739)
Prev/Next:	19751 / 19753

Read The Magic Cauldron, by Eric S. Raymond. Here's the abstract:

This paper analyzes the evolving economic substrate of the open-source phenomenon. We first explode some prevalent myths about the funding of program development and the price structure of software. We present a game-theory analysis of the stability of open-source cooperation. We present nine models for sustainable funding of open-source development; two non-profit, seven for-profit. We continue to develop a qualitative theory of when it is economically rational to be closed [emphasis added --sethg]. We then examine some novel additional mechanisms the market is now inventing to fund for-profit open-source development, including the reinvention of the patronage system and task markets. We conclude with some tentative predictions of the future.

If anybody has read the essay and has counterarguments, I'd be interested in seeing them.

---

This page was archived on 6/13/2001; 4:56:05 PM.

© Copyright 1998-2001 UserLand Software, Inc.