Are There Any Academic Works On Open Source? 17
joschen asks: "I have just recently been given the provisional go ahead to do some research in the field of Open Source for a university I am associated with. My first task is to write an introductory paper on the subject. In doing so I have found a distinct lack of academic papers on the subject. I have read ESR's essays which are very interesting but have found that the majority of essays and articles are on Web sites and newsstand magazines rather than reputable academic journals. When writing papers we are always supposed to be building on research that has already been completed or is currently ongoing. Where are the background papers? I am sure a number of Slashdot reader reside in Academia, how have you resolved this problem?"
Academic? (Score:1)
O'Reilly's Open Sources (Score:1)
No papers, but a report (Score:2)
Reference the web site (Score:1)
Research from what angle? (Score:2)
Whatever your answer is, it's possible that whatever research you do will be 'original' in the field.
After all, if academic research was always based on prior academic research, then we really wouldn't have a lot of academic research, would we?
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A couple of possibilities (Score:3)
For alternative views, there's also a couple of papers at:
One. (Score:1)
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Reputable? (Score:1)
While I appreciate that you're trying to do research on Open Source, I'm concerned when you cite the lack of material in reputable academic journals. Reputable according to whom?
Sure, the concept of Open Source recognizes experts, but it implies that the expertise will be acknowledged on the basis of merit rather than by publication in a particular journal. That's a perspective that runs contrary to the traditions of academia -- but a crucial part of the Open Source ethos that you better get your arms around if you want to produce something worthwhile.
Re:O'Reilly's Open Sources (Score:1)
at mcmaster.... (Score:1)
according to one of my profs the license is based on the berkeley one. taking it next year so i don't know how close it is to the GPL.
There bloody should be... (Score:1)
Re:Where are the papers? (Score:1)
Re:No papers, but a report (Score:1)
Care about freedom?
here's one (Score:2)
Re:A couple of possibilities (Score:1)
Lots of related literature (Score:1)
Sequential Innovation, Patents, And Imitation (Score:1)
Sequential Innovation, Patents, And Imitation
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_i
JAMES E. BESSEN, ERIC MASKIN Harvard University; Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) January 2000 MIT Dept. of Economics Working Paper No. 00-01
Abstract:
How could such industries as software, semiconductors, and computers have been so innovative despite historically weak patent protection? We argue that if innovation is both sequential and complementary--as it certainly has been in those industries--competition can increase firms' future profits thus offsetting short-term dissipation of rents. A simple model also shows that in such a dynamic industry, patent protection may reduce overall innovation and social welfare. The natural experiment that occurred when patent protection was extended to software in the 1980?s provides a test of this model. Standard arguments would predict that R&D intensity and productivity should have increased among patenting firms. Consistent with our model, however, these increases did not occur. Other evidence supporting our model includes a distinctive pattern of cross-licensing in these
industries and a positive relationship between rates of innovation and firm entry.