Transcript Presentation

Abhishek Barua
 Open
source is the unique approach to
analysis, design, development, and
distribution of products or ideas, in a way
that providing access to the intellectual
property to everyone.
 As opposed to the usual closed source,
centralized models of development, the open
source operating model allows for
collaboration of concurrent input of different
ideas, agendas and approaches.
 Not a phenomenon, but a philosophy.
 Not
try to sell the idea of open source.
 I will investigate
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the economic theory behind this phenomenon
like Commons-based peer production, Citizen
science and Gift Economy.
the different operational models of open source
development.
Application of open source paradigm beyond
software.
will give examples wherever available.
 Commons-based
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peer production
term coined by Harvard Law School professor
Yochai Benkler
a new model of economic production in which
the creative energy of large numbers of people is
coordinated (usually with the aid of the internet)
into large, meaningful projects
mostly without traditional hierarchical
organization
mostly without or with decentralized financial
compensation.
 Gift
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Economy
A social theory
goods and services are given without any explicit agreement
for immediate or future quid pro quo.
Ideally simultaneous or recurring giving serves to circulate and
redistribute valuables within a community.
can be considered a form of reciprocal altruism.
Different from planned economy – In planned economy goods
and services are distributed by explicit command and control
rather than informal custom.
Different from barter economy - In a barter economy an
explicit quid pro quo — an exchange of money or some other
commodity — is established before the transaction takes place.
 The
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source code is available with each software
release, but code developed between releases is
restricted to an exclusive group of software
developers.
Exp - GNU Emacs and GCC
 The
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Cathedral model
Bazaar model
the code is developed over the Internet in view
of the public. Linus Torvalds invented it.
Exp – Linux
 Based
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on the concept of Open design.
Development of physical products, machines and
systems through use of publicly shared design
information.
The process is generally facilitated by the
Internet and often performed without monetary
compensation.
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Open source computer hardware
The free release of information about the hardware
design, such as schematics, hardware description
language (HDL), bill of materials and PCB layout data,
often with the use of FOSS to drive the hardware.
 Can be used by innovative projects like One-laptopper-child to reduce the cost of purchasing IPR
licences.
 Examples –
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CPU – OpenSPARC, OpenRISC, Leon, OpenCores
Arduino
Open source Graphics cards
Wireless Hardware – OpenPattern, Sun Spot
Laptop – VIA openbook
Audio electronics – Midibox, Monome
Mobile platform – OpenMoko (similar to Google Android)
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MultiMachine
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all-purpose open source machine tool
can be built inexpensively by a semi-skilled
mechanic
with common hand tools, from discarded car and
truck parts,
using only commonly available hand tools and no
electricity.
Its size can range from being small enough to fit
in a closet to one a hundred times that size.
It can accurately perform all the functions of an
entire machine shop by itself”.
This is an example in itself and has been
implemented in Africa and other developing
countries.
 Open
source turbine - To assist people in the
developing countries, and hobbyists alike,
several projects have been open-sourced.
 Examples
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the Jua Kali wind turbine
Hugh Piggot's wind turbine
ForceField Wind Turbine
 Open
source Free Space Optic system
It transmits data wirelessly using beams of light.
 Can be used to replace a segment of LAN, as if they were
directly connected via 10Mbit/s full duplex Ethernet
 The range of the basic configuration is 1.4 km.
 The device consists of a receiver and transmitter pipe (optical
head) mounted on a sturdy adjustable holder. Two coaxial
cables, like those used for TV antennas, are used to connect
the rooftop installation with a protocol translator installed in
the house near a computer or switch.
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 Exp
– RONJA
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RONJA)
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Open Innovation –
Companies cannot afford to rely entirely on their own
research, but should
 Instead of that, buy IPRs from other companies.
 Internal inventions not being used in a firm's business should be
taken outside the company. through licensing, joint ventures,
spin-offs.
 In contrast, closed innovation refers to processes that limit the
use of internal knowledge within a company and make little or
no use of external knowledge.
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Example – Eclipse (most popular Java IDE) was an IBM
innovation later made open source for further
improvement.
 Open
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Research –
the central theme of open research is to make clear
accounts of the methodology, along with data and results
extracted freely available via the internet.
This permits a massively distributed collaboration.
 Citizen
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science
term used for projects of scientific work
individual volunteers or networks of volunteers(many of
whom may have no specific scientific training) perform
or manage research-related tasks such as observation,
measurement or computation.
 Example
– Openresearch.org, philoptima.org,
Open source drug discovery network, etc
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Due to the dominance of big Record Level Brands, the
music industry was getting monopolized.
They were influencing the taste of the people by
promoting a few bands and not giving scope to
talented new bands.
Open source record labels hold that the fight over
free and open content and media is a struggle over
the freedoms of expression and speech, with the goal
of radically opening up the possibilities of media.
To this end, open source record labels attempt to
release music under so-called "copyleft”, a license
that enables musicians to develop music
collaboratively and equitably and then release it into
the same licence.
Examples – Magnatune, Opsound,Krayola records, etc
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Idea that social networking and e-participation
technologies will revolutionize our ability to follow,
support, and influence political campaigns.
fundraisers meet on MySpace,
 YouTubers crank out attack ads,
 bloggers do opposition research,
 cell-phone-activated flash mobs hold miniconventions in
Second Life.
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Example - the Macaca video spread virally through the
internet on YouTube and contributed to the electoral
defeat of Sen. George Allen of Virginia during the 2006
U.S. midterm elections.
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The Protection and Utilization of Publicly Funded
Intellectual Property Bill, 2008
This comes from the Ministry of Science and Technology
 Have put before the Parliament and Draft Bill on IP for publicly
funded research.
 Unlike the Bayh Dole Act of the US that is the original
inspiration for the Bill, it covers ALL IP -- including copyright.
 It forces all publicly funded R&D to seek IP protection,
otherwise face strict penalties.
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The fact that lobbyists are trying to curtail the spirit of
open source, proves its success.
Open Source is like Che Guevara. You will love it or hate it, but
you cannot ignore it.