Re: [tlug] Open Source Developers and Users Survey

["Nguyen Vu Hung" <vuhung16plus@example.com>]

On 7/2/07, Stephen J. Turnbull <stephen@example.com> wrote:
> Josh Glover writes:
>
>  > A chap from the Irish Linux Users Group (ILUG) is writing a Masters
>  > thesis on Open Source development, and he has whipped up a survey:
>
> Meaningless data from unreliable sources which will undoubtedly be
> filtered through the author's biases to arrive at a foregone
> conclusion.  *sigh*
>
> Having expressed *my* biases, I will go take a look.  However, people
> writing theses on open source development by pestering devel lists
> with requests to fill out their surveys are becoming a plague.  This
> is a trend that should be discouraged if at all possible.
I read this paper on the train today, quite interesting. It answer the
question: "what is the motivatiion of foss developers" as well as the
social, political aspects of FOSS as a movement.

FYI, Read it if you have time.

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Motivation of software developers in Open Source projects: an
Internet-based survey of contributors to the Linux kernel

Guido HertelCorresponding Author Contact Information, E-mail The
Corresponding Author, Sven Niedner and Stefanie Herrmann
Institut fuer Psychologie, University of Kiel, Olshausenstr. 40, D-24
098, Kiel, Germany

Available online 12 April 2003.



Abstract

The motives of 141 contributors to a large Open Source Software (OSS)
project (the Linux kernel) was explored with an Internet-based
questionnaire study. Measured factors were both derived from
discussions within the Linux community as well as from models from
social sciences. Participants' engagement was particularly determined
by their identification as a Linux developer, by pragmatic motives to
improve own software, and by their tolerance of time investments.
Moreover, some of the software development was accomplished by teams.
Activities in these teams were particularly determined by
participants' evaluation of the team goals as well as by their
perceived indispensability and self-efficacy.

Author Keywords: Open Source Software; Linux; Virtual teams;
Motivation; VIST model

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--
Best Regards,
Nguyen Hung Vu
vuhung16plus{remove}@example.com
An inquisitive look at Harajuku
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