Lessig's Free Culture Chinese fan-trans

Grok Headline matches for Lessig's Free Culture Chinese fan-trans

Streaming AudioBook of Lessig's "Free
Culture"

Streaming AudioBook of Lessig's "Free
Culture" 04/09/2004 03:59 PM
Streaming AudioBook of Lessig's "Free Culture"
http://www.turnstyle.org/ FreeCulture/

On Thursday, March 25, 2004; Lawrence Lessig's new book "Free Culture" was released to the world as a printed hardcover as well as a free download, under a Creative Commons license. On Friday, A. K. M. Adam asked a simple question: "Anyone feel like recording a chapter of Lawrence Lessig's new book?" By Saturday, contributions were coming in from around the world. Inspired by Eric Rice, Scott Matthews whipped up this site with his MP3 juke/server software, Andromeda.

Lessig's free book still racking in the
sales

Lessig's free book still racking in the
sales 07/27/2004 02:20 PM

Stanford Magazine carries a story this month about our chairman and co-founder Lawrence Lessig's book which has just entered its third printing. This is interesting because the book is freely available online for download (under a Creative Commons license), and has been downloaded about 180,000 times. On the one hand an author can give away free content for folks to remake into audio books, translations, and other formats, and the author still gets paid through traditional book sales. Amazing how that works, and works so well sometimes. [via Copyfight]

Chinese cricket culture

Chinese cricket culture 11/15/2003 08:50 AM
Chinese cricket culture encompasses a 2000 year history of both singing insects and fighting crickets. The tradition continues today, with some crickets selling at market for $1200. A visitor to Shanghai explains the allure of crickets as pets while others see their value as fearsome fighters. Cricket boxes and cages make interesting collectibles.

Free Culture

Free Culture 04/09/2004 04:11 PM

Free Culture!

Free Culture! 10/28/2003 11:07 PM

I helped put together the new Creative Commons CD featuring all sorts of great licensed music, and it's all available for download.

Now that the pool of CC-licensed music has grown, we had a great deal of choices and as a result there are all sorts of songs in the mix. I've been listening to these songs for months and it's hard to pick favorites, they've all got some strengths. Don't miss the bonus remixes too, the creativity there was amazing.

The Free Culture debate

The Free Culture debate 02/11/2004 09:39 AM
James DeLong responds to my post about the Free Culture Movement (FCM) and property rights.  He steps back from his earlier statements and acknowledges that, yes, there are elements of the movement, such as Creative Commons, that work within the property rights system.  For that I give him credit. 

I don't agree with his stark division of the FCM into "BSD Licence" activities that respect property rights and "GPL" activities that seek to overthrow them, but I won't be ungrateful.  It's a much more nuanced and accurate view that what he started with.  If we can spend our energy debating the substance of the issues -- which sets of rules better promote economic efficiency, freedom, and innovation -- we may make some progress.

To my mind, the genius of people like Larry Lessig and Yochai Benkler is that, unlike the prior "copyleft" generation represented by GPL creator Richard Stallman, they are able to engage on their opponents' own turf as well as from the outside.  What set me off about DeLong's original post was the unwillingness to accept that fact, by labeling the whole movement as opposed to property rights.

DeLong takes umbrage at my use of the term "copyright maximalists."  First of all, I didn't apply that label to him -- I was thinking more of Jack Valenti. As DeLong makes clear in his followup post, he appreciates that property rights have limits:


Unfortunately, many of the business and political interests in the digital content debates fail to acknowledge this point.  The movie industry, for example, has voiciferously promoted its conception of its intellectual property rights as morally sacrosanct, now and forever.  One key rhetorical move they make in doing so is to label anyone who questions their viewpoint as a communist and/or a pirate.  (I'm not sure which is the greater insult.)  You either support the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act... or you're in the dustbin of history with Lenin and Trotsky.  In a political battle, demonizing the opposition can be very effective. 

I'm sure this wasn't what motivated DeLong's original post.  But to a reader, his sweeping generalization had that ring. 

De Long succinctly (if inadvertantly) shows the core problem:


I see a similar problem on the other side: property rights defenders reflexively attacking alternative production models and technology-necessitated limitations on rights.  Does that describe all opponents of the FCM?  Of course not.  But the thoughtful ones such as DeLong are letting themselves become intellectual cover for the extremists.

That's why this meta-debate matters.  In the confines of the academy, we all trust each other's intellectual honesty and can have a nice conversation.  DeLong points to Polk Wagner, who has done excellent work attacking the point of view that I support.  I see Polk once a month at a Philly-area gathering of cyberlaw afficionados.  We find common ground on some substantive points and disagree on others, but I always respect his perspective.  In my forthcoming spectrum paper, I engage with other brilliant scholars like Howard Shelanski and Stuart Benjamin who have written in the area.  That's the nature of intellectual debate -- different sides advance claims and challenge one another. 

The cold reality is that the Free Culture battle isn't just being fought in the halls of academe.  The scholarly discussion is part of a larger debate taking place in Congress, the courts, corporate board rooms, and the realm of public opinion.  We simply can't ignore the consequences of labeling opponents with too broad brush. 

Free Culture at ILAW

Free Culture at ILAW 05/14/2004 03:12 PM

Chairman and co-founder of Creative Commons, Larry Lessig, spent most of this week speaking at the ILAW conference at Harvard. There are some great notes and transcripts on Furdlog and Copyfight of Lessig's "Free Culture" talk. There are a lot of great questions from the moderator and audience, and a lot of great ideas being debated.

Wiki for Free Culture

Wiki for Free Culture 07/12/2004 08:59 AM
Creative Commons is experimenting with using a wiki to discuss using a wiki to maintain a Wikipedia of sorts for Free Culture. Drop by and give us your thoughts....

Free Culture in 100 words

Free Culture in 100 words 04/09/2004 04:11 PM
Since no one has the time to read books anymore, I used the text version of Lessig's new book, Free Culture, and Word's AutoSummary feature (like I did with the Matrix thread) to produce a ~100 word summary of the 368 page book: FREE CULTURE"PROPERTY"The copyright warriors are right: A copyright is a kind of property. First, about copyright. That copyright is their property. America copied English copyright law. Actually,...

Free Culture live

Free Culture live 09/10/2004 04:26 PM

Colin Mutchler, featured in our second Creative Commons movie "Reticulum Rex", is giving a live performance of his audio/visual work called "Free Culture" September 15th in Brooklyn, NY.

"Sourced by Larry Lessig and his new book of the same name, Free Culture is multimedia performance by Brooklyn based artist Colin Mutchler that mixes music, image, video and spoken word to speak his personal journey, both physically and digitally, through the last four years. "

Free Culture reviews

Free Culture reviews 04/09/2004 04:06 PM
Reviews for Free Culture are here, with comment space and an RSS feed too.

Free Culture formats

Free Culture formats 04/09/2004 04:06 PM
The free Free Culture was released as a pdf under a Creative Commons attribution-noncommercial license. Some complained about the format. Others, relying upon the freedom granted, created derivative works in other formats. So far, 36 hours after the book was released, I know of 9 versions available, including: MS-re ader, Rocke t e-Book, zippe d, iSilo , Mobip ocket, EasyR ead, PostScri pt, Pl ain Text, html. Most of these are from Blackmask, but thanks to Firas, Mike and Josh as well.

Free Culture spoken

Free Culture spoken 04/09/2004 04:06 PM
This has amazed even me. AKMA asked whether a free audio version of Free Culture can be built. Joi seconded the idea, and one day later, ten chapters are claimed. Doug Kaye of ITConversations has already recorded chapter one -- Creators. Noncommercial derivative works, and maybe even a competition in versions (I want to record a chapter!). Very cool.

Free Culture On Tour

Free Culture On Tour 03/19/2005 03:27 AM

Free Culture may be visiting a college, youth media group, or festival near you. Brooklyn-based artist Colin Mutchler, in partnership with FreeCulture.org, has launched a five-week tour which kicked off last week at South by Southwest.

The Free Culture show mixes music, images, and spoken word to demonstrate the complex and entertaining cross section between cultural property and freedom. Check it out!

A Wikipedia of Free Culture?

A Wikipedia of Free Culture? 07/02/2004 03:32 AM

Q: How to plan a wiki?
A: Hash out ideas on a wiki.

So we set up a wiki and we're holding a barn raising there. You're invited.

Our objective is to plan a "Get Content" wiki, a scalable catalog of "some rights reserved" and "no rights reserved" works.

A truly international catalog of CC and PD works. A Wikipedia of Free Culture, democratically maintained and curated.

Can this work? We have a hunch that it can, but we've doubtless missed many solutions and innumerable problems.

What we have thought of is of course on the wiki, where you should go without further adieu and add your ideas.

Note for anyone excited about the idea: we're planning at this stage. The wiki we're using for the planning may not be the one we use to implement the "Get Content" wiki (do help us figure that one out) -- so you may wish to curb your enthusiasm for raw cataloging just right now.

Now dive in!

Free Culture class

Free Culture class 04/09/2004 04:06 PM
Lawrence Solum (who has entered an elite status after Vint Cerf gave a paper praising his Layer s Principle paper) is running a blog-class this week on Free Culture. Follow along (as I will be) and learn.

Free Culture Phase 2 Conference

Free Culture Phase 2 Conference 06/17/2005 05:02 PM

A little late on the blogging (due to travel), but still worth reporting on:

A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to attend the Free Culture Phase 2 conference. The conference was organized by Malkia Lydia and Colin Mutchler (father of Creative Commons' theme song My Life and Free Culture Tour), and sponsored by American University. It brought together a small number of diverse younger and older activists, including Freeculture.org, Downhill Battle, Listen Up, Third World Majority, Eyebeam, and many more. The diverse group struggled to understand what free culture truly means in the context of global economics, access to technology, and traditional knowledge. The group also shared ideas, art, and experiences using new media as a tool for social justice. Though it wasn't clearly defined what Phase 2 might be, it was understood to me that the root of what everyone was doing came from a common passion for citizen self-determination and empowerment.

Woody Guthrie free culture

Woody Guthrie free culture 04/09/2004 03:54 PM

Joel Blain recently wrote in with an interesting observation:

"I've been reading a bio on Woody Guthrie. It's pretty interesting. The book reprints one of the "Copyright Warnings" he included on his recordings in the ealry 40's

"This song is Copyrighted in U.S., under Seal of Copyright # 154085, for a period of 28 years, and anybody caught singin it without our permission, will be mighty good friends of ourn, cause we don't give a dern. Publish it. Write it. Sing it. Swing to it. Yodel it. We wrote it, that's all we wanted to do."

It just made me think of Creative Commons. I dunno if you've seen or heard it before, but I thought I'd pass it along."

Nice find, thanks Joel!

Something for Nothing: The Free Culture
AudioBook Project

Something for Nothing: The Free Culture
AudioBook Project 05/25/2004 02:43 PM

chocnvodka.blogware.com/blog/_archives/2004/5/24/75489.html
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Free Culture and Property Rights

Free Culture and Property Rights 02/10/2004 02:47 AM
Over at the Progress and Freedom Foundation blog, James DeLong attempts to prove that the "Free Culture Movement" (FCM) led by people like Larry Lessig is part and parcel of the political left:

This is a nice case of simply asserting what the author is allegedly attempting to prove.  In fact, Free Culture is eminently consistent with markets and property rights.  Lessig's Creative Commons and successful open source projects are based on well-defined software licenses.  In other words, property rights that function in a market.  The network infrastructure piece of Free Culture, open spectrum is expressly built on the idea of a market in wireless devices replacing a system of government spectrum micro-management.  And it was the Framers of the US Constitution, hardly anti-property radicals, who decreed that copyrights be for a limited period of time. 

The property rights maximalists are the true radicals here.  They have defined any challenges to the status quo as a frontal attack on property rights.  As political propaganda, this effort may have some success.  But the ultimate strength of the Free Culture Movement, or whatever one calls it, lies in this: It is an internal critique of the dominant ideology, not an external challenge to markets like communism. 

The Free Culture proponents, who offer suggestions like returning to the copyright terms of the 1790s, are the true conservatives in this debate.

Help make a Wikipedia of Free Culture

Help make a Wikipedia of Free Culture 07/09/2004 05:19 AM
Creative Commons is creating a "Wikipedia of Free Culture" with links and annotation for every bit of open-licensed material in the universe. You're invited to help. Link

free culture source material

free culture source material 06/12/2004 04:34 AM
TheBots have released an archive of George Bush Audio.

An extremely beautiful Free Culture
eBook

An extremely beautiful Free Culture
eBook 04/09/2004 04:06 PM
There is an extremely beautiful ebook version of Free Culture here. I continue to be astonished at the creativity free culture (the idea, not the book) inspires.

Freely downloadable Free Culture going
into third printing

Freely downloadable Free Culture going
into third printing 07/27/2004 05:50 PM

CC Weblog

Lessig's free book still racking in the sales

Stanford Magazine carries a story this month about our chairman and co-founder Lawrence Lessig's book which has just entered its third printing. This is interesting because the book is freely available online for download (under a Creative Commons license), and has been downloaded about 180,000 times. On the one hand an author can give away free content for folks to remake into audio books, translations, and other formats, and the author still gets paid through traditional book sales. Amazing how that works, and works so well sometimes. [via Copyfight]

It will be very difficult to "prove" that the Creative Common license and the freely downloadable aspect of Free Culture improved sales, but the book is selling and making it freely available has clearly not STOPPED sales. I wonder if it is possible to show that making books available for free electronically increases the sale of real books? I wonder if there are particular genres where this holds more true...

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Free Culture Wiki: Piracy Hits a New Low

Free Culture Wiki: Piracy Hits a New Low 04/09/2004 04:10 PM
In the latest example of blatant intellectual property abuse, self-proclaimed ?hacker? Aaron Swartz has uploaded the entirety of the bestselling?

Bill Gates: Free Culture advocates =
Commies

Bill Gates: Free Culture advocates =
Commies 01/06/2005 12:07 AM
Xeni Jardin: I imagine my blog-mate Cory might have a few things to say about this when he's online again. :-) In an interview on news.com, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates described free culture advocates as a "modern-day sort of communists." Well now.

Q: "In recent years, there's been a lot of people clamoring to reform and restrict intellectual-property rights. It started out with just a few people, but now there are a bunch of advocates saying, 'We've got to look at patents, we've got to look at copyrights.' What's driving this, and do you think intellectual-property laws need to be reformed?

A: "No, I'd say that of the world's economies, there's more that believe in intellectual property today than ever. There are fewer communists in the world today than there were. There are some new modern-day sort of communists who want to get rid of the incentive for musicians and moviemakers and software makers under various guises. They don't think that those incentives should exist.

And this debate will always be there. I'd be the first to say that the patent system can always be tuned--including the U.S. patent system. There are some goals to cap some reform elements. But the idea that the United States has led in creating companies, creating jobs, because we've had the best intellectual-property system--there's no doubt about that in my mind, and when people say they want to be the most competitive economy, they've got to have the incentive system. Intellectual property is the incentive system for the products of the future."

Link (Thanks, Rick Prelinger, and Nathan Slaughter).

BB reader Matt Bradley said, "Obviously, what we need is a large red flag with a gold copyleft in the upper left, replacing the hammer and sickle."

That sounded like a fine idea, so I whipped up the icon you see here. Enjoy, comrades!

Video of Lessig Free Culture speech in
Helsinki

Video of Lessig Free Culture speech in
Helsinki 07/27/2004 02:35 PM

There a small, but well produced mp4 video of Lessig's speech about Free Culture and the Creative Commons that he gave when he was in Helsinki this May.

Thanks to Jyri at Aula for the link and for organizing the event.

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Happy Birthday, Free Culture Movement
(finally)

Happy Birthday, Free Culture Movement
(finally) 06/22/2005 02:31 AM
So as reported about two months ago, the Free Culture Movement turned one in April. I promised a present. At the time, we were organizing a call in recording of "Happy Birthday," from some of the leaders of the free world. Well, finally, after some struggle clearing rights, and after lots of nitpicking on my part, we've released the song. Check out the @page at Creative Commons, donate something in support, and download the song. Sorry for the delay.

Del audiobook de "Free Culture" al
audiolibro de "Cultura Libre"

Del audiobook de "Free Culture" al
audiolibro de "Cultura Libre" 09/01/2004 05:45 PM

Debates about global issues, politics
and culture set "CC-free"

Debates about global issues, politics
and culture set "CC-free" 06/17/2005 05:02 PM

In recent news - openDemocracy.net has announced that it is releasing around 150 of its existing articles under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license and will also be incorporating the option of Creative Commons licensing for all future contributors.

openDemocracy is an online magazine that provides a forum in which global issues relating to politics and culture are debated, many of which do not receive sufficient or sufficiently careful attention by the mainstream media. A brief review of openDemocracy's au thor pages shows that recent authors have included Kofi Annan, Timothy Garton Ash, Janis Ian, Iris Marion Young, Salman Rushdie, George Soros, Richard Stallman and Gillian Slovo.

It is great to have such a high caliber publication committed to the principles of spreading ideas around the globe and adopting a Creative Commons to fulfill that objective. You can read more about their decision to switch and why Salman Rushdie said no to a Creative Commons license in our recent Featured Commoner segment.

Bill Gates calls free culture advocates
communists

Bill Gates calls free culture advocates
communists 01/07/2005 12:01 AM

Xeni @ Boing Boing

Bill Gates: Free Culture advocates = Commies

In an interview on news.com, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates described free culture advocates as a "modern-day sort of communists." Well now.

Q: "In recent years, there's been a lot of people clamoring to reform and restrict intellectual-property rights. It started out with just a few people, but now there are a bunch of advocates saying, 'We've got to look at patents, we've got to look at copyrights.' What's driving this, and do you think intellectual-property laws need to be reformed?

A: "No, I'd say that of the world's economies, there's more that believe in intellectual property today than ever. There are fewer communists in the world today than there were. There are some new modern-day sort of communists who want to get rid of the incentive for musicians and moviemakers and software makers under various guises. They don't think that those incentives should exist.

Lessig Blog

what a total (intellectual) disappointment this man is

If I had the time, and the money, I'd do the deep analysis that it would take to explain to myself why it is I constantly hope to be surprised by Mr. Gates. Yet I never am.

It's one thing to read this sort of thing from a studio exec, or head of a record label -- surrounded as they are by the sort that surround them. But the people I've met at Microsoft are miles beyond this sort of silliness. Does Mr. Gates not even talk to them?

More Gates "Creative Commies" propaganda on Boing Boing.

I'd be interested to know why Larry expected to be positively surprised by Mr. Gates.

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UMaine launches free
culture/code/knowledge service

UMaine launches free
culture/code/knowledge service 12/16/2003 11:12 AM
The University of Maine has launched "Still Water," a copyright-free zone for posting and sharing images, music, videos, programming code and texts.

"We are training revolutionaries -- not by indoctrinating them with dogma but by exposing them to a process in which sharing culture rather than hoarding it is the norm," said Joline Blais, a professor of new media at the University of Maine and Still Water co-director.

Link

Free Culture and the Future of Music,
Part 1: Ad Hominem, Ad Nauseum

Free Culture and the Future of Music,
Part 1: Ad Hominem, Ad Nauseum 05/04/2004 09:12 PM
How influential is the Free Culture Movement and the book that gives it its name? One way to judge is by measuring the ferocity of the opposition. Those who have pushed for copyright maximization over the past decade or so have been able to do so unfettered by inconveniences like...

Lessig's ghosts and what you can do

Lessig's ghosts and what you can do 06/05/2005 11:34 PM

In the May 30, 2005 issue of New York Magazine there is a story that included details about Lawrence Lessig being repeatedly molested by the choir director when he was a choirboy. The article covers the history and the current lawsuit where another former choirboy, John Hardwicke is suing the school with Lessig's help. As a friend of Larry's, it was painful to read the article and it was even more painful trying to figure out what to say to him.

Larry blogged about it initially a few days ago and there were a stream of supportive comments. Today, he posted about what we should do to prevent this kind of thing in the future, and I believe this is a critical message to get out. He writes about the law in New Jersey that immunizes charitable institutions from "negligence" in the hiring of a teacher. This is what the defense is using against the claims of responsibility for the abuse. There is a bill that has been introduced to remove that immunity, but leaders from the Catholic Church have opposed the change. I often get criticized for meddling in American politics, but I think this is an important issue. There are links on Larry's post to pages about what you can do. I think the Church should be ashamed.

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Chinese Internet users work to make
knowledge free

Chinese Internet users work to make
knowledge free 05/18/2004 01:31 AM
Industry Standard May 18 2004 5:40AM GMT

New Chinese Email Service Promises
Spam-Free Sending

New Chinese Email Service Promises
Spam-Free Sending 01/06/2005 04:26 AM
ChinaTechNews.com Jan 6 2005 8:05AM GMT

Boing Boing: Bill Gates: Free Culture
advocates = Commies

Boing Boing: Bill Gates: Free Culture
advocates = Commies 01/06/2005 02:39 PM
yesterday's Boing Boing post .. posts more of Gates' quote, .. BoingBoing link

boingboing.net/2005/01/05/bill_gates_free_cult.html
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Rick Boucher and Lessig's readers hash
over the Induce Act

Rick Boucher and Lessig's readers hash
over the Induce Act 08/09/2004 03:18 PM
Congressman Rick Boucher -- he of the HR 107 bill to repeal the worst elements of the DMCA -- is guestblogging for Lessig this week. His first post asks whether the Induce Act is as bad as it seems, and what follows in a surprisingly calm and learned (yet impassioned) discussion of the Induce Act's contours and potential failings, with the Congressman actively participating. This is a total We the Media moment. Link

The Fight Between Sharing Culture And
Owning Culture

The Fight Between Sharing Culture And
Owning Culture 06/22/2005 02:17 AM
It seems that museums are finally starting to realize that the digital age represents a real opportunity for them to reach many new people by digitizing their offerings and sharing the culture they represent across a much wider audience than a physical museum allows. It seems that many museums are having trouble figuring out how to digitize their collections, and would welcome help in doing so. However, another story points out how that can cause problems when the people involved get stuck on intellectual property issues. Apparently some people who created 3D digital versions of Michelangelo's David are freaking out that if they share the digitization without some form of copy protection people might (gasp!) share it without permission. Wait a second... isn't that what they should want? That would allow them to share the cultural wonder with many, many more people, and allow them to experience it in ways never possible before. That's a good thing, not something to be worried about. However, in an age where people seem to think that every idea, concept, software or piece of data needs to be "owned" and locked up, apparently it's the natural response -- and that's unfortunate for every culture.
Grok Description matches for Lessig's Free Culture Chinese fan-trans
GrokA matches for Lessig's Free Culture Chinese fan-trans

India's Upcoming Free Software, Free
Society Conference

India's Upcoming Free Software, Free
Society Conference 06/05/2005 11:10 PM
Free software advocates and IT delegates from around the world will be in Kerala, India, this week in the hopes of building free software collaborations for the future.

Barefoot Software Launch Australian
Swimsuit Edition-Free, a Free Mobile
Phone and Wireless Device Service for
Cardmate on Symbian Devices

Barefoot Software Launch Australian
Swimsuit Edition-Free, a Free Mobile
Phone and Wireless Device Service for
Cardmate on Symbian Devices 06/12/2004 02:48 AM
Barefoot Software Asia Limited (BSAL) is pleased to announce the launch Australian Swimsuit Edition-Free (ASE), via the Barefoot Software website (http://www.barefootsoft.com) for immediate download. ASE is a Cardmate application for mobile phones which is being launched for Free as a promotional application to end users who have a Symbian based mobile phone. ASE, the first Australian swimsuit model application for Smartphone devices in the World can initially be downloaded by users who have a Nokia (6600/3650/7650), Sony Ericsson P800/P900 and other compatible phones from the barefoot Web site. [PRWEB Jun 12, 2004]

Celerus Networks® Unveils All-In-One
Wi-Fi Management Software Suite in a
Free Software License Package – Offer
Makes Wi-Fi More Affordable than Ever

Celerus Networks® Unveils All-In-One
Wi-Fi Management Software Suite in a
Free Software License Package – Offer
Makes Wi-Fi More Affordable than Ever 06/22/2005 02:31 AM
Celerus Networks ships its feature-rich Wi-Fi management software suite with a no-cost software license delivering unprecedented savings to network builders & managers. The wireless management package offers unsurpassed affordability coupled with comprehensive support services. [PRWEB Jun 20, 2005]

Mobilization of Software Developers: The
Free Software Movement

Mobilization of Software Developers: The
Free Software Movement 06/17/2004 05:32 AM
Mobilization of Software Developers: The Free Software Movement by Margret S. Elliott and Walter Scacchi
http://ope nsource.mit.edu/papers/elliottscacchi2.pdf

Abstract by Author:
Free/open source software (F/OSS) development projects are growing at a rapid rate. Globally dispersed virtual communities with large groups of software developers contribute time and effort often without pay. One force behind this phenomenon is the Free Software Movement (FSM), a 20 year-old social movement whose purpose is to promote the use of free software instead of proprietary software. We show how the ideology of the FSM influences software development work practices in F/OSS communities and how an occupational community of F/OSS developers has emerged from this movement. We present results from an empirical study of a F/OSS development community, GNUenterprise (GNUe) whose purpose is to build an Enterprise Resource Planning system. We show how the beliefs in freedom and freedom of choice, and the values of cooperative work and community building are manifested in the GNUe norms of informal self-management, immediate acceptance of fellow contributors, and open disclosure.

PHP: Free Software on Free Tools

PHP: Free Software on Free Tools 05/17/2004 10:25 AM

Open Source: Open Source Scripting Made Easy: This is an article about PHP scripting tools that makes an important point:

Commercial scripting languages have drawn success from powerful and widely used development tools: ASP has Visual Studio, ColdFusion has Macromedia's Dreamweaver, and JSP has a variety of tools from commercial sources such as Borland and open source projects such as Eclipse and NetBeans. PHP's enormous success, however, is not tied to specific tools.

Some friends of mine have been working with Microsoft's .Net platform. They tell me it's amazing ("fan-friggin'-tastic," one of them called it). This is great, but I guess I don't like anything where the barrier to entry is so high — first you have to have a Windows server, then you have to have the Windows dev environment.

I code PHP in EditPlus, which cost me all of $30, and that was an optional purchase because there are so many other free alternatives. Maybe I'm just a snob. Via PHP|Architect.

Click here to comment on this entry

Not just free software under threat

Not just free software under threat 06/01/2004 10:32 AM
Letter Richard Stallman writes

help the British think about free
software?

help the British think about free
software? 09/03/2004 09:26 PM
The UK Parliamentary Office on Science and Technology is preparing a POST note on 'Open Source'. (No, I didn't know what a POST note is exactly either, but check it out here.) The author is looking for helpful comments. I've created a temporary email address for David Berry. You can send him comments at that address for a week.

Apple Software: The End Of Free

Apple Software: The End Of Free 01/11/2004 09:23 PM
I am not going to suggest that Apple reverse its path... On the other hand, I do want to see Apple set as low a price point for its stuff as possible. By Gene Steinberg (Mac Night Owl via MyAppleMenu)

Unmaintained Free Software

Unmaintained Free Software 04/07/2005 05:18 AM
New Wiki

You don't have to use free software
until you're ready

You don't have to use free software
until you're ready 08/02/2004 08:24 AM
One thing I try to drive home when speaking or giving an interview about Linux and open source software is the concept that, unlike commercial software, open source doesn't need more people to use it. You can take your time and use what you want when you want.

Free Computer Art Software for Kids

Free Computer Art Software for Kids 03/25/2005 01:20 AM
About Mar 25 2005 4:50AM GMT

Getting Help the Free Software (and Open
Source) Way

Getting Help the Free Software (and Open
Source) Way 10/28/2003 11:06 PM
What happens when the effectiveness of your favorite search engine turns against you, when it becomes almost too effective to be useful, giving you so much information that you're not sure where to start?... Well, my overworked friend, you're in luck. Today, I'll be covering the holy grail of information gathering: asking people... In the process, I will also show you some of the better locations to begin your searches and give you a few pointers in getting the most out of your queries.

What is open source and what is free
software?

What is open source and what is free
software? 03/06/2004 01:59 AM
Whenever I mention open source software, or the Linux operating system, I can be sure of getting lots of "interesting" mail in my inbox. There's a good bit of confusion about open source software among members of the general public, journalists of the general press and even among those of us who should know better.

Free FingerPrint Imaging Software

Free FingerPrint Imaging Software 01/28/2004 05:38 PM
0.0.2 stuff is out; an2k is next on TODO

The gift economy and free software

The gift economy and free software 06/05/2004 04:31 AM
A "gift economy" is a social system in which status is given by how much one shares or gives to one's community, as opposed to an "exchange economy" where status is given to those who own or control the most stuff. In today's world we're used to the latter economic philosophy, as it has been closely affiliated with the capitalist system since at least the Industrial Revolution and the invention of the corporation. But the Industrial Age is over -- this is the Information Age now, and things are changing.

Free Software on a Cheap Computer

Free Software on a Cheap Computer 04/10/2005 12:50 PM

Free software and Open Source

Free software and Open Source 04/10/2005 07:12 AM
Free software and Open Source: The freedom Debate and Its Consequences By Mathias Klang
ht tp://www.firstmonday.org/issues/issue10_3/klang/index.html

Abstract:
To most outsiders the ethics of software is not something usually considered. To most proficient computer users with a passing interest in this question the ethics of software is recognised as one of the fundamental questions in the digital rights area. To most of the latter, terms such as free software, open source, and their derivatives (FLOSS, FOSS, Software Freedom) are interchangeable. Choosing one over the other is a matter of taste rather than politics. However, to most insiders the
question is not one of taste. There is a fundamental difference between the two areas even if they share a similar root. Free software is not the same as open source. The two groups differ in their fundamental philosophical approach to software and its importance to society as a whole. This paper examines the two groups’ differing philosophies and explores how their actions have affected software development, access to fundamental software infrastructure, and the development of the concept of freedom.

Quebec Free Software Week

Quebec Free Software Week 09/22/2004 06:16 AM
Cory Doctorow: Robin sez, "The autumnal equinox marks the middle of the Semaine québécoise de l'informatique libre, something like the Québec Free Software/IT Week. The web site has the full program, > 25 events in at least 6 cities all accross Québec between September 18th and 26th." Link (Thanks, Robin!)

Free Software Foundation meeting this
Sat at MIT

Free Software Foundation meeting this
Sat at MIT 03/23/2005 02:53 AM
Cory Doctorow:  John sez, "but the Free Software Foundation associate membership meeting is this coming Saturday, March 26, at MIT's Stata Center in Cambridge, MA. The meeting will feature a solid day of presentations from Lawrence Lessig, Eben Moglen, Richard Stallman, and other free software luminaries. The members get a chance to hang out, eat good food, maybe even sign some GPG keys. We said the RSVP deadline was March 18th, but we'll still take 'em if people want to sign up as a member and then RSVP." Link (Thanks, John!)

New Papers at Opensource and Free
Software MIT

New Papers at Opensource and Free
Software MIT 01/01/2004 12:18 PM
The following papers have been recently posted to New Papers on:
http://freesoftware.mit.edu
http://opensource.mit.edu

PAPER 1

Author:
Vadén Tere

Title:
Intellectual Property, Open Source and Free Software
http://opensource.mi t.edu/papers/vaden.pdf

Abstract
The notion of intellectual property is used in order to create digital commodities. While the commodification of code is useful for certain kinds of knowledge intesive work (the Taylorist forms), it severely disrupts other types of knowledge creation. Applying Scott Lash's division of knowledge creation into organisational and disorganisational types, we also gain insight into the different positions towards IP held by different wings of the FOSS community.

PAPER 2

Authors:
Garzarelli, Giampaolo & Roberto Galoppini

Title:
Capability Coordination in Modular Organization: Voluntary FS/OSS Production and the Case of Debian GNU/Linux
http:/ /opensource.mit.edu/papers/garzarelligaloppini.pdf

Abstract:
The paper analyzes voluntary Free Software/Open Source Software (FS/OSS) organization of work. The empirical setting considered is the Debian GNU/Linux operating system. The paper finds that the production process is hierarchical notwithstanding the modular (nearly decomposable) architecture of software and of voluntary FS/OSS organization. But voluntary FS/OSS project organization is not hierarchical for the same reasons suggested by the most familiar theories of economic organization: hierarchy is justified for coordination of continuous change, rather than for the direction of static production. Hierarchy is ultimately the overhead attached to the benefits engendered by modular organization.

PAPER 3

Author:
Modica, Salvatore

Title:
Knowledge Transfer in R&D Outsourcing (and Linux-Vs-Windows)
http://opensource.m it.edu/papers/modica.pdf

Abstract:
Why did Microsoft not hire all those smart programmers who ended up developing Linux through the internet? Because, we answer, the value of the information about its operating system that Microsoft should have transferred to any of them to render her productive would have been too high compared to her expected individual contribution, so that after writing a contract with Microsoft the typical developer would have run away to sell the acquired knowledge on the market. On the other hand, knowledge transfer in R&D outsourcing is not always so critical, and for example in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries research contracts are extensively used, usually in the context of a long term relationship between firm and innovator. We analyze this kind of repeated interaction, and find that when the knowledge-transfer problem is not blocking, the firm should transfer to the innovator as much information as it is compatible with the latter's incentive constraints.

PAPER 4

Author
Dafermos, George

Title:
Blogging the Market
http://opensourc e.mit.edu/papers/dafermos3.pdf

Abstract:
Weblogs have been recently characterised as the "open source media". And in much the same way that open source software is been deployed, marketed and sold within both commercial and non-commercial contexts, weblogs can advance both commercial and non-commercial objectives. However, in this primary - research paper, the focus is on the benefits that organisations can seize by embracing weblogs, and how weblogs are bound to revitalise marketplace and workplace conversations. In addition, several case studies are being analysed, ranging from Slashdot and Openflows to Amazon, Macromedia, Groove Networks, and Gizmodo.

PAPER 5

Author:
McCormick, Chip

Title:
The Big Project That Never Ends': Role and Task Negotiation Within an Emerging Occupational Community (Dissertation in progress)
http://opensourc e.mit.edu/papers/mccormick.pdf

Abstract:
This dissertation involved in-depth interviews of over fifty open source developers in two major open source projects. The primary areas of interest were 1) conducting an ethnographic study of the work practices and culture of 'post-burecratic' organizations to see what lessons these groups may hold for managing intellectual labor and 2) examining whether the open source movement represents a new professional model for software engineering.

PAPER 6

Updated Paper

Author:
Chiao, Benjamin Hak-Fung

Title:
An Economic Theory of Free and Open Source Software: A Tour from Lighthouse to Chinese-Style Socialism (revised version)
http://opensource.mi t.edu/papers/chiao.pdf

Abstract
The theory is that free and open source software is private property under the guise of common property. Such software is distributed mostly under the GNU General Public License. The intents in The GNU Manifesto suggest striking similarities between this license and communism. The resulting economic properties, however, are similar to those of Chinese-style socialism: both resulted from an increased separation of legal and economic ownership. The phenomenal growth of China in the last twenty five years and of such software in the past few years could be attributed to such separation.

PAPER 7

Abstract Submission

Author:
Muffatto, Moreno & Matteo Faldani

Title:
Open Source as a Complex Adaptive System - Published in Emergence 5 (3)
http://www.emergence.org/


Abstract:
The Open Source community and its activities can be considered to have the characteristics of a system. The Open Source system is distinctive because it is neither controlled by a central authority that defines strategy and organization nor totally chaotic. It can be placed at a middle position between a planned system and a chaotic one. In this sort of position there are non-formal rules which allow the system to produce significant results. The Complex Adaptive System theory can be used to better understand and analyze the Open Source system. This work presents a description of the main characteristics of the functioning of the Open Source community regarding its organizational structure and development process. The concept of complex adaptive system is then introduced and its functioning mechanisms briefly described. Finally, we will interpret the characteristics of the Open Source community in the context of complex adaptive systems theory.

"CleanSoftware.org - Free software, no
nasties!"

"CleanSoftware.org - Free software, no
nasties!" 12/29/2004 03:31 AM

Teaching educators about free software

Teaching educators about free software 12/17/2003 10:45 AM
I was shocked when the middle school principal told me he could not accept free software for his journalism program; that all he was allowed to use was fresh-from-the-box commercial software. "It's school district policy," he said. "We can't even bring software from home now. It's because of the licensing. There are big fines for using unlicensed software. We can't risk it." This was an educated man, a fine teacher and administrator, but he knew nothing about the licensing terms under which Linux, OpenOffice, and many other fine programs are distributed. Neither, apparently, did his superiors in the school district administration. We need to teach them.

There's No Such Thing as a Free
(Software) Lunch.

There's No Such Thing as a Free
(Software) Lunch. 06/18/2004 08:36 PM
Jay Michaelson: There's No Such Thing as a Free (Software) Lunch. This is perhaps the only article I've seen that so clearly distinguishes between freedom for software and freedom for programmers. Software isn't alive; why should it have freedom?

Will free software kill shareware?

Will free software kill shareware? 08/28/2004 09:44 AM
Will free software kill shareware? Every day we celebrate the victories of open source software against the big guns, enjoying each corporate and governmental adoption as it comes. We talk about how wonderful it is that open source software is taking part in a larger social and economic revolution and comment on how we're looking forward to the day when open source software will dominate the software industry. The little guys, the story will go, put together a series of tools that evolved into a complete operating system which ultimately took over and threw down the big monolithic software giants. And all along, we, the little guys, kept to our values and ideals, held strong in the face of corporate threats, and banded together to Fight the Good Fight. What started as a bunch of little guys turned into several companies, and these companies grew until they were big guys. Then we garnered the support of several large companies and flirted with even more. Until one day we looked around and realized we weren't the little guys anymore.

Free Software As Nigerian Scam

Free Software As Nigerian Scam 11/04/2003 11:40 PM

Free software to aid poor doctors

Free software to aid poor doctors 12/19/2003 11:23 AM
BBC Dec 19 2003 4:05AM ET

Free Software at the Local Library?

Free Software at the Local Library? 04/16/2004 07:50 PM

Why schools should use exclusively free
software

Why schools should use exclusively free
software 11/10/2003 10:58 PM
There are general reasons why all computer users should insist on free software. It gives users the freedom to control their own computers--with proprietary software, the computer does what the software owner wants it to do, not what you want it to do. And it gives users the freedom to cooperate with each other, to lead an upright life. These apply to schools as they do to everyone. But there are special reasons that apply to schools.

UN drive to boost free software

UN drive to boost free software 08/28/2004 02:20 AM
The UN is holding events across Asia to encourage the region to adopt free and open source software.

CA revives free AV software offer

CA revives free AV software offer 11/18/2003 05:30 PM
Microsoft supplies 'kiss of life'

Lessig's Free Culture Chinese fan-trans

The following phrases have been identified by the grok system as matching this entry: free chines transaltion software