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FLOSSCom.net Workshop

Event: Learning with/in FLOSS

Website: http://sweng.csd.auth.gr/

Speaker: Sulayman K Sowe

Email: sksowe@csd.auth.gr

                     

Place: Aristotle University Date: Thursday, May 31, 2007

Topic & Contents

The Definition and Working Framework Of FLOSS Environments The Definition and Working Framework Of FLOSS Environments

What is FLOSS

What are FLOSS Communities

Members, Roles, and Transition

Learning & Knowledge Sharing in FLOSS

Group learning in FLOSS

Bridging the Learning Context, FLOSS Style (Mark Jewell)

How to contribute in FLOSS

What is FLOSS (ELLAK)

1. Many meanings• Free Software (FS) – Free Software GNU Foundation• Open Source Software (OSS) – Open Source Initiative.• Free and Open Source Software (F/OSS) - Sweng.• Libre Software (LS) - Spain• Free/Libre/Open Source Software (FLOSS) – Flosscom.

2. Concept• Source code is free and accessible to all. People Software• Download/use binaries, executables from Internet.• Freedom to use, modify, distribute, or even sell the software with

little obligations. • No copyright. Copyleft licenses (GPL) grants you the right to do so.

3. Bazaar model with hacker ethos NOT Cathedral• Anyone can participate (Volunteerism) in projects, no contracts,

flexible work schedules, position must be earned through contribution.

What are FLOSS Communities

Special kind of online communities/Communities of practice (CoPs)

• Main Focus: Software development, maintenance, and support.

• Learn new coding techniques, acquire skills, share knowledge.

Communication & Coordination Tools

• Frequent channels: Mailing Lists, Forums, IRC, Newsgroups.

• Software Development: CVS, SVN, Bug trackers/Databases (bugzilla).

What are FLOSS Communities?

Early communities, e.g. Linux

Patches, Bug Fixes, Modifications, Suggestions

Linux Kernel Project Leader

LinuxCommunity

Co-developers‘’Trusted Lieutenants’’

Linux Applications & Utilities

Linux Kernel

Linux release, News, Comments

Most reviewsFew reviews

Online Peer-review, Collaborative

Efforts,Discussions,

Comments, etc.

Mailing list, Forums, Bug Trackers, Revision Control Systems, etc

Mailing list, Forums, Bug Trackers, Revision Control Systems, etc

LUG

Developers, Users,

Vendors, Distros

What to included in next release

A great babbling bazaar of differing agendas out of which a coherent and stable system (e.g. Linux OS) emerged (E. S. Raymond. 1999)

What are FLOSS Communities?

Core team

Members, Roles, and Transition

• In FLOSS projects all users are potential developers. Individuals In FLOSS projects all users are potential developers. Individuals volunteer to carry out project’s tasks.volunteer to carry out project’s tasks.

• Depending on contribution anyone can assume any role.Depending on contribution anyone can assume any role.

• Community Structure described by “Onion” (Crowston, et.al. 2004) or Community Structure described by “Onion” (Crowston, et.al. 2004) or “Concentric” (Sowe, 2007) model.“Concentric” (Sowe, 2007) model.

Significant and Sporadic Contributors

Active Users

Passive Users

What are FLOSS Communities?

(1) Core Team: Usually small (15 people), Project leader and active developers. Decision makers through consultation, contribute most of the project’s code.

(2) Significant/Sporadic Contributors: Peripheral & co-developers. Occasionally submit patches, contribute functionality and new features. Work reviewed by core team. More people than in (1).

(3) Active Users: Use software, report bugs, understands how the software works. More people than in (2).

(4) Passive Users-”Silent majority”: 99% of FLOSS community. Do not contribute to project activities. Just use software, lurk and ask a lot of questions. Potential active contributors to FLOSS.

Floss community members and roles

What are FLOSS Communities?

Transition

Passive Users

Active Users

Transition

Developers

Transition

Role transition/migration

FLOSS communities are permeable. Roles are not fixed

Core team/developers

Co-developers

Transition

Report bugsSuggest new

featuresReview codeSubmit code

Modify code

Answer to posts in Lists/Forums

Fix bugs Implement new features

Integrate code

Manage releases

Mundane project

activities

Essential project

activities

Core project coordination & management activities

ModuleOwner

Group Learning in FLOSS

You want to learn something?

I can’t install this software

Learn

Learn

Learn

Learn

Learn

I have seen how it is done! I will do it laterKnowledge Base

Community

Community

Learning & Knowledge Sharing in FLOSS

What is there to help someone learn?

Because of the wide variety of people participating in FLOSS, knowledge is Because of the wide variety of people participating in FLOSS, knowledge is constructed from a multiplicity of viewpoints and experiences.constructed from a multiplicity of viewpoints and experiences.

MotivationMotivation Type Description

IntrinsicIntrinsic •Creative pleasure (Fun to program)

•Intrinsic Altruism

•Sense of belonging to the community

•Fight against proprietary software

•Learning

ExtrinsicExtrinsic •Reputation among peers

•Extrinsic Monetary rewards

•Future career benefits

•Learning

What is there to help someone learn?

Source code is open and free: -Access to large code base.- Access to professional programmers.- Leading/Latest software. “Release early and release often”

Large, Vibrant, and diverse Communities-There is more than one community to learn from.- Many Linux distributions are similar. Users can access many communities.

Communication and coordination:- Almost everything happen in the mailing lists. - FLOSS projects “do not sleep” (24/7 help). But don’t sleep!- Archives of past and present knowledge. You can revisit and re-learn.- More than one means of communication. You don’t like mailing lists, go to IRC

Some Problems:- Too many projects and communities- How to find which community or project interests you- Skill barriers. Do you have to be a good programmer?- “Noise”, Flame-wars, feuds, RTFM

Bridging the Learning Context, FLOSS Style

Learning Content

Informal

Formal

Context Filters

Expertise

Experience

Interests

Role

Org Positi

onAffiliations

Politics

Objectives

Location

Culture

LearnerFLOSS Community

Group

Individual Contextual

Gap

Bridging the Gap

Learner

Context Filters

Expertise

Experience

Interests

Role

Org Positi

onAffiliations

Politics

Objectives

Location

Culture

Contextual

Gap

Learning Content

Informal

Formal

FLOSS Community

Group

Individual

Expertise

Experience

Interests

Role

Org Positi

onAffiliations

Politics

Objectives

Location

Culture

How to contribute in FLOSS

1. Contribute quality:• Submit bug reports.• Suggest new features and options.• Submit some artwork (icons, backgrounds, logos) to use in the program

2. Contribute documentation:• Help write and make correction in project documents.• Translate documents, program text, Website, etc into Greek.

3. Contribute support:• Answer questions on forums, mailing lists or IRC channels.• Help other people learn how to use the program .• Write HOWTOs or your experience in using the software and post them

in related forums.4. Contribute publicity:

• Write reviews and publications about FLOSS projects.• Attend seminars and workshops.

Thank you for your attention!

FLOSScome is here for you all

ReferenceSulayman K Sowe. (2007). An Empirical Study of Knowledge Sharing in Free/Open Source Software Projects. Doctoral Thesis, Department of Informatics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. May, 2007.