Reflections on Open Source

Since the publication last Fall of Open Sources 2.0, a book that Chris, Danese, and I worked very hard on, I've been in a particularly contemplative mood about the present success and future directions of the open source movement. I feel like a have a big personal stake in this:

• I've been using Linux as my main desktop system since 1994 (1.0.8 kernel, for those of you keeping score);
• I used to be O'Reilly's Executive Editor for Open Source, and indeed took part in the first Open Source Summit that Tim O'Reilly organized (1997? 1998?);
• I was part of VA Linux's evangelism team at the time of their infamous IPO, and indeed remained at VA working on Linux.com, SourceForge, and other sites for another four years;
• I edited and wrote significant contributions to both Open Sources and Open Sources 2.0;
  
• I've been a frequent speaker, commentator, and consultant on open source principles and practices.

Working on the most recent book, I've found myself pondering two questions:

• As open source is more fully embraced by the technology establishment (IBM and Linux, Sun attempting to go open source, recent acquisitions of JBoss and Sleepycat, etc.) will it thrive or be co-opted?
• Beyond technology and software development, are there principles of collaboration that could transform other online communities.

This blog is my space to explore and attempt to answer, at least for myself, these questions.