docs/diploma

annotate thesis/pieces/old/3-FreeSoftwareProjects.tex @ 211:f2b8481789f6

better diagrams and other small changes
author meillo@marmaro.de
date Sun, 04 Jan 2009 10:28:40 +0100
parents 24068a091af7
children
rev   line source
meillo@37 1 \chapter{About \freesw\ projects}
meillo@26 2
meillo@57 3 % http://www.faqs.org/docs/artu/
meillo@57 4
meillo@45 5 There are several differences between \freesw\ projects and projects about proprietary software.
meillo@45 6 To understand \freesw\ projects, one needs to understand \freesw\ itself first.
meillo@37 7
meillo@37 8 \section{About \freesw}
meillo@50 9 The term ``Free Software'' was coined by the \name{Free Software Foundation} (short: \NAME{FSF}), founded by Richard~M.\ Stallman (known as ``RMS'') in 1985.
meillo@48 10 Although various licenses make software free, none of them represents the thinking of \freesw\ like the the \GNU\ \gpl\ (short: \GPL). Its first version was written by Stallman in 1989.
meillo@48 11 One could say, the \GPL\ catalized the \name{Free Software movement}.
meillo@37 12
meillo@57 13 % http://www.fsf.org/about/what-is-free-software
meillo@57 14
meillo@48 15 After all, the \GPL\ was not the first \freesw\ license used.
meillo@48 16 The \name{MIT License} (or \name{X Consortium License}) for example is older; published in 1988.
meillo@48 17 Licenses providing the same rights have been used since long time ago.
meillo@48 18 But none of them was so often (re)used by other projects---thus gattering less awareness.
meillo@48 19 Further more was the \GPL\ created to be a \emph{general} license for all kinds of programs, unlike most other licenses written for one particular program.
meillo@37 20
meillo@45 21 \freesw\ gives freedoms to its users.
meillo@45 22 In contrast to proprietary software restricting the users freedom.
meillo@48 23 The freedoms (or rights) the user has are stated in the \name{Free Software Definition} of the \NAME{FSF}. Namely these are:
meillo@57 24 % http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html
meillo@57 25 % http://www.fsf.org/licensing/essays/free-sw.html
meillo@37 26 \begin{enumerate}
meillo@48 27 \item The freedom to run the program, for any purpose (freedom 0).
meillo@48 28 \item The freedom to study how the program works, and adapt it to your needs (freedom 1). Access to the source code is a precondition for this.
meillo@48 29 \item The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor (freedom 2).
meillo@48 30 \item The freedom to improve the program, and release your improvements to the public, so that the whole community benefits (freedom 3). Access to the source code is a precondition for this.
meillo@37 31 \end{enumerate}
meillo@37 32
meillo@37 33
meillo@37 34 \section{The term ``Open Source''}
meillo@45 35 \name{Open Source Software} often stands for the same as \freesw.
meillo@45 36 But there is an essential difference: \name{Open Source} focuses on the availability of source code, while \freesw\ is about freedoms for people.
meillo@37 37
meillo@43 38 \name{Open Source Software} is a subset of \freesw, meaning: All \freesw\ is \name{Open Source}, but there exists \name{Open Source Software} that is not free.
meillo@37 39
meillo@57 40 % http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html
meillo@57 41 % http://catb.org/~esr/open-source.html
meillo@57 42
meillo@37 43
meillo@37 44 \section{Development of \freesw}
meillo@45 45 Having source code available and the right to modify it, encouridges programmers to actually do so.
meillo@45 46 Their modifications are manifoldly.
meillo@45 47 Some tailor the software to their needs.
meillo@45 48 Some add features.
meillo@45 49 Some do it just for fun.
meillo@45 50 There are no limitations---whoever wants to, may work on it.
meillo@37 51
meillo@45 52 Since the boom of the internet, \freesw\ typically is developed by an open community of programmers interested in the software.
meillo@45 53 The process of development is watchable by everyone.
meillo@37 54
meillo@37 55 The other, now less common, method is a more closed group, developing in a ``sealed'' room, but releasing finished versions to the public.
meillo@37 56
meillo@52 57 Eric~S.\ Raymond discusses about these methods, which he named \name{the bazaar} and \name{the cathedral} \cite{catb}.
meillo@37 58
meillo@38 59 The following text will focus on the ``bazaar'' model.
meillo@38 60
meillo@37 61
meillo@37 62 \section{The role of the community}
meillo@37 63 \freesw\ projects rise and fall with their community!
meillo@37 64
meillo@45 65 Most \freesw\ programs are developed by a very small group of programmers, often only one person.
meillo@45 66 But they are used by many people.
meillo@45 67 In between the programmers and the users, are people located who are a bit of both.
meillo@45 68 These are the ones that write documentation, find bugs and probably even fix it.
meillo@45 69 They discuss on mailing lists, bulletin boards and \NAME{IRC} chats.
meillo@45 70 The program is often spread by their ``advertising''.
meillo@37 71
meillo@45 72 The \emph{community} consists of the actual developers and all users that contribute to the program.
meillo@45 73 Contribution can be one of the described ways, or others like providing a server for the project website for example.
meillo@37 74
meillo@45 75 \emph{Community} is everyone who is in contact through the project.
meillo@45 76 Be it on the mailing list, the discussion board, or by telling the developers about a new feature wanted.
meillo@37 77
meillo@45 78 There will hardly be a community if no communication channels are available.
meillo@48 79 If the development team does not provide them, there is a chance that encouraged users set them up on their own.
meillo@45 80 But this is rare and the program needs to be very popular. %TODO: maybe include an example here (w3m?)
meillo@37 81
meillo@37 82 Projects without a good community tend to die sooner or later.
meillo@37 83
meillo@37 84
meillo@37 85 \section{Evolution of a community}
meillo@45 86 Let us look at the process a community establishes: In most times it's only one who has an idea, in the beginning.
meillo@45 87 He starts developing.
meillo@45 88 When others get in contact with the project, there may be some who are so much interested that they start co-developing.
meillo@45 89 Others report bugs, and some only use the program.
meillo@37 90
meillo@45 91 After some time, one will find a small group of core developers, a larger group of contributers (bugs, patches, documentation) and a very large group of users.
meillo@45 92 The size ratio of the groups vary by type of project.
meillo@37 93
meillo@37 94 One should have that in mind, when starting a \freesw\ project.
meillo@37 95
meillo@37 96
meillo@37 97 \section{Creating a strong community}
meillo@37 98 Building up a good community needs some effort of the main developers.
meillo@38 99 %TODO: search for documents about this topic
meillo@37 100
meillo@37 101 First communication channels need to be set up, to enable the growth of a community.
meillo@37 102
meillo@45 103 Second, development should be visible by everyone who is interested in it.
meillo@45 104 Time between work done on the project and its visibility to the public should be kept short.
meillo@45 105 This makes it interesting for other developers to join.
meillo@45 106 Developers are the core of a community.
meillo@37 107
meillo@50 108 Third, there is a rule of thumb that should be followed: ``Release early, release often!'' \cite{catb}.
meillo@45 109 Releases are (more) stable versions, primary for users.
meillo@45 110 They should be created, frequently.
meillo@45 111 People will more likely use programs of active projects.
meillo@37 112
meillo@45 113 Fourth, the developers should try to get the users ``in the boat''.
meillo@45 114 Good communities have a large group of users that do not only receive, but also give something back to the project.
meillo@45 115 The project leaders should motivate users to contribute.
meillo@45 116 This unlocks a big work force and gets lot of unexiting work done.
meillo@38 117
meillo@45 118 Fifth, documentation matters.
meillo@45 119 Good documentation makes it easy for users and developers to start.
meillo@45 120 And it helps to avoid a lot of unsatisfaction.
meillo@45 121 Documentation is something that shows quality and that people care about the project.
meillo@38 122
meillo@45 123 And sixth, project leaders should be good souvereigns.
meillo@45 124 They should try to be fair, to motivate, be visionaires and try to put power and work on many shoulders.
meillo@38 125
meillo@45 126 Not to forget: Every work that was done, every contribution that was made and every idea received needs to be honored in an appropriate way!
meillo@45 127 Volunteer work lives by acknowledgement of the effort spent.