Open Source Economics

Excellent analysis. I'm satisfied with that answer. I think the primary
reason people like Linux and FOSS in general is because it gives them a
measure of autonomy they would not have otherwise, and we all want that. I
imagine Linux will continue to invade business IT departments because there
will always be a programmer priesthood there to support and promote it.
Already it dominates the web server market, and I can see it dominating IT.
As for the wet dream of invading the consumer desktop, I can't see it. Linux
is the sort of thing only a programmer could love. Asking the average couch
potato to adopt Linux is like asking them to debate the relative merits of
Plato vs. Aristotle. The discipline required to make software digestible to
the masses is contrary to what motivates programmers to like FOSS to begin
with. This probably is why we see Microsoft concentrating on MSN so much.
Recurring service revenue to replace lost licensing revenue. Its the new
Bill Gates mantra: Be Like AOL.
--Phil M.

> I've given it some thought. Working from cases I come up with types, but
no
> over-arching single principle. There is a common tie, however. In every
> case but one, from the perspective of the capitalist producer releasing
> open-source code is a cost or undesirable side-effect of a larger business
> model.
>
> My other observation is that we are over-awed by the lone-cowboy
programmer.
> While the most successful projects may start with a single talented and
> inspired hacker, those hackers were almost always originally working in an
> institutional context and as the product matures it invariably becomes a
> project with many cooks.
>
> ------------------
> Some types of open source economic models
> ------------------
>
> Academic
> Free software movement
> Loss leader
> Externalized cost center
> Trivial investment and reward
> Gratis product, pay-to-play service
> Bandwagon
> Intellectual property pool