LinuxDevCenter: Trust and Zeal in Open Source Advocacy

"Ever since the seedling that was free software and open source began to propagate through the early tunnels of the internet, extensive sociopolitical analysis has been aimed at defining the open source community. One theory is that the community is essentially a meritocracy, a group founded upon the ideals of ability and effort. Meritocracies are, after all, nothing new; the military is a prime example. In a world where invisible governments so often drive communities, the concept of replacing the nobility of blood with that of virtue attracts idealists and ethical protagonists alike. Although few would deny the admirable ideals behind open source, this idealism can hinder open source progress in the nonidealistic, cut-and-dried business world..."

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