“Eric Raymond’s bazaar model provides a too simplistic view
of the open source software (OSS) development process. This paper
tries to explore links between open source software development and
academic research as a better paradigm for OSS development.
Open source software development should better be viewed as a
special case of academic research. Viewing OSS this way probably
can lead to a better understanding of open source phenomena…”
“The nature of open source development fascinates me – that’s
why I have become an observer and researcher on the open source
process in addition to being a participant. At the same time during
my tenure as an editor-in-chief of the Softpanorama Bulletin and my
teaching career, I have become painfully aware of the overly
optimistic and unrealistic views on open source held by students
and partially even participants like Eric Raymond.”
“There are several different reasons for this distortion of
reality. Open source development is now fashionable and it makes
big news. The news too often emphasize achievements and successful
projects, but fails to address difficulties, failures and aborted
projects. Failures are not news, in most cases. That leaves many
with the impression that open source is a panacea and a “magic
bullet” that will solve all, or almost all, difficulties. This
paper is a skeptical treatment of the subject. I respect open
source and believe that it is optimal in teaching, but I see a lot
of problems…”