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[ox-en] "open source model permits elitism"



Open, But Not as Usual

Economist (03/18/06) Vol. 378, No. 8489, P. 73 *

The limitations of the open-source approach are becoming evident as the methodology branches out of the software sector and into other areas. The approach's most attractive attribute--its openness to anyone--is also its Achilles heel, leaving projects vulnerable to either unintentional or deliberate abuse that can only be deterred through continuous self-policing. Indeed, only a few hundred of the approximately 130,000 open-source projects on SourceForge.net are active because the others are unable to accommodate open source's shortcomings. The success of open-source projects often hinge on the degree of similarity between the projects' management practices and those of the companies they are trying to surpass, and most projects' core component is a close-knit group rather than a wide-ranging community. Many open-source initiatives have set up a formal and hierarchical system of governance to guarantee quality. However, while open source provides tools for very productive online collaboration, ways to "identify and deploy not just manpower, but expertise" are still lacking, according to New York University Law School's Beth Noveck. The model permits elitism in the acceptance of contributions, despite the egalitarian system of contribution. There is also speculation that open source's ability to sustain its innovation as well as the enthusiasm of contributors is limited.

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