Open Source Media is defined by the Open Source Initiative website as ‘a development method for software that harnesses the power of distributed peer review and transparency of process’ (Open Source Initiative 2007, 1). In addition to this, there are also a number of criteria that distribution terms of software must meet to be considered Open Source.
Coar defines these as:
1. Free Redistribution
2. Source Code
3. Derived Works
4. Integrity of The Author's Source Code
5. No Discrimination Against Persons or Groups
6. No Discrimination Against Fields of Endeavor
7. istribution of License
8. License Must Not Be Specific to a Product
9. License Must Not Restrict Other Software
10. License Must Be Technology-Neutral
For further Information and definitions click here
However it is not only what software contains that defines it, but also who contributes to it. The hierarchy of Open Source Software Production, as defined by Nelson, outlines this.
EDITORS
DEVELOPERS
CONTRIBUTORS
USERS
He states, ‘The Editors decide what goes into a project and what falls on the floor. Developers write the code. Contributors write documentation, answer questions, report bugs, blog about the software, review the software, and do everything else which isn't coding. Users just use the code, but of course the role of user is why everybody else does what they do. Together, these people form a community’ (Nelson 2008, 1).
What makes this interesting in comparison to other forms of content production is the category of individual involved with Open Source software. Stereotypically you would connect young people with social networking, academics with journals and databases, but when it comes to Open Source software, nerds seem to be the ones ‘driving the bandwagon’ so to speak.
'Of course many of the eariler participants in the net came from development backgrounds, from tech backgrounds, they were people who were in many cases actively involved in developing software and programming and so the rise of open source can be quite easily explained through this' (Bruns 2008, week 7). The take over of Open Source software production, by the technological minded individuals in our society, encourages growth of this domain. We have seen this take place, even over the last ten years, with the growth of open source software in comparison to closed source media.
As quoted in the related article, Is it really the death of Closed Media, ‘open source software provides an easy technological platform, giving millions of people a voice in a very interesting format that can be easily found, linked to and engaged with by others, whatever the topic might be’ (Bruns 2008, week 6). This user relationship, when compared to closed media with, ‘declining readership, limited access to content and dependence on payment’ (Palme and Berglund 2007, 4-5) defines why this shift in support is occuring.
As demand for traditional media declines and open media increases, the greatest minds shift towards the greatest demand, which at this time is open source media. Therefore, those who choose to contribute to open source media growth and development are indirectly contributing to the death of traditional media. The power of the nerd.
If you are interested in this concept of closed media decline, click here for the related article, Is it really the death of closed media.
Blessed Blogging
Cheers gemini21
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