2020/02/26 · 1 citation
Computer Science · Business, Management and Accounting · #Open Source Software Innovations #Private Equity and Venture Capital #FinTech, Crowdfunding, Digital Finance
paper · doi:10.16997/book39.a
openalex publication_date 2020/02/26 · openalex created_date 2022/01/26 · openalex updated_date 2025/11/06
This introductory chapter provides conceptual grounding for understanding the relationship between free (<i>libre</i>) and open source software (FLOSS) communities and capitalist firms. I begin by contextualizing FLOSS within the broader history of software development. I discuss the emergence of FLOSS and the unique features of its development model as well as the underlying ethos that guided the free software movement. Next, I position FLOSS as a digital commons and distinguish between different approaches for understanding the commons. The chapter also includes notes on methodology as well as an overview of the remaining chapters.