Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Free/libre/open source software (FLOSS)'

This research operates in the context of a European political discourse, where the main concern is counter-cultural approaches to non-mandatory collaboration and contractual agreements. FLOSSTV (Free, Libre, Open Source Software TV) covers a broad range of practices, from television via documentary up to media arts productions. This thesis documents the endeavour to formulate a policy for FLOSS culture. FLOSSTV studies the impact of new intellectual property legislation on media production, as well as conceptions and applications of collective authorship and alternative licensing schemes. FLOSSTV sets out to explore methods that can facilitate media and arts practitioners wishing to engage in collaborative media productions. The thesis sets out to investigate the theories and histories of collaborative media and arts productions in order to set the ground for an exploration of the tools, technologies and aesthetics of such collaborations. The FLOSSTV thesis proposes a set of contracts and policies that allow for such collaborations to develop. It is through practice that this research explores FLOSS culture, including its methods, licensing schemes and technologies. In order to focus the research within the field of FLOSSTV I initiated the practice-based Deptford.TV pilot project as the central research experiment for the FLOSSTV thesis. DVD ONE contains a series of films produced collaboratively for Deptford.TV that express the characteristics and contractual arrangements of FLOSS culture. Deptford.TV is an online audiovisual database primarily collecting media assets around the Deptford area, in South­East London, UK. Deptford.TV functions as an open, collaborative platform that allows artists, film-makers, researchers and participants of the local workshops in and around Deptford, and also beyond Deptford, to store, share, re-edit and redistribute their footage and projects. The open and collaborative nature of the Deptford.TV project demonstrates a form of shared media practice in two ways: audiences become producers by submitting their own footage, and the database enables the contributors to interact with each other. Through my practice-lead research project Deptford.TV I argue that, by supporting collaborative methods and practices, FLOSS (Free, Libre, Open Source Software) can empower media and arts practitioners to collaborate in production and distribution processes of media and arts practices.

When proponents of open source software are asked to explain the success of their movement they typically point to the quality of the software produced, which is in turn attributed to the rather unconventional development model of releasing unfinished versions of the software and having users look over the code and report and fix bugs. This thesis investigates the open source quality assurance model from a knowledge management perspective – based on the assumption that debugging involves a high degree of knowledge work. By doing interpretive case studies of two open source projects – using direct observation, e-mail archives, and bug-trackers as data sources – I present descriptive accounts of the day to day quality practices in open source development. The analysis shows that conceptualizing and classifying bugs is a complex process involving sense-making and subjective considerations; that the peer-review process in open source projects has a lot in common with traditional field-testing; and that communication tools and mediums are used interchangeably, but with certain preferences depending on subject matter. I conclude that perhaps the success of the open source development model is not due to its novelty compared to traditional software engineering, but because open source developers have recognized that debugging is a knowledge-intensive process. Keywords: Open Source, Software Quality, Knowledge Management

Se situant dans le champ de la stratégie, cette thèse souhaite contribuer à l’aide à la réflexion stratégique des entreprises du FLOSS commercial. Cet objectif semble atteint par la fourniture de deux construits (modèle des dynamiques et jeu de propositions) et trois illustrations par des cas d’entreprises représentatives du secteur. Le modèle des cinq dynamiques constitue un support à la formulation de l’intention et à la conception de la configuration stratégique. En éclatant l’approche communautaire classique dans les dynamiques socio-politique, psycho-cognitive et d’usage, ce travail génère un cadre conceptuel qui se propose d’intégrer la notion d’environnement FLOSS plus large que celle de communauté. Ce modèle met en évidence un besoin de repérer les acteurs et pouvoirs en présence dans un projet, de gérer les réticences de ces derniers et de s’appuyer sur les usages pour développer des pratiques qui génèrent de la collaboration. Enfin, le jeu de propositions peut servir aux entreprises du FLOSS commercial de lignes directrices et aux chercheurs de pistes à approfondir
This thesis aims to support business strategic decisions of commercial FLOSS companies. This objective appears to be achieved through two specific and flexible models (theoretical study supported by set of practical proposals) and three open source companies based case studies. The five dynamics' model is used to support the definition of the strategic intents and their deployment within an open source company. Based on socio-political, psycho-cognitive and technological use dynamics, this work generates a conceptual framework integrating the concept of FLOSS environment, much broader than only communities. This model highlights the needs to identify the different actors, their roles and scopes of influence in a project, to manage their reluctance and to mobilize collaboration tools to leverage of FLOSS practices. Finally, the set of proposals can be used as guidelines for commercial FLOSS companies strategy definition and for researchers more specific studies

Community-based Open Source Software (OSS) projects are generally self-organized and dynamic, receiving contributions from volunteers spread across the globe. These communities survival, long-term success, and continuity demand a constant influx of newcomers. However, newcomers face many barriers when making their first contribution to an OSS project, leading in many cases to dropouts. Therefore, a major challenge for OSS projects is to provide ways to support newcomers during their first contribution. In this thesis, our goal was to identify and understand the barriers newcomers face and provide appropriate strategies to lower these barriers. Toward this end, we conducted multiple studies, using multiple research methods. To identify the barriers, we used data collected from: semi-structured interviews with 35 developers from 13 different projects; 24 answers to an open questionnaire conducted with OSS developers; feedback from 9 graduate and undergraduate students after they tried to join OSS projects; and 20 primary studies gathered via a systematic literature review. The data was analyzed using Grounded Theory procedures: namely, open and axial coding. Subsequently, the analysis resulted in a preliminary conceptual model composed of 58 barriers grouped into six categories: cultural differences, newcomers characteristics, reception issues, newcomers orientation, technical hurdles, and documentation problems. Based on the conceptual model, we developed FLOSScoach, a portal to support newcomers making their first OSS project contribution. To assess the portal, we conducted a study with undergraduate students, relying on qualitative data from diaries, self-efficacy questionnaires, and the Technology Acceptance Model. By applying the model to a practical application and assessing it, we could evaluate and improve the barriers model, changing it according to improvements identified during the conception of the tool, as well as suggestions received from the study participants. The FLOSScoach study results indicate that the portal played an important role guiding newcomers and lowering barriers related to the orientation and contribution process, whereas it was inefficient in lowering technical barriers. We also found that the portal is useful, easy to use, and increased newcomers confidence to contribute. The main contributions of this thesis are: (i) empirical identification and modeling of barriers faced by OSS project newcomers; and (ii) a portal providing information to support OSS project newcomers.
Projetos de software livre baseados em comunidade são, geralmente, auto-organizados e dinâmicos, e recebem contribuições de voluntários espalhados por todo o globo. A sobrevivência dessas comunidades, o sucesso a longo prazo, e sua continuidade exigem a entrada constante de novatos. No entanto, os novatos enfrentam muitas barreiras ao tentarem fazer a sua primeira contribuição para um projeto de software livre, o que leva, em muitos casos, a desistências. Portanto, um grande desafio para projetos de software livre é proporcionar maneiras de apoiar os novatos durante a realização de sua primeira contribuição. Nesta tese, nosso objetivo foi identificar e compreender as barreiras que os novatos enfrentam e fornecer estratégias adequadas para reduzir essas barreiras. Para isso, realizamos diversos estudos, utilizando vários métodos de pesquisa. Para identificar as barreiras, foram utilizados dados coletados a partir de: entrevistas semiestruturadas com 36 desenvolvedores de 14 projetos diferentes; 24 respostas a um questionário aberto realizado com desenvolvedores de software livre; feedback de 9 estudantes depois de tentarem contribuir para projetos de software livre; e 20 estudos obtidos por meio de uma revisão sistemática da literatura. Os dados foram analisados utilizando-se procedimentos da Grounded Theory: codificação aberta e axial. Posteriormente, a análise resultou em um modelo conceitual preliminar composto por 58 barreiras agrupadas em seis categorias: diferenças culturais, características dos novatos, problemas de recepção, orientação dos novatos, obstáculos técnicos, e problemas de documentação. Com base no modelo conceitual, desenvolvemos o FLOSScoach, um portal para apoiar os novatos no curso de sua primeira contribuição a projetos de software livre. Para avaliar o portal, realizamos um estudo com alunos de graduação, utilizando dados qualitativos de diários, questionários de autoeficácia (self-efficacy), e o modelo de aceitação tecnológica (TAM, do inglês Technology Acceptance Model). Ao aplicar o modelo em uma aplicação prática e experimentá-lo, pudemos avaliar e melhorar o modelo de barreiras, adequando-o de acordo com as melhorias identificadas durante a concepção da ferramenta, bem como sugestões recebidas dos participantes do estudo. Os resultados do estudo indicam que o portal FLOSScoach desempenhou um papel importante no direcionamento dos novatos e na redução das barreiras relacionadas com o processo de orientação e contribuição, enquanto não foi muito eficiente na redução de barreiras técnicas. Evidenciamos ainda que o portal é útil, fácil de usar, e aumentou a confiança dos novatos. As principais contribuições desta tese são: (i) identificação empírica e modelagem de barreiras enfrentadas pelos novatos em projetos de software livre; e (ii) um portal de informação para apoiar os novatos em projetos de software livre.

Les motivacions entorn al programari lliure han estat sempre un tema de gran interès, sent la pregunta més obvia, "perquè les persones treballen de forma gratuïta?". Les motivacions dels desenvolupadors han estat establertes (per exemple, von Hippel (2001), Lerner and Tirole (2002)). De la mateixa manera que ho han estat per a les empreses grans i petites que adopten programari lliure basat en models de negoci (per exemple, Lakhani and von Hippel, 2003; Fitzgerald, 2006; Krishnamurthy, 2004). No obstant això, un nombre cada vegada més elevat de les PIMES amb estratègies que no estan directament relacionades amb aquest model de negoci estan contribuint a les comunitats de programari lliure. En aquest estudi s'investiga les motivacions d'aquestes empreses des d'un punt de vista de comportament mitjançant un model d'investigació basat en TPB (Theory of Planned Behavior). Hem demostrat que factors com la "obertura" d'una PIME, la importància percebuda del programari lliure, els desenvolupadors (empleats) d'una PIME, juntament amb l'ambient extern, podrien influir en la decisió d'una PIME a participar en comunitats de programari lliure. A més, hem demostrat que es poden identificar algunes diferències entre empreses d'alta base tecnològica i empreses amb poca base tecnològica. Aquestes conclusions poden ajudar governs nacionals o regionals per millorar el disseny de polítiques per tal d'incentivar l'ús i la participació de les empreses en les comunitats de programari lliure. Especialment ara, degut a la forta crisi econòmica que pateix Europa, el programari lliure pot ser una solució adequada per a fomentar la innovació.
Motivations in FLOSS have always been a subject of great interest, by starting with the most obvious question, “why people work for free?”. The motivations of developers have been well established (eg von Hippel (2001), Lerner and Tirole 2002). The same exists also for big and small companies adopting FLOSS based Business Models (eg Lakhani and von Hippel, 2003; Fitzgerald 2006; Krishnamurthy, 2004). However an increasing number of SMEs with strategies not directly related to the Business Model are contributing to FLOSS communities. In this study we try to investigate these motivations under a behavioral perspective by using a research model based on TPB (Theory of Planned Behavior). We demonstrated that factors like the “openness” of a SME, the perceived importance of FLOSS, the developers (employees) of a SME along with the external environment of a SME, could influence the decision of a SME to participate in FLOSS communities. Also, we have demonstrated that some differences can be identified between high tech firms and non high tech firms. These findings can help national or regional governments to design better policies in order to better promote the use and the participation of firms to FLOSS communities. Especially now, in times of heavy economical crisis in Europe, FLOSS can be an adequate solution to foster innovation.

The thesis argues that, contrary to previous analyses of the topic, Free/Libre Open Source Software (FLOSS) must be understood as an assemblage of interconnected software projects, rather than being a singular entity. It also argues that a detailed understanding of these projects' production activities is necessary in order to gain an adequate understanding of the wider FLOSS phenomenon. In order to address these omissions in existing treatments of the topic, the thesis presents the results of a detailed, long-term, ethnographic study of a FLOSS project, the analysis of which is informed by actor-network and assemblage theory. In doing so, the material components of GNOME are a major focus, including the project's code, its communications and development infrastructure, and the role of contributors' bodies in their production activities. These aspects of the project are shown to be subject to various territorialising activities which seek to establish it and its products as having particular characteristics, and which also generate the project as a definite, delineated entity. These shared material aspects of the project are also argued to be crucial to participants' abilities to associate and collaborate with one another, and are shown to be subject to normative prescriptions and political contests. The thesis makes the case that the study of FLOSS is able to inform a more general sociological understanding of the consequences and possibilities associated with digital technologies and goods.

Today’s software companies face the challenges of highly distributed development projects and constant changing requirements. To be competitive, the software time to market has to be reduced as much as possible while keeping the expected quality. Development methodologies try to address this challenges by introducing new practices, techniques and methods for communication, requirements management, quality assurance, etc. This thesis proposes the adoption of relevant Free/Libre/Open Source Software practices to improve industrial developments. Many FLOSS projects have proven very successful, producing high quality products with steady frequent releases. The selection of the FLOSS best practices that would benefit industrial developments, and its adaptation for a corporate environment is the aim of this study. To achieve this goal, a framework to compare FLOSS and industrial development methodologies has been created and executed. Three successful FLOSS projects where selected as study targets, as well as two Ericsson’s projects. The framework served to identify FLOSS methodology strengths and compare them with the Ericsson projects. Analysing the significant differences resulting from this comparison, FLOSS best practices were tailored to fit industrial development environments. The final results of the thesis are six adoption opportunities that aim to improve software quality and overall development productivity while increasing practitioners’ motivation and commitment.

While there is a wide variety of both open source and proprietary source code static analyzers available in the market, each of them usually performs better in a small set of problems, making it hard to choose one single tool to rely on when examining a program. Combining the analysis of different tools may reduce the number of false negatives, but yields a corresponding increase in the number of false positives (which is already high for many tools). An interesting solution, then, is to filter these results to identify the issues least likely to be false positives. This work presents kiskadee, a system to support the usage of static analysis during software development by providing carefully ranked static analysis reports. First, it runs multiple static analyzers on the source code. Then, using a classification model, the potential bugs detected by the static analyzers are ranked based on their importance, with critical flaws ranked first, and potential false positives ranked last. To train kiskadee\'s classification model, we post-analyze the reports generated by three tools on synthetic test cases provided by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology. To make our technique as general as possible, we limit our data to the reports themselves, excluding other information such as change histories or code metrics. The features extracted from these reports are used to train a set of decision trees using AdaBoost to create a stronger classifier, achieving 0.8 classification accuracy (the combined false positive rate from the used tools was 0.61). Finally, we use this classifier to rank static analyzer alarms based on the probability of a given alarm being an actual bug. Our experimental results show that, on average, when inspecting warnings ranked by kiskadee, one hits 5.2 times less false positives before each bug than when using a randomly sorted warning list.
Embora exista grande variedade de analisadores estáticos de código-fonte disponíveis no mercado, tanto com licenças proprietárias, quanto com licenças livres, cada uma dessas ferramentas mostra melhor desempenho em um pequeno conjunto de problemas distinto, dificultando a escolha de uma única ferramenta de análise estática para analisar um programa. A combinação das análises de diferentes ferramentas pode reduzir o número de falsos negativos, mas gera um aumento no número de falsos positivos (que já é alto para muitas dessas ferramentas). Uma solução interessante é filtrar esses resultados para identificar os problemas com menores probabilidades de serem falsos positivos. Este trabalho apresenta kiskadee, um sistema para promover o uso da análise estática de código fonte durante o ciclo de desenvolvimento de software provendo relatórios de análise estática ranqueados. Primeiramente, kiskadee roda diversos analisadores estáticos no código-fonte. Em seguida, utilizando um modelo de classificação, os potenciais bugs detectados pelos analisadores estáticos são ranqueados conforme sua importância, onde defeitos críticos são colocados no topo de uma lista, e potenciais falsos positivos, ao fim da mesma lista. Para treinar o modelo de classificação do kiskadee, realizamos uma pós-análise nos relatórios gerados por três analisadores estáticos ao analisarem casos de teste sintéticos disponibilizados pelo National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) dos Estados Unidos. Para tornar a técnica apresentada o mais genérica possível, limitamos nossos dados às informações contidas nos relatórios de análise estática das três ferramentas, não utilizando outras informações, como históricos de mudança ou métricas extraídas do código-fonte dos programas inspecionados. As características extraídas desses relatórios foram utilizadas para treinar um conjunto de árvores de decisão utilizando o algoritmo AdaBoost para gerar um classificador mais forte, atingindo uma acurácia de classificação de 0,8 (a taxa de falsos positivos das ferramentas utilizadas foi de 0,61, quando combinadas). Finalmente, utilizamos esse classificador para ranquear os alarmes dos analisadores estáticos nos baseando na probabilidade de um dado alarme ser de fato um bug no código-fonte. Resultados experimentais mostram que, em média, quando inspecionando alarmes ranqueados pelo kiskadee, encontram-se 5,2 vezes menos falsos positivos antes de se encontrar cada bug quando a mesma inspeção é realizada para uma lista ordenada de forma aleatória.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Georgia State University, 2006.
Ted Friedman, committee chair; Kathy Fuller-Seeley, Ashok Jhunjhunwala, Merrill Morris, Leonard Teel, committee members. Title from title screen. Electronic text (236 p. : col. ill.) : digital, PDF file. Description based on contents viewed May 22, 2007. Includes bibliographical references (p. 189-210).

Through use of social worlds theory and qualitative research methods, this thesis explores hackers’ practices and their relationships with the computing world and the wider society from a socio-technical perspective. The hacker social world comprises actors from diverse social-technical backgrounds who share a constellation of im/material practices, namely open source practices (OSPs). Through engaging with these collective practices, actors and actants communicate, negotiate, and shape each other’s identities, practices and understandings of the innovation structure and system in various aspects. In examining the diverse articulations and performances in which hacker culture and hacker identity are both reflected and constructed, the thesis tries to contextualise and deconstruct the ICT architecture we take for granted, as well as the innovations made possible by this architecture. The major findings of my research are: 1) As a community of open source practices, the FLOSS social world allows diverse actors to engage in the innovation process and therefore fosters a greater innovation resources than other relatively conventional software engineering models. 2) The strategic collaboration between the public (i.e. the free software community) and the private (i.e. information technologies corporations) sectors symbolises a pattern of hybrid innovation that entails complex communications and networks, though stabilizing these can be problematic. 3) Tacit knowledge anchored in everyday experiences is particularly valued in a community-based innovation system where social networking and information sharing are extensive. 4) The development of FLOSS democratises software innovation process and allows lay people to develop their understanding and knowledge of a shared problem/issue, especially through the web, to challenge established views on the issue.

Spatial Data Analysis (SDA) is relatively narrower and constitutes one of the areas of Spatial Analysis. Geographic Information System (GIS) offers a potentially valuable platform for supporting SDA techniques. Integration of SDA with GIS helps SDA to benefit from the data input, storage, retrieval, data manipulation and display capabilities of GIS. Also, GIS can benefit from SDA techniques in which the integration of these techniques can increase the analysis capabilities of GIS. This integration serves for disseminating and facilitating improved understanding of spatial phenomena. How SDA techniques should be integrated with GIS arise the coupling problem. The complete integration of SDA techniques in GIS can be applied without the support of GIS vendor when the free/libre and open source software (FLOSS) development methodology is properly followed. This approach causes to interpret the coupling problem in a new way. This thesis aims to develop a fully coupled SDA with GIS in FLOSS environment. A fully coupled SDA in free GIS software as FLOSS system is developed by writing nearly 13,000 line Python code in 2.5 years. Usage of this system has reached to nearly 1600 unique visitors, 3000 visits and 8600 page views in two years. As the current status of development in GIS is considered, it is unlikely in commercial market to have full coupled SDA techniques in GIS software. However, it is expected to have more SDA developments in proprietary GIS software in the near future as there is an increasing trend for requesting more sophisticated SDA tools.

Recent advances in information technologies and subsequent explosive growth of computer software use in practically all aspects of everyday life provide tremendous opportunities and benefits for improving people's lives. However, significant proportion of software projects represents cancelled, abandoned or otherwise failed projects. This situation exists not only in commercial software products or government information systems, but also in an increasingly popular and important domain of free/libre and open source software (FLOSS). The problem of failures in software development projects requires identification and understanding of the factors of success and their interrelationships. Practice and previous research suggest that governance of software development projects plays crucial role in their success. Increasing adoption and sponsorship of FLOSS by commercial firms and government organizations present additional challenges; such sponsorship may also interact with governance in FLOSS projects and play a role in determining their success. This dissertation focused on analyzing the role and significance of governance and organizational sponsorship in the success of FLOSS development. This study used both conceptual analysis and empirical methods. The conceptual analysis phase, a preliminary study based on the review of existing literature, produced a partial model of success in FLOSS development. This model was verified in an empirical phase, which statistically analyzed data from multiple FLOSS repositories and other public sources. The statistical analysis was based on structural equation modeling (SEM) approach. Results of this study did not confirm hypothesized effects of the main two factors (governance and organizational sponsorship) on FLOSS success, but confirmed a positive effect of project maturity on the success. The likely reason of the lack of support for the main factors is unavailability of sufficient and correct data for proper operationalization. This and other uncovered issues are planned to be addressed in the future research on the topic, for which this dissertation formed a solid conceptual and data analysis framework.

De nos jours, de multiples travaux de recherches s’intéressent au secteur du logiciel libre (ou Open Source). Ceux-ci ont pour la plus part traité la question de la motivation des développeurs dans la dynamique de création collective de la valeur. Notre travail vient à la suite de la forte industrialisation de cette activité, qui attire des acteurs guidés principalement par la perspective de la captation de valeur économique, dans un contexte de faible degré d’appropriation de valeur puisque les droits de propriété sont proscrits pour les logiciels Open Source. Cette situation bouscule les principes de base et l’identité des projets Open Source remettant ainsi en cause la pérennité des Business Models (BM).Notre étude met en lumière le BM, non pas comme un outil, mais comme un ensemble de phases au cours desquelles la pérennité doit être analysée et anticipée. Nous avons aussi mis en avant la nécessité d’analyser la pérennité dans l’Open Source sur quatre dimensions ou niveaux (pérennité des logiciels, pérennité des entreprises éditrices de logiciel open source, pérennité des communautés Open Source et pérennité des données). Par la suite, grâce à notre démarche qualitative basée sur trois études de cas et sur 52 entretiens semi-directifs, nous avons pu identifier des points de tension et mis en évidence leurs impacts sur la pérennité des BM Open Source lors des phases de création, de captation et de partage de la valeur. C’est ainsi qu’il est ressorti comme risques, le détournement de la valeur et le comportement de free rider développé par les acteurs pour tenter de renforcer l’appropriabilité de la valeur. Cela passe d’une part par les tentatives de rétention de connaissances et d’autre part, par la nécessité de maintenir en interne les capacités intellectuelles détenues principalement par les développeurs. Cela pose les dilemmes entre ouverture/fermeture et rétention/diffusion. Nous exposons pour finir dans ce travail des éléments qui ressortent comme étant déterminants pour la pérennité des BM Open Source
Nowadays, several research works are interested in the free software industry (or Open Source). Most of them have addressed the issue of developers’ motivation in a dynamic collective creation of value. Our work therefore comes as a result of the heavy industrialization of this activity, which attracts software developers primarily guided by the desire of creating economic value, in a context of low levels of ownership value, as property rights are prohibited for Open Source software. This disrupts the basic principles and identity of Open Source projects and therefore questions the sustainability of business models (BM).Our study highlights the BM, not as a tool, but as a series of steps in which sustainability should be analyzed and anticipated. We’ve also emphasized on the need to analyze the sustainability in Open Source in four dimensions or levels (the sustainability of open source software, sustainability of companies creating such freeware, Open Source communities and data’ sustainability). Subsequently, through our qualitative approach based on three case studies and 52 semi-structured interviews, we were able to identify some points of tension and highlighted their impact on the sustainability of Open Source BM during their phases of creation, capturing and sharing of value. Thus it has emerged some risks such as, the diversion of value and the free rider behavior developed by actors who try to strengthen appropriateness of value. This requires on one hand some knowledge retention efforts and on the other hand, the need to maintain internal intellectual capacity primarily held by developers. This creates dilemmas between opening and closing; retention and release. Finally we explain in this work element that stands out as critical to the sustainability of Open Source BM

Cette thèse présente un retour d’expérience sur le dispositif de veille et d’intelligence économique mise en place au sein de Marseille Innovation pour permettre aux éditeurs open source accompagnées dans sa pépinière d’entreprise de surveiller efficacement leur environnement pour y détecter des opportunités de développement. Ce projet s’inscrit dans le cadre d’une démarche globale, conduite par Marseille Innovation et ses partenaires pour structurer un réseau d’acteurs open source en PACA.Nous avons tout d’abord réalisé un état de l’art de la littérature open source en soulignant le paradoxe que pose le modèle open source pour les éditeurs qui choisissent d’utiliser les licences libres : l’adoption d’un modèle open source par certains éditeurs pour leurs logiciels permet une création de valeur pouvant être supérieure à celle générée dans le cadre de modèles propriétaires traditionnels, mais que cet avantage est contrebalancé par une dangereuse incertitude, quant à la captation de cette valeur, susceptible d’être récupérée par des concurrents n’ayant pourtant consentis aucun effort de développement et n’en ayant pas subis les coûts. Par la suite, nous avons présenté la naissance du logiciel libre comme le résultat des mutations de l’industrie informatique qui ont marqué le début des années 70, mutations qui ont fait passer le logiciel libre de la sphère publique à la sphère commerciale. En réaction, les défenseurs du logiciel libre ont inventé un système original de « licences publiques » pour protéger ces logiciels contre tout verrouillage technique ou légal de leur utilisation, de leur diffusion et de leur modification. Cependant, si ces licences publiques permettent de favoriser la création de valeur, à travers la coopération d’une communauté de programmeurs et la diffusion du logiciel, le caractère aléatoire de la rémunération dans le modèle open source a conduit les éditeurs à chercher et inventer de nouveaux « Bunisess Models » plus ou moins aléatoires, garantissant mieux leurs revenus.Partant des connaissances accumulées sur le modèle open source, nous avons par la suite exposé la démarche initiée par Marseille Innovation, en collaboration avec CCI de Marseille Provence et l’association Libertis, pour structurer un réseau d’acteurs open source en PACA. Cette démarche a abouti au lancement de plusieurs chantiers d’intérêt commun dont un sur la mise en place d’un dispositif de surveillance sur la filière open source.La stratégie adoptée pour mettre en place ce dispositif de surveillance consiste dans un premier temps à dresser un état de l’art des différentes approches théoriques et pratiques recensées sur le sujet dans la littérature SIC. Ensuite, une approche pragmatique de la veille a été choisie et les moyens organisationnels, processuels et techniques pour mettre en place ce dispositif de surveillance ont été étudiés. Des actions de sensibilisation à la veille et l’intelligence économique ont été également conduites auprès des membres du réseau et des startups open source accompagnées par Marseille Innovation, grâce à lesquelles des besoins en veille sont identifiés et des produits d’information sont élaborés pour permettre aux membres du réseau open source de suivre efficacement leur environnement. Des études de veille sont également réalisées pour répondre aux attentes des entreprises sur le mode de création et de captation de valeurs dans l’open source, les segments de marché porteurs, les licences informatiques et les business models qui en découlent
This thesis presents a feedback on the competitive intelligence device set up in Marseille Innovation to allow open source software editors housed in its business incubator, to effectively monitor their environment in order to detect new opportunities for development. This project is part of a comprehensive approach, led by Marseille Innovation and its partners to structure a network of open source companies in the PACA area (south of France).First, we achieved a state of the art of open source literature emphasizing the paradox posed by the open source model for software editors who choose to use free software licenses : the adoption of an open source model by some editors for their software allows a value creation that could be greater than that generated through traditional proprietary models, but this advantage is offset by a dangerous uncertainty as to the value capture, could be recovered by competitors who have yet made no programming effort to and not having incurred costs. Subsequently, we presented the birth of free software as the result of changes in the computer industry that marked the early '70s, changes which caused the passage of free software from non commercial/public sphere to commercial/private sphere. In response, defenders of free software have invented an original system of "public licenses" to protect these software’s against any technical or legal interlocking of their use, their distribution and their modification. However, if these public licenses allow to promote a value creation, through the cooperation of a community of programmers and software distribution, the randomness of remuneration in the open source model has led software editors to seek and invent new "Business Models" more or less random, to better ensure their income.Based on knowledge accumulated on the open source model, we have subsequently explained the approach initiated by Marseille Innovation, in collaboration with Marseille-Provence Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) and Libertis, to structure a network of open source companies in the PACA area. This approach led to the launch of several projects of mutual interest, including one on the setting-up of a monitoring device to monitor open source software industry.The approach adopted to setting-up this monitoring device consists in a first step to establish a state of the art of different theoretical approaches and practices identified in the information and communication sciences’ literature. Then, a pragmatic approach of monitoring has been chosen. Organizational means, processual and technical have been studied to set up this monitoring device. Raising awareness actions to competitive intelligence were also conducted with members of the network and open source startups coached by Marseille Innovation, through which information needs are identified and information products are developed to enable members of open source network to effectively monitor their environment. Bibliometric studies are also made to meet the expectations of open source companies on how to create and capture value in the open source software model, about promising market segments, software licenses and business models that result

Dans le mouvement d'extension de la portée sociale du logiciel libre s'est constituée une utopie, qui constitue un pan de l'imaginaire politique contemporain. Cette utopie s'étend désormais bien au-delà de son milieu socio-culturel d'origine (le milieu hacker), du fait des liens tissés entre " libristes " et défenseurs des " biens communs ", du poids croissant de l'approche open source, et à proportion de l'intérêt suscité par le logiciel libre chez certains intellectuels critiques à partir de la fin des années 1990. Reprenant l'idéal cybernétique de libre circulation de l'information, l'utopie du logiciel libre se présente comme une contestation de la vision néolibérale de la propriété intellectuelle, et comme une critique des formes d'organisation du travail caractéristiques du capitalisme industriel. Elle se déploie en tant qu'" utopie concrète " (E. Bloch), mettant en jeu des pratiques de collaboration en ligne, des créations juridiques originales, et des formes de militantisme. Elle embrasse un idéal d'auto-organisation de la société civile, fondé sur la valorisation d'un domaine d'activités sociales distinct tant de l'État que du marché. Elle est toutefois condamnée à demeurer en deçà de cet idéal, et reste par ailleurs toujours menacée par les séductions du mythe et les renoncements de l'idéologie.

abstract: Free/Libre Open Source Software (FLOSS) is the product of volunteers collaborating to build software in an open, public manner. The large number of FLOSS projects, combined with the data that is inherently archived with this online process, make studying this phenomenon attractive. Some FLOSS projects are very functional, well-known, and successful, such as Linux, the Apache Web Server, and Firefox. However, for every successful FLOSS project there are 100's of projects that are unsuccessful. These projects fail to attract sufficient interest from developers and users and become inactive or abandoned before useful functionality is achieved. The goal of this research is to better understand the open source development process and gain insight into why some FLOSS projects succeed while others fail. This dissertation presents an agent-based model of the FLOSS development process. The model is built around the concept that projects must manage to attract contributions from a limited pool of participants in order to progress. In the model developer and user agents select from a landscape of competing FLOSS projects based on perceived utility. Via the selections that are made and subsequent contributions, some projects are propelled to success while others remain stagnant and inactive. Findings from a diverse set of empirical studies of FLOSS projects are used to formulate the model, which is then calibrated on empirical data from multiple sources of public FLOSS data. The model is able to reproduce key characteristics observed in the FLOSS domain and is capable of making accurate predictions. The model is used to gain a better understanding of the FLOSS development process, including what it means for FLOSS projects to be successful and what conditions increase the probability of project success. It is shown that FLOSS is a producer-driven process, and project factors that are important for developers selecting projects are identified. In addition, it is shown that projects are sensitive to when core developers make contributions, and the exhibited bandwagon effects mean that some projects will be successful regardless of competing projects. Recommendations for improving software engineering in general based on the positive characteristics of FLOSS are also presented.
Dissertation/Thesis
Ph.D. Computer Science 2011

Information and communication technologies (ICT) are having a rapid and increasing impact on all K-12 schools as school districts attempt, in a myriad of ways, to keep pace with the technological changes taking place in society. Unfortunately, this impact is increasingly a financial one as financial challenges continue to figure among the most extensive barriers to ICT use (Plante & Beattie, 2004). This research explores ICT options that are cost effective to our educational institutions and our communities while maintaining high functioning and sustainable technology for students and educators. Low-cost alternative technologies such as Free/Libre Open Source Software (FLOSS) and cloud computing lessen the socio-economic divide between students, encourage the sharing of technological advancements and collaboration and allow teachers to freely and legally give their students access to software necessary for success. In addition to the potential benefits of this technology’s use in an educational setting, this research also addresses the pragmatic aspects of introducing these tools district-wide. Complexity theory is utilized to lend an understanding of how to look at technological changes within the context of society as a whole, within enabling constraints that create the conditions for the emergence of new patterns of teacher, student, task and content interactions. This complexity frame informs themes in the study such as: (1) the importance of forward-thinking technology from recursive feedback loops on decision-making and planning in order to “keep up” with technological changes outside of school, (2) the critical impact educational leaders have on the change environment when both introducing these technologies into a school district and providing enabling conditions so that new ways of teaching and learning with technology can emerge and (3) the effect changing technological systems and support infrastructures have on enabling new teaching and learning processes.
Graduate
0710
0524
0533
katyconnelly@gmail.com

El presente trabajo gira alrededor del mundo de los Serious Games (Juegos Serios) abarcando aspectos tales como campos de aplicación, herramientas disponibles para el desarrollo y un paneo acerca de las plataformas utilizadas para el desarrollo y para su utilización. En el capítulo 1 se explicará la organización del presente trabajo, en el capítulo 2 se analizarán algunos de los campos de aplicación donde se ve un importante desarrollo de los juegos serios, en el capítulo 3 se describirán algunas herramientas privativas y otras FLOSS (Free/Libre Open Source Software), en el capítulo 4 se hablará acerca de la ludificación/gamificación y en el capítulo 5 se describirán las conclusiones y posibles trabajos futuros.

Research within the last fifteen years on global advocacy networks has often focused on their accomplishments through the linking of similar groups. The majority of this research while being useful to examine transnational political dynamics has two deficiencies. The first is that there is little or no consideration of the network infrastructure (from code to cables) that allows the aforementioned linkage to occur. It is therefore important to investigate the politics of infrastructure, architecture and design and the power and control thereof. Secondly, prior to Web 2.0. technologies, advocacy networks were nodes of information distribution, rather than nodes to which information was directed, and then subsequently collected, compiled and used for political purposes. It is quite reasonable to argue that Web 2.0. technologies (again due to considerations of code, digital architecture and design) have altered the manner in advocacy networks interact with their supporters, other organizations and formal political institutions. This change is located within the advocacy network’s technoorganizational structure. Subsequently, as the digital architecture for the internet is an inter-operable free/libre open source software (FLOSS) common to information exchange, it stands to reason that as an infrastructure this technology is directly a political landscape over which and in which friction and contestation can and does occur. In regard to the methods of interaction, FLOSS technologies have greatly expanded the pool of potential social activists and reduced the costs of engagement, activism and highlighting issues. With these factors in mind it can be argued that FLOSS has created opportunities for civil society to emerge and engage with society at large in ways that are both new (in a digital medium) and similar (tackling issues of social justice as constructed by the social activists). When considered at a systematic level this process has several implications. These implications include the impact of 4 networking on identity, social relations, power relations and so on, which in turn acknowledges that modern computer networking can act as a mechanism that radically restructures various political relations. This itself acknowledges various contests over modern computer networking (one position which is expressed by various FLOSS proponents), and the physical infrastructure and the power and control thereof which allows such networking to even exist in the first instance. Within this context, which could be described as an information ecosystem, there is a recognition that advocacy networks have emerged as new sources of power ready to exert influence through networking that occurs in a) a non formal manner and b) ‘beneath the radar’ as it were.

碩士
輔仁大學
圖書資訊學系
95
Libraries face limited resources and budget, making the service quality fails to achieve the desired goals. In recent years,Free/Libre/Open Source Software (FLOSS) in the development of desktop computers tend to perfect. The system itself and other proprietary software have no difference.If the library were to think about planning of desktop computer services, it could achieve its effect afterward. The purpose of this study is to establish assessment model of satisfaction analysis of library computer users using Free/Libre/Open Source Software against analysis of the literature. And through research findings, it makes guidelins that future libraries use Free/Libre/Open Source Software (FLOSS). Designed questionnaire refers to User satisfaction scale and the use of desktop themes.As a future library free / open source software, reference guidelines. Research study directs to library computer users using Free/Libre/Open Source Software at the 2nd Floor reference areas of information retrieval in National Taiwan Library,and fills out questionnaire. Research Results : (1) characteristics of different library computer users using Free/Libre/Open Source Software of satisfaction have no difference. (2) content, format, ease of use are to be directed against of satisfaction individually that have significant linear relationships and also shown a positive correlation. Software developers should focus on the users so that it can get more love. Library to Free/Libre/Open Source Software are more awareness and to promote.