STARTENCSEN/CS TranslationsZVON
Eric Raymond
Homesteading the Noosphere
1.4.1998
After observing a contradiction between the `official' ideology defined by open-source licenses and the actual behavior of hackers, we examine the actual customs which regulate the ownership and control of open-source software. We discover that they imply an underlying theory of property rights homologous to the Lockean theory of land tenure. We relate that to an analysis of the hacker culture as a `gift culture' in which participants compete for prestige by giving time, energy, and creativity away. We then examine the implications of this analysis for conflict resolution in the culture, and develop some prescriptive implications.
Contents
An Introductory Contradiction
The Varieties of Hacker Ideology
Promiscuous Theory, Puritan Practice
Ownership and Open Source
Locke and Land Title
The Hacker Culture as Gift Economy
The Joy of Hacking
The Many Faces of Reputation
Ownership Rights and Reputation Incentives
The Problem of Ego
The Value of Humility
Global Implications of the Reputation-Game Model
Noospheric Property and the Ethology of Territory
Causes of Conflict
Project Structures and Ownership
Conflict and Conflict Resolution
Acculturation Mechanisms and the Link to Academia
Conclusion: From Custom to Customary Law
Questions for Further Research
Bibliography, Notes, and Acknowledgements
Version history
STARTENCSEN/CS TranslationsZVON