Open Source & Crowd Sourcing
The internet has not only created new and innovative ways to connect with each other. The web has web has also changed the way we create programs and projects from the ground up. Thanks to open source and crowd sourcing projects and software are constantly being improved at a stellar rate, with one goal in mind to create and improve.
I believe these new forms of innovation is a benefactor to internet users overall, but nothing is perfect under the sun.
When searching for the definition of open source on the internet I came across wordnetweb.princeton.edu. It stated “Open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials—typically, their source code. Some consider open source a philosophy, others consider it a pragmatic methodology.” When thinking of these definitions one would have to acknowledge the fact the open sourcing is a philosophy and a way of thinking that also when applied to society can have profound effects. The philosophy of open sourcing is a mission for ever-improvement free for all to enjoy. Initially I thought open sourcing was simply giving away free software however after going to opensource.org I see now that open sourcing has specific criteria. The first being of course free distribution, the program also must not discriminate against any person or denomination, and most notably the software must allow modifications to be made upon the original version. Many who dispute open sourcing argue that it only leads to unnecessary copies of the same software, however using open source means there is more possibilities for improvement with no cost.
The possibilities for open sourcing are endless you can get a free image editor, a free sound editor, a free word processor, media player, file archiver, PDF creator… the list goes on and on and on. While some of these free apps do not offer quite the same level of polished functionality as their commercial rivals, others far exceed the capabilities of everything else on the market. The possibility for open sourcing is so unrestricted. The vast majority of software is created cross-platform and accessible to everyone. Culturally if we take on an open source mentality, societal change would be swift and imminent. The foundation of open sourcing is to create improvements for the people by the people with no discrimination.
Crowd sourcing as defined by PCmag.com is the delegation of task to a large diffuse group, usually without monetary compensation. Many in business see many possibilities in crowd sourcing. The use of collective intelligence of the public at large to complete a business-related problem, but free labor is only a narrow part of crowdsourcing's appeal. However many may see crowdsourcing as a way to get their foot in the door of a particular industry. Crowdsourcing can improve productivity and creativity while minimizing labor and research expenses. Using the Internet to solicit feedback from an active and passionate community of customers can reduce the amount of time spent collecting data through formal focus groups or trend research, while also seeding enthusiasm for upcoming products. By involving a group of customers in key marketing, branding, and product-development processes, managers can reduce both staffing costs and the risks associated with uncertain marketplace demand.
Netflix has a crowdsource component in their website. Specifically to improve the software algorithms used to offer customer video recommendations. The team or individual that achieves key software goals will receive $1 million. Crowdsourcing has great potential. Businesses use it as inexpensive labor and many apply the same mind-set as open sourcers, which is to work in efforts to improve what has already been established. I believe if we all take on the ideals of crowd and opensourcing, the standard of giving and civic service would be at an all time high.
http://www.nydailynews.com/tech_guide/2009/09/21/2009-09-21_netflix_prize.html
http://www.opensource.org/docs/osd
wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
I like that you wrote about open sourcing and crowed sourcing; I do not think that anybody else wrote about this topic. To be honest, I actually had no idea what it really was until I read your paper.
ReplyDeleteWhen you said, "The possibilities for open sourcing are endless you can get a free image editor, a free sound editor, a free word processor, media player, file archiver, PDF creator… the list goes on and on and on," I thought about all of the options that this actually provides us with. I never really thought about the things we are offered because the are so readily available. I do not sit and think about the process of the creation, and why people are creating free programs-- I simply just download the free program I want and use it to my advantage.
You write about all of the advantages of these free sources? Do you think that having them so readily available could cause an issue in the future? Will the eliminate the need for certain programs? Will Open Office outnumber Microsoft Word because it is free? Will jobs be lost because you can get your customers to fix issues for free (referring to your Netflix example)? What is going to happen in the future?
I think you raised many good points and examples of how open/crowd sourcing is so beneficial to society, but will it ever create a problem? Has there ever been a problem?
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ReplyDeleteThis is very interesting and I enjoyed reading about open sourcing. When I heard you mention it in class I honestly had no idea what it was, but now I feel like I really understand what it is and it's purpose. I wish the post could go on because I feel like you never really got to fully express your opinion on the matter. You hinted upon it at the end but never really got to explain yourself. This is great work though!
You mentioned, "Crowdsourcing can improve productivity and creativity while minimizing labor and research expenses." This is what I mean when I wonder if problems will arise. Yes, labor costs are cut or eliminated, but doesn't this contribute to unemployment or low class income? Just like blogging has taken the job of so many educated journalists, crowd sourcing has the ability to damage the economy.
ReplyDeleteYou also made a good point in saying, Using the Internet to solicit feedback from an active and passionate community of customers can reduce the amount of time spent collecting data through formal focus groups or trend research, while also seeding enthusiasm for upcoming products." Companies could really use this. They need to pay attention to how people feel about their products to know if they will be successful or not. Without the support of the community or potential customers, a company does not have a chance to grow. The company needs to learn all it can about its market, and they need to mold to what they are expected to be. They need to bring products into the market that are in demand. Without demand, there will be no need for the business. It is important for the business to know this before getting too deep in. Crowd sourcing has the potential to help a company know what is in demand, or how the company can improve its image to the community.