Ethical Issues in Open Source

Hello all. I need to write a paper on the Ethical Issues involving Open Source for a college class. Our textbook is "Readings in CyberEthics: Second Edition". There are two articles that I read that pertain to Open Source, one is "Ethical Issues in Open Source Software" by Frances S, Grodzinsky, Keith Miller, and Marty Wolf. It gives a good overview of Open Source and the history involved. The other article is the famous, "The Cathedral and the Bazaar" by Eric Raymond. Both were very interesting to read, however, I would like to take a different approach or "spin" on the topic. The history of OSS is well known so I don't want to go the route everyone takes on the issue. Does anyone have any unique takes or suggestions for interesting topics that I could pursue? Thanks in advance. :)

Not all of these deal with Ethics but some do.
http://emoglen.law.columbia.edu/
http://www.itwriting.com/opensource.php
http://www.apostate.com/programming/...esoftware.html
http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache.../Economic.html
http://www.collab.net/downloads/medi..._processes.pdf
http://www.iosn.net/downloads/foss_primer_current.pdf
http://www.oreilly.com/openbook/freedom/
http://www.gnu.org/gnu/manifesto.html
http://www.csc.com/features/2004/48.shtml
http://www.cyber.com.au/users/conz/shoulders.html
http://www.public-cio.com/story.print.php?id=92921
http://www.economist.com/finance/Pri...ory_ID=3623762

Wow thank you. Did you have to write a paper too? :wink:

>>
I don't want to go the route everyone takes on the issue.
>>

How many routes are there,

"The Cathedral and the Bazaar" tends to approach the issue from an analogy. Possibly you could draw attention to actual occurances. Such as Disney using Linux for development but retaining Windows in the office. Adobe wont port their document sw to Linux, and staff arn't smart enough to use anything else. Are Adobe the victims of a closed monopolistic beast ??

How does non-disclosure aggreements, as associated with closed source projects stiffle development. Does closed source code prevent bug fixes, and security clean ups.

What is it that drives perception ???

etc.

Focusing on a couple of modern real world examples could be an approach, while drawing attention to the way stated analogies relate to those situations.

Did you know that the UK navy is going to use windows in the command areas of their nuclear sub fleet (shiiiiiiver) (grin). And the company doing the supplying/installation also has customers who have been or have the potential to be ... in conflick with the UK..

I'm not actually at the moment, but i think one day, i might move into the bunker full time :)

Good Luck though ...

jm

Code:

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 -:-  If the system is the answer, then the question
              must have been really stupid  -:-

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I have posted my first draft of the paper. This is the one I'm going to turn in for the class. Because it is a very short class (only three weeks long), I wish I had more time to work on it. Still, if you have any suggestions or comments please let me know. I would be happy to tweak and revise it over the summer. :)

http://www.simpson.edu/~carlsonp/research.html

Patrick,
Good stuff so far.
I have decided to respond to your paper at the LUGRadio forums: http://forums.lugradio.org/viewtopic.php?p=8264#8264
Thanks,
James