A short introduction

[Chris Corrigan]

It's no accident that Open Source sounds like Open Space.  Linux, the
open source operating system (http://www.linux.org/), Open Office
(http://www.openoffice.org/) (a free suite of wordprocessing,
spreadsheet and database tools), the browser Firefox
(http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/) and many other pieces of
software are developed in a completely open way, in an ongoing
collaborative Open Space.  It's all self-organizing and requires very
few hubs.  Check http://sourceforge.net/ which is the home of open
source development on the web and is basically a huge, ongoing open
space meeting where developers can drop in, propose projects, work on
existing projects, contribute a tiny fix or a whole new chunk of
code...

Open Source is redefining the marketplace, and Microsoft and other
large commercial companies are feeling the heat.  The success of
Firefox is pushing Internet Explorer to a new release, and Linux is
beginning to give Windows a run for it's money.  Many web servers now
run on LInux systems, because it is so much more adaptable and nearly
immune to viruses and malicious use.  Every time a problem crops up,
someone posts it somewhere and hundreds of developers go to work on
it.

It all looks a bit geeky, but the fact is that now you don't have to
pay for basic computer software anymore, if you choose.  And you can
contribute to Open Source by using the software, writing code (if
that's what you do) or offering $20 for someone to fix a bug or
develop a feature you need (if writing code is not your thing).

What is happening to open source is inspiring new ways of thinking
about philanthropy, collaboration, markets, community development and
a myriad of other fields.

Chris


On Tue, 15 Mar 2005 12:17:10 +0100, Lucas Gonzalez <lgs0a at yahoo.es> wrote:
> Hi Tom
>
> > If I understand what you mean "bring the system in one room" to be
> > bringing the stakeholders together in the place where the work is to
> > be done, then yes.
>
> I don't know much about software developement for such huge things as,
> say, a hospital information system.
>
> I know a little about how a hospital works - but so do most people -
> and it's complex: many different people doing different things and
> asking for different pieces of data all the time (and I mean ALL the
> time).  And most of the times you have to change the engine of the
> plane while it's flying.
>
> I would guess you have to develop specifications, write the software,
> test it, evaluate it - I guess open space "sessions" for each of those?
>  Would you do smaller open space gatherings around "the broad picture"
> and also about smaller "facets"?  Those who care will come in any case,
> they say.
>
> The ant-nest picture I can imagine is quite interesting, with the heart
> and toenail specialists and software composers all breathing in and out
> of their places within the hospital, also in and out of the gathering
> room (as part of the hospital), and much of the time in open space.
>
> > There are other interesting approaches that have
> > bearing on this - notably the so-called agile, or lightweight,
> > development methodologies. Agile development is predicated on short
> > bursts of activity, with various checks and balances to ensure work
> > is on task or able to respond to changes in project's business
> context
> > - not the least of which is garnering feedback from stakeholders.
>
> I agree, and I also think feedback runs both ways.  There was this
> quote about a person filling up a glass of water: as the system
> specialists put it, you *can't* just fill up the glass - rather, you
> enter a system in which you control the water flow and the level of
> water in the glass, as you see it, controls *you*.  Then the water you
> drink is good or bad and that's another loop.
>
> > I can see agile development, open space and open source as
> > significant mechanisms for the production of high quality, high value
> > software systems in a short period of time. Regarding bringing it all
> > in one room, I'm imagining a company set up as a ongoing "creative
> > space" where work and decision making is framed within a series of
> > open space meetings, each focussing on a particular broad set of
> > issues. I could be misunderstanding the use of open space here - I'll
> > readily admit I'm a bit of a dreamer.. :)
>
> My bet here is you'd like to try and you'd get help from the list.  How
> to start?
>
> Lucas
>
> ______________________________________________
> Renovamos el Correo Yahoo!: ¡250 MB GRATIS!
> Nuevos servicios, más seguridad
> http://correo.yahoo.es
>
> *
> *
> ==========================================================
> OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
> ------------------------------
> To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
> view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
> http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
>
> To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
> http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
>


--
-------------------------
CHRIS CORRIGAN
Consultation - Facilitation
Open Space Technology

Weblog: http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot
Site: http://www.chriscorrigan.com

*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html

To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist