CHAPTER 4 l THE CATHEDRAL AND THE BAZAAR

4
THE CATHEDRAL
AND THE
CHAPTER
BAZAAR
What is Ethics
LE AR NI NG OUTCOMES
By the end of this chapter, you should be able to:

1. Describe the historical background of where Open Source comes from;

2. Explain how the term FOSS came about;

3. Explain the important context that influences Open Source today;

4. Differentiate between FSF’s philosophy and Open Source;

5. Explore the historical beginning of Linux;

6. Differentiate the direction that Linus took to establish Linux as a successful project;

7. Describe important lessons from Linux history;

8. Explain the pitfalls that can affect an Open Source project;

9. Explore the main arguments of the Bazaar article;

1
 THE CATHEDRAL AND THE BAZAAR l CHAPTER 4

10. Describe two sides of the argument in our project;

11. Define which context requires which strategy of project management;

12. Inquire leadership for starting a new project;

13. Explore the sharpness of Bill Gates and Microsoft in IT global business hegemony;

14. Explore a possible colaboration with proprietary giants such as SAP;

15. Explore examples of new OS models brought to the fore by other players; and

16. Explore a win-win approach to a business model.

INTRODUCTION
One analyst in [Link] did describe software engineering as an old cottage indus-
try of hand-stitching. It is unlike modern technology of say car-making or even bread making,
where you can mass produce the same thing repetitively.

Software seems to be non-repetitive or is too complex to be thought of that way. You would see
coders sitting at desktops all day typing and typing. When they test their software they will go
back to some more stitching.

2
 CHAPTER 4 l THE CATHEDRAL AND THE BAZAAR

The problem arises when they pass their work to another person for review or repair. That new
person has to read again the whole code to understand what is going on. Building a bridge is
much simpler because you can see the bridge taking shape. Another engineer can come in and
immediately see what is wrong and continue work. Not necessarily so with software. Hide it
and the programmer is king. Your life depends on him or her.

The idea of open source and free sharing of codes among programmers seems to solve this
invisible black box syndrome. Having more eyeballs looking at the same code and developing
it together is not only better for quality sake, but also enjoyable as a social undertaking. Many
of us appreciate each other’s work in the open and began to show respect depending on which
line of code he or she writes.

However proprietary companies that own the codes and the effort that goes into it will lock it
up and impose NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) on the coders so that the codes are not shared
outside the company. This can hamper its natural growth. Such a manner of managing code is
described as the Cathedral approach where control is centralised and not as fast evolving as
the former description of the Bazaar approach. However the Bazaar way is noisy, chaotic and
unpredictable, but somehow it created a wonder such as Linux and ADempiere.

4.1 History of Open Source

You would remember during college school days where you not only share information and
homework with your friends but also do projects together. Software development has always
started as a university ground project and it does well that way. With the web, it is now so much
easier to work together in an open manner, sharing codes and bug fixes. Coupled with Open
Source projects, it can mean a new future for ERP practitioners, as well as a threat to proprietary
ones such as SAP as shown in Figure 4.1.

The Sendmail Mail The Open Source Sun releases

Transfer Agent initiative was Solaris 10 as
was created formed Open Source

The GNU/Linux Microsoft

The GNU Project Operating System announced Share
was created was completed Source Initiative

1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010

The Free Software The Apache Web Apache Software

Foundation was Server was Fondation was
formed released formed

Netscape releases
GNU GPL was born the Navigator
Source Code

Figure 4.1: Time line of open source

3
 THE CATHEDRAL AND THE BAZAAR l CHAPTER 4

4.1.1 In the Beginning all was Free

If I am to ask you, “Which comes first, The software or the patent?”, of course you can guess
correctly. It was described as part of a hippie culture in the 1970’s in US university circles,
where everything is shared.

It was natural to just ask a friend for the hacking code that he managed to crack and of course
your friend would want to show off rather than ask you to pay some fee for giving it to you.
You would in turn help him or her back, as this is all a natural part of campus life. You and your
friends.

4.1.2 Greed Sets in

If you can patent and lock up something to force people to pay for reusing it, you would be rich.
This happens with free software and happens well because software been digital is handled at
very low costs for copying and storage.

At first you would want to recover your cost of making the software. But as more copies are
made at zero cost thanks to the web where users can download, as you charge every single extra
download, you are making extra money out of thin air. Figure 4.2 shows software download
and installation.

Welcome to LimeWire PRO

Welcome to your LimeWire PRO Download page!

Thak you for purchasing

LimeWire PRO, the most
advanced file sharing
program on the planet.
Please click next to begin
installation.

Figure 4.2: Software download and installation

Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft was already the richest man just by enjoying the royalties
from each copy of Microsoft that sits on millions of desktops. At every virtual upgrade that us-
ers today do on their own via the web Microsoft gets richer without working further.

4
 CHAPTER 4 l THE CATHEDRAL AND THE BAZAAR

4.1.3 There are Rebels

Not everyone took it sitting down, least of all a self-made evangelist on free Software named
Richard Stallman. He argued that software is not something that you can develop in a closed
commercial setting but in a free as in freedom of speech principle. His fierceness in defending
such a principle has led many to look at him as free software’s true prophet. Figure 4.3 shows
Richard Stallman.

Software is not something

that you can develop in a
closed commercial setting
but in a free as in fredom of
speech principle.

Figure 4.3: Argument of Richard Stallman

4.1.4 Versus Open Source

Richard Stallman’s truthfulness even extend to taking on Open Source as a false prophet. He
regards licensing other than the GPL type as trying to let the evil arm of commercialisation
creep into free software domain.

This is where Linus Torvalds, the creator of Linux finds it as getting a bit too far. For Linus he
doesn’t care what people do to the software, as long as he has his. For Stallman, it really matters
till the extend that when he introduced GPL version 3 which trespasses even onto Digital Rights
Management’s territory, much controversy erupts.

People are concerned that being free should also allow freedom to make money easily with
software such as making commercial deals that put closed and non-free elements within the
software.

This fine line between the two looks like a long religious one. Even the combination acronym
FOSS that stands for Free and Open Source Software is not accepted by Stallman.

5
 THE CATHEDRAL AND THE BAZAAR l CHAPTER 4

4.1.5 ADempiere’s Stand

In our ERP project we are both pragmatic as well as community conscious. We like the GPL
version 2 license in ensuring that no one can close back the codes that are already there for us
to work on. At the same time we like the practitioners make money in whatever way they can
without infringing that license and its spirit.

It is not a smooth journey even so and there has been long debates over its salient points. I
believe such a debate will crop up again and again and we just have to be accommodating to
views from both sides. We are highly conscious of respecting authors and real contributors in
whatever form. We are also allergic to those who use Open Source as a marketing ploy. For now
we are staying put at GPL version 2 as shown in Figure 4.4.

Zlib License Expat License

Permissive Modified BSD

ISC License
License License

Public Domain X11 License

Weak LGPL v2.1

Copylefts

Strong
GPLv2
Copylefts

Figure 4.4: The GPL version 2 license for ERP projects

SELF-CHECK
1. Name 2 ways you would use to make money out of free software?

2. Why Richard Stallman does not agree with the term FOSS?

6
CHAPTER 4 l THE CATHEDRAL AND THE BAZAAR

ACTIVITY
1. Here is an interesting thread to research
[Link]/ blog/ archives/ [Link]

2. About Googles’s scheme:

[Link] weblog/2007/07/a-fabledoing- [Link]

Do you know that?

NOTES
1. A prominent SAP blogger mention ADempiere as a threat one month
after it was formed?
2. Microsoft is also going Open Source?
History Of ADempiere

We can read in further detail here

[Link]

The email that started it all:

Fri, 11 Aug 2006 [Link] -0500

Email sent to: trifonnt at yahoo dot com, mar9000 at gmail dot com,
lo1mbardo at mayking dot com, red1 at red1 dot org, robeklein at gmail
dot com, zpshen at gmail dot com, carlos dot ruiz at globalqss dot com,
alejandro dot falcone at gmail dot com, fernando dot jimenez at eevolu-
tion dot com dot mx, miguel dot jimenez at e-evolution dot com dot mx,
oscar dot gomez at e-evolution dot com dot mx, lancona at 4layer dot it,
mquezada at bodevidrio dot com, ramiro dot vergara at o”consulting dot
com.

Hi Guys!

My name is Victor Perez, I am CEO of e-Evolution,S.C., The reason of

this e-mail and attachment file is to share dream with you and invite you
to be part of it. My dream is to create a System ERP CRM SCM for and
owned by the community, a System that improves day by day.

In my experience, I have been working with Compiere for 5 years. I have

gotten many satisfactions, and I have taken advantage of the great job
made by Jorg Janke with Compiere With the acquired experience I have a
personal dream: to create a project that evolves from

Compiere, a project with edge technology where everyone can share their
ideas, with license GPL, where the problems of the end users are listened,

7
 THE CATHEDRAL AND THE BAZAAR l CHAPTER 4

where I can integrate my job with the job of others, where the requirements
of my clients are taken into account, where my clients feel a real support, in
summary something to be improved.

Is for that reason that I dare to invite everyone interested in this proposal, with
a big desire of working and to support this dream together.

What do you think? Any question or suggestion please send it to me.

PD: I will appreciate that you keep this document for yourself, until have ev-
erybody feedback.

Victor Perez Juarez

4.2 Linus vs Tanenbaum

Andrew Tanenbaum created a classroom version of Unix, called Minix to teach his students.
Linus Torvalds, a student at that time, improved it and called it Freax. His original intention
seems to be just pure creativity with a social itch. It gained traction on the web, and an ISP op-
erator in Germany stored it so that more can access it and called it Linux. Linux became very
successful and Linus was shot to fame. However Professor Tanenbaum has issues with how
Linux is been hailed.

4.2.1 A Giant is Born

It all began in August 25, 1991 when a 21 year old Computer Science student of the University
of Helsinki posted to the Minix news group about his free version of a Minix look-alike with
some extra features. From there he began to lobby for more interest to fill the apparent vacuum
and need for a real Operating System that is similar to Unix but free. Figure 4.5 shows minix
source code directory.

Major Minix Source Code Directory Hierarchy

8
 CHAPTER 4 l THE CATHEDRAL AND THE BAZAAR

SMX

disks include lip src

etc mm inet

commands fs kernel lip

curses fphook liby other syslip sun4

ansi ip sunsyscall stdio

editline math

Figure 4.4: The GPL version 2 license for ERP projects

4.2.2 Been a Professor

Software idealism got the better of the Minix creator when Professor Andrew Tanenbaum wrote
to Linus, “I still maintain the point that designing a monolithic kernel in 1991 is a fundamental
error. Be thankful you are not my student. You would not get a high grade for such a design”.
Linus wrote back, your job is being a professor and researcher. That’s one hell of a good excuse
for some of the brain-damages of Minix. Figure 4.6 shows Professor Andrew Tanenbaum vs
Linus Torvalds.

vs

Andrew Tananbaum Linus Torvalds

Figure 4.4: The GPL version 2 license for ERP projects

9
 THE CATHEDRAL AND THE BAZAAR l CHAPTER 4

4.2.3 Everyone Loves a Story

As you probably guess what I have been telling you all this while, humans love conversations
and of course to listen to a good story. Linus and Linux provide a fantastic story. Coupled with
initial starting code, the world community of hackers and enthusiasts soon converge on the
project and gave it a quantum leap into legend.

4.2.4 Linus Mantras

Linus was soon attributed with famous sayings such as “With enough eyeballs, all bugs are
shallow”, “Release Early, Release Often” and “Show me the codes”. This is shown in Figure
4.7.

"With enough eyeballs, all bugs are shallow"

"Release early, release often”

"Show me the codes”

Figure 4.7: Famous words of Linus

4.2.5 Bugs are Shallow

This is a very true assumption from Linus as far as the ADempiere project is concerned. Many
more bugs were solved in fast progression in our project as many parties downloaded and tested
our software on a round the clock basis. You can see from our bug trackers how it would not
have been possible for a small software company to do that. It would have cost us millions in
salaries to do what we did the last few years.

The bugs were solved freely because each user has its own installation which they are already
paid to do, and so by contributing the remedy back they are actually saving themselves the ef-
fort to solve again the same bug in future releases. So such collaboration is a bigger sum than
all the individual pair of eyeballs.

That is why for an Open Source project it is not only highly important that source codes are
available but also commitable in return. The fault with Compiere is that even though you can
download it but you are not given commit rights to write back any bug you solved as shown in
Figure 4.8.

10
 CHAPTER 4 l THE CATHEDRAL AND THE BAZAAR

Typical Bug Process

The user or developer can

User obtains software
CLOSE the bug. The problem
and begins using it.
is considered completley fixed.

User discovers a problem and The user downloads the patch

wants to see if it is a bug. and finds it works and goes
happily on his way.

User returns to the webpage

The developer thinks he’s fixed
and checks the known issues
the issue and a patch is issued.
or does a search in the public
The bug is set to RESOLVED.
bugtracker.

Since the bug wasn’t listed the

user decided to go ahead and Use and developer exchange
report the bug. The bug is in information via bugnotes.
NEW status.

Developers are notified via The developers needs

email and one is assigned to more information and adds
handle the bug. The bug is in a bugnote. The bug is in
ASSIGNED status. FEEDBACK status.

Figure 4.8: Open source projects and bugs solved

4.2.6 Release Early

This sometimes goes against the grain of developers as they may be reluctant to commit some-
thing that is not working yet. But the whole point is to allow more and better minds work to-
gether on it, faster.

In our ADempiere project this sometimes raises controversy. Since ERP is complex and ERP
software is even more complex, any release that is not well done or has gone through some
basic testing will be considered dangerous. It would be regarded as a damaging or destabilis-
ing action which can receive inflammatory remarks from another strong committer. Figure 4.9
shows ERP.

This has happened on occasions and there is no real way to resolve it but to revert and conduct
the review process off-trunk. Again, having things outside the trunk means less people get to
see it and test or review it. Thus there is a needed balance, and lessons have to evolve and ma-
ture the peer review cycle.

As time goes along I can say that we have got use to the norms with most of us and know what
to do and not to do to avoid undesirable implications.

11
 THE CATHEDRAL AND THE BAZAAR l CHAPTER 4

Inventory

Production
Purchase

Accounting
Production
Planning
Open ERP
OPEN SOURCE
MANAGEMENT SOLUTION

HR
Engineering

Delivery
Sales

BI

Figure 4.9: ERP - software system used to manage and coordinate all the resources,
information, and functions of a business

This has happened on occasions and there is no real way to resolve it but to revert and conduct
the review process off-trunk. Again, having things outside the trunk means less people get to
see it and test or review it. Thus there is a needed balance, and lessons have to evolve and ma-
ture the peer review cycle.

As time goes along I can say that we have got use to the norms with most of us and know what
to do and not to do to avoid undesirable implications.

1. What was Professor Andrew Tanenbaum’s intention in creating Minix?

SELF-CHECK

2. Why isn’t Linux called GNU/Linux?

3. What is Linus up to now?

12
 CHAPTER 4 l THE CATHEDRAL AND THE BAZAAR

NOTES Do you know that?

Richard Stallman who founded the GNU project dislikes the name Linux and
insists it be called GNU/Linux.

4.3 Bazaar Culture and Policy

Eric Raymond’s article titled ‘The Cathedral and The Bazaar’ described a basis of open and
anarchic creation of software where the bar to entry is very low. It uses the case of Linux where
contributions came in fast and furious. This has been represented in Figure 4.10.

Basis of open source

Anarchic creation of software
Uses the case of Linux

Figure 4.10: Eric Raymond’s article ‘The Cathedral and The

Bazaar’ described a basis of open and anarchic creation of software

4.3.1 When chaos is good

What surprised all of us is that Linux was created and grew into formidable software without
any planned and controlled environment of software development. It thrives when it is promis-
cuously open and kept patching itself constantly.

Another famous project called Apache is similar as its name stands for ‘All Patches’. Figure
4.11 shows Linux and Apache softwares. The Bazaar argument is used by us too to describe
the successful phenomena behind [Link] project is classic in that it practices both
approaches and it has interesting results that not necessarily works in theory. I myself heavily
and directly involved in many of the debates around this during decision-making on whether to
accept certain modules into the trunk.

13
 THE CATHEDRAL AND THE BAZAAR l CHAPTER 4

Figure 4.11: The Linux and Apache softwares

4.3.2 Open Draws Crowds

Been open and a promise that we won’t sell out or close the project draws lots of early crowds
to our project. It quickly amass their little contributions and soon the ADempiere project hit the
number 1 spot in Source Forge rankings within record time around December 2006, abit over
100 days after its inception.

The wiki site experience tremendous contributions of write-ups and technical documentation.
The trackers are abounding with helpful testing, bug reports, and ready made remedies as shown
in Figure 4.12.

Trackers Testing

Ready Made Remedies Bug Reports

Figure 4.12: The trackers are implementing testing, bug reports, and ready made remedies

4.3.3 Crowds are not enough

Even though our openness draws a lot of contribution and materials, but it does not necessarily
translate into all round contributions.

14
 CHAPTER 4 l THE CATHEDRAL AND THE BAZAAR

The areas that are not really taken care of are non-profitable work such as the maintaining of the
sites, packaging and making new releases on a more systematic basis.

The project also lacks in proper standard manual guides. However some independent professors
are assisting this with their intern students but it is done in a more close door approach. They
only report when there is progress and do not use the wiki approach to evolve materials.

Their reasons been that the wiki is still chaotic and they need to be isolated and approach the
project from an indifferent view point away from the over-technical context which many lay-
users are still struggling with. I allow a pragmatic approach, as long as things happen faster.
There will be upset members especially when they are left in the dark.

4.3.4 Management by Charisma

What Eric Raymond points to about Linus is his leader-

ship which metes out a lot of charisma as shown in Figure
4.13. He is communicative and engaging in his grasp of
the technical and overall big picture. He accepts contri-
butions all too easily and is known to make even several
releases within the same day.

Such a person to manage in such conditions has to be high-

ly tolerant of mistakes and also be firm in settling disputes.
But it helps if he is likable by everyone.

In ADempiere I have a huge challenge because I am not

that technical. There is so far charisma can go to help in
Eric Raymond keeping plans together, but there are many issues that need
Figure 4.13: Eric Raymond points a deep untiring focus. Of course delegation or an open self
about Linus is his leadershipleadership managing peer approach helps.

SELF-CHECK 1. What must a leader do in a Bazaar?

2. What are the weaknesses of the Bazaar approach?

3. Are there any examples of close door decisions in Linux development?

Do you know that?

NOTES

That someone not linked to the Linux project registered Linux Inc USA and
sue the Linux community from using the name. The community has to pay and
buy back the Inc and put it under the care of Linus who wasn’t too happy about
spending more time managing it.

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 THE CATHEDRAL AND THE BAZAAR l CHAPTER 4

4.4 Microsoft vs The World

No matter what free software advocates do, Microsoft is still king of the road for many desktops
and laptops using it for its operating systems and office productivity tools all over the world.
This has been represented in Figure 4.14. Microsoft uses free gifts to coerce others to use its
ware. Nevertheless it has pragmatically read the writing on the wall. It tries to fight its own
ground in the standards market by imposing its own version such as Open Office XML speci-
fications.
No matter what free software advocates do, Microsoft is
still king of the road for many desktops and laptops using
it for its operating systems and office productivity tools all
over the world. This has been represented in Figure 4.14.
Microsoft uses free gifts to coerce others to use its ware.
Nevertheless it has pragmatically read the writing on the
wall. It tries to fight its own ground in the standards market
Figure 4.14: Microsoft is still king for by imposing its own version such as Open Office XML
many desktops and laptops specifications.
all over the world

4.4.1 Free Windows

That is what Microsoft is cunningly willing and has been doing all over starting from its free
Internet Explorer that has devastated the dreams of Netscape to own cyberspace. It now embeds
the client Windows Operating System in many notebooks or personal computers to discourage
them from been loaded with free software. But it has less luck in the server market where Linux
is stronger.

Many see Microsoft business model of swal-

MS Office lowing other competitors as evil. The major
tools
weapon that MS uses to build its wealth is
the patents it holds over its Windows Oper-
ating System and the Office tools as shown
in Figure 4.15.

The US Government has antitrust laws to

curb that. So does the European Union. But
Bill Gates argue that it is a world of ideas,
and a good idea should not be stopped. It is
Figure 4.15: The Microsoft business model others who have failed to come out with a
better idea. He believed a young kid somewhere could still come out with one and displace his
empire. Perhaps Google is one such idea.

16
CHAPTER 4 l THE CATHEDRAL AND THE BAZAAR

4.4.2 Microsoft Domination

MS does not stop just at desktop software. It now has

interests in the game and entertainment industries
such as the XBox as shown in Figure 4.16. But its
core base is still in its OS and Office tools. Perhaps
its strongest weapon yet is its army on the ground,
the thousands of partner offices around the world
that gives physical support and warm hand shakes
over some coffee or beer-all paid for.

Figure 4.16: The Xbox – Game and

entertainment industries

4.4.3 Open Source Closing in

MS market share is constantly been threat-

ened by Linux and even so by the recent ex-
plosive Google that released its web-brows-
er Chrome is shown in Figure 4.17. In open
source hoping that it can repeat the battle
grandee which Netscape lost.

Figure 4.17: Google releases web-browser chrome

4.4.3 The Giants are Falling

MS traditional partner cum competitors are facing

the music. Sun Microsystems produces Java that
is very popular but wasn’t open source until lately
when it is suffering a downfall. Figure 4.18 shows
Java - Open source software. IBM successfully in-
vests more than a billion USD per year in Linux and
Apache and derives more in services profit back as
shown in Figure 4.19. You can see that IBM is much
wiser and holds dearly to be community friendly.
Figure 4.18: Java - Open source software

17
 THE CATHEDRAL AND THE BAZAAR l CHAPTER 4

Microsoft through its cut-throat tactics has creat-

APPLICATION SERVER MARKET SHARE
ed an image of capitalistic greed that is not liked
40 by the younger free-wheeling generation.
35 IBM
However it always has it ears to the ground and
31% 37%
30 razor sharp in ensuring it is one step ahead of the
2001 2002 marketplace.

Figure 4.19: Profit of IBM

4.4.5 If you can’t beat them, buy them

MS has been using its buying spree. It has helped

fuelled the dotcom boom in the 1990s when it
bought Hotmail from young Bangalorian, Sa-
beer Bhatia for $400 million.

Fast forward to 2006, it misses a big boat when

Google beat it by gulping You Tube up at a
whopping USD 1.65 billion.

Recently MS attempts to slow the imbalance by

attempting to buy up Yahoo! Inc at a unprec-
Figure 4.20: Business dealing of Microsoft
edented USD45 billion tag but that deal seems
to be dead. I feel Microsoft has better luck investing in ADempiere and converting to anarchic
socialism as shown in Figure 4.20.

1. What is the most popular client operating system?

SELF-CHECK

2. Why would many people hate Microsoft?

3. How well is SAP stocks doing in recent years?

4. Anyone out there challenging Google after it became commercial?

Do you know that?

NOTES

Malaysia’s PM at that time, Dr. Mahathir did ask Bill Gates for a discount on
the Microsoft Office and only got a one dollar discount. Mahathir then decided
to go for Open Source. Related to the author by his son, Mukhriz in 2008.

18
CHAPTER 4 l THE CATHEDRAL AND THE BAZAAR

SUMMARY
1. Open Source was the original way software which was written and shared among univer-
sity students and professionals.

2. It was then closed by commercial vendors, forcing Richard Stallman to start the Free
Software movement.

3. Open Source has evolved and matured with different players and philosophies.

4. Eric Raymond wrote about “The Cathedral and The Bazaar” in which he points out two
different models to modern software development..

5. The main merit of the Bazaar way is a self-organising approach that minimises unneeded
delays to allow fast evolution of the project.

6. A successful business model is based on a free membership with profit coming later else-
where.

7. You need champions or moderators to keep the faith going and interest high.

8. Many giants are affected by FOSS and have to change their strategy to adapt to it.

glossary

Antitrust Law - An orientation that characterises the thinking of a group

or nation.

Bazaar - An open market where activity happens without central

control.

Blogger - A person who writes in a blog on a regular basis.

Business Model - A formula that will give you monetary profit in return
for your effort.

Culture - A unique behaviour that depends on own experience

and practice.

19
 THE CATHEDRAL AND THE BAZAAR l CHAPTER 4

FOSS - Free and Open Source Software - to be double sure.

FSF - Free Software Foundation that champions Free Soft-

ware.

GNU - GNU Is Not Unix - a recursive acronym meant to im-

press.

GPL - GNU Public License - started by Richard Stallman’s

FSF.

Moderator - Someone who respond to visitors to keep them to a cer-

tain direction.

NDA - Non disclosure agreement imposed by a party to another

not to reveal confidential information to others outside
the agreement.
Peer Management - A self organising culture where mutual discussions lead
to decisions easily.

Pragmatic - Been realistic and practical at the expense of philosophy

and ideals.

SAP - German based world class proprietary vendor for ERP

Software.

Software Vendors - Companies that produces software and profits from it.

Standards - An established norm or requirement that acts as refer-

ence for others to follow.

Unix - An operating system that was proprietary and not open

source at that time.

Windows - Microsoft patented operating system that is challenged

by Linux X versions.

20
CHAPTER 4 l THE CATHEDRAL AND THE BAZAAR

reference
Web Links

[Link]

[Link]

[Link]

[Link]

[Link]

[Link]

[Link]

[Link]

[Link]

[Link]

[Link]

[Link]

[Link]

[Link]

[Link]

[Link]

[Link]

[Link]

[Link]

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 THE CATHEDRAL AND THE BAZAAR l CHAPTER 4

Discussion Questions

1. How does such software company make money back when it was free?

2. What did Richard Stallman fight for and how is it different from Open Source?

3. Go through and discuss the debate here.

4. What are the basic points of contention between them?

5. How has others commercialise Linux?

6. How would you capitalise on Linux?

7. What are the famous mantras of Linus and what do they mean in Open Source
development?

8. When do we use Bazaar approach and when do we use a Cathedral approach?

9. If you have a chance to do what Linus did back then, would you give it away?
What would be your concerns?

10. What if you have a big company with a lot of costs and have produced a perfect
software. Would you give your software away? What would be your concerns now?

11. What should Microsoft buy to better survive the future?

12. What is stopping you from switching away from Microsoft products?

22