From: Richard Seltzer To: seltzer@samizdat.com Subject: *CAL* Chat, Thursday March 18 (next week) -- implications of the Linux , development model for Internet businesses Date: Tuesday, March 09, 1999 4:01 PM ***BUSINESS ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB -- WHERE WORD OF KEYSTROKE BEGINS*** My online shopping book (for Macmillan) is finally done, and we're going to restart our regular Thursday chat sessions on March 18. At Kathleen Gilroy's suggestion, for the first session we want to focus on the Linux development model and if and how it can be adapted in other business areas, including distance education. The starting point for the discussion will be Eric Raymond's paper "The Cathedral and the Bazaar", which you can find at http://www.kde.burken.nu/food/cathedral/cathedral-paper.html#toc1 (The New York Times and the Boston Globe both recently cited this year-old article.) Basically, in the realm of software development, many people working on the same project in parallel, on a volunteer basis and in anarchic style, have accomplished feats that would be virtually impossible or extremely time-consuming and costly by traditional means. In his article, Eric concludes that "the commercial world cannot win an evolutoinary arms race with free-software communities that can put orders of magnitude more skilled time into a problem." Along the way, he tries to identify the key success factors -- what does it take to harness "the attention and brainpower of entire communities"? There are a number of design principles that have been used by the Linux world that could be useful developing things other than software. These include: (1) Motivating users by constantly stimulating them and rewarding them - reward them by the sight of daily improvement in their work. (2) This type of development arose with the Internet, which enabled it. (3) The really great learning comes from harnessing the attention and manpower of entire communities. (4) The most innovative solutions come from realizing your concept of the problem was wrong. (5) Users, properly cultivated, can become co-developers. We'd like to explore those possibilities and others as well. As usual, this chat will take place on Thursday, March 18, from noon to 1 PM Eastern Time (GMT -5), at www.web-net.org. Click on "Richard Seltzer's chat." Then sign in. You don't need any special software -- just a browser. The chat software works best if you select "frames" and if you set the refresh rate to "0," and click to see new messages whenever you like. If you like, you can sign in at the chat site at any time beforehand and familiarize yourself with how it work. You can see edited transcripts of previous sessions at www.samizdat.com/chat.html If you can, please let us know if you plan to participate, and please spread the word to others who might be interested. All are welcome. Best wishes. Richard Seltzer seltzer@samizdat.com Internet writer/speaker/consultant/evangelist For details, check http://www.samizdat.com/consult.html PS -- Check the improvements and new directions of the DE Chat Community at http://www.cottagemicro.com and join in on Tuesdays at noon Eastern Time at the web-net.org site. If you have questions, suggestions or would like to help, please contact Bob Zwick