The Success of Open Source by Steven Weber, Harvard University Press, 拢19.95/$29.95, ISBN 0674012925 Reviewed by Barry Fox
THE computer industry has never been good at explaining what it does, and why. Political scientist Steven Weber takes up the challenge to explain what is meant by 鈥渙pen source鈥� software, and how Linux grew out of Unix.
Open source is often referred to as 鈥渇ree鈥�, but what this means is freedom to play with the nuts and bolts of source code and improve it for the common good. Free software may still cost money to buy from someone who has packaged a saleable version.
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Weber usefully looks back at how Bill Gates and Microsoft nailed quite different colours to their mast in 1976, with an open letter to computer hobbyists, accusing them of stealing one of Microsoft鈥檚 first programs.