Emulating the "Bazaar": Open Source-Style Development Within the Firm

by Joseph Feller

Open source software products are generally developed by geographically distributed communities that share knowledge and collaborate using Internet technologies. This Executive Report by Joseph Feller poses the following question: can firms effectively implement the tools and techniques used by open source software projects to improve their internal software development processes? The report attempts to answer that question by discussing the open source development process, describing the experiences of companies that have tried to internalize open source tools and techniques, and offering recommendations for firms that would seek to do the same.