Terence Eden. He has a beard and is smiling.

Terence Eden’s Blog

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Book Review - Working in Public: The Making and Maintenance of Open Source Software by Nadia Eghbal

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Over the last 20 years, open source software has undergone a significant shift—from providing an optimistic model for public collaboration to undergoing constant maintenance by the often unseen solo operators who write and publish the code that millions of users rely on every day. In Working in Public, Nadia Eghbal takes an inside look at modern open source software development, its evolution o…

Free Software as in Free House

· 5 comments · 600 words


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Much like a Tesla, all analogies break down eventually. As many many many people have said - free software is free, in much the same way as a free puppy is free. I prefer to think of it as being free just like being given a free house is free. Imagine that! Being given a free house would solve so many immediate problems. You'd have shelter, warmth, an administrative address, and a stake in the …

What do you call open source software that just works?

· 6 comments · 550 words · Viewed ~274 times


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The fashion industry has the concept of "prêt-à-porter" - ready to wear. You pick a thing off the rack and off you go. No tailoring needed. Similarly, the food industry has "prêt-à-manger" - ready to eat. No telling l'artiste du pain how much mayo you want, just grab a boxed sandwich and start munching. What's the equivalent for Open Source Software? (I know it is facile to say "There are two …