Freedom Imagined: Morality and Aesthetics in Open Source Software Design.

This paper is about the interaction between the human imagination and technology among a self-described 'community': that of developers of Free or Open Source Software. I argue that the moral imagination observable in this phenomenon can be understood with reference to its emergence around specific...

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Publicado en:Ethnos: Journal of Anthropology Vol. 74; no. 1; pp. 51 - 72
Autores principales: Leach, James, Nafus, Dawn, Krieger, Bernhard
Formato: Artículo
Publicado: Taylor & Francis Ltd Mar2009
Materias:
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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      dt: Mar2009
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        10.1080/00141840902751188
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        atl: Freedom Imagined: Morality and Aesthetics in Open Source Software Design.
      aug:
        au:
          Leach, James
          Nafus, Dawn
          Krieger, Bernhard
        affil:
          University of Aberdeen, UK
          Intel Corp, UK
          University of Cambridge, UK
      su:
        Technology & ethics
        Liberty
        Meritocracy
        Ethics
        Open source software
        Computer programming
        Computer software -- Social aspects
      sug:
        subj:
          Technology & ethics
          Liberty
          Meritocracy
          Ethics
          Software publishers (except video game publishers)
          Computer and software stores
          Computer and Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software Merchant Wholesalers
          Computer, computer peripheral and pre-packaged software merchant wholesalers
          Other Computer Related Services
          Custom Computer Programming Services
          Computer systems design and related services (except video game design and development)
          Open source software
          Computer programming
          Computer software -- Social aspects
      keyword:
        ethics
        freedom
        progress
        social form
        Software
        ethics
        freedom
        progress
        social form
        Software
      ab: This paper is about the interaction between the human imagination and technology among a self-described 'community': that of developers of Free or Open Source Software. I argue that the moral imagination observable in this phenomenon can be understood with reference to its emergence around specific methods of technical production. Principles of openness, truth, freedom and progress, which are also understood as central to the technical production of good software, are reinforced (as a ethical orientation) by their contribution to making 'good' software. A reciprocal dynamic ensues in which better software is seen as dependent on particular social practices and ideologies while these practices and ideologies are given salience by their success in fostering valuable production. Processes key to the generation of this social form are examined before a number of key features of the practice of programming, such as its often combative and individualistic character, and an absence of women in developer communities, are considered in the light of the analysis.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
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      src: R
    language: English
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