Doctoral thesis: The right to “fork” code makes open source software a breeding ground for innovation
Open source software is becoming increasingly significant, and can be found in everything from tablets and smartphones to washing machines, cars, and satellites orbiting the earth. One of the most unique features of open source software is the right to “fork” the code, which refers to the right to copy an entire existing program and use it as the starting point for a new project. A new doctoral thesis, “Understanding Code Forking in Open Source Software: An examination of code forking, its effect on open source software, and how it is viewed and practiced by developers”, examines code forking, both its significance and how it is perceived and practiced by developers.
“The findings definitely surprised me,” notes Linus Nyman, author of the study. “In theory, anyone could fork a program and release an identical, competing version of it. And still, all of the developers I interviewed considered the right to fork to be a cornerstone of open source software.”
“Significantly,” he continues, “rather than turning open source software development into a complete chaos, the right to fork actually makes it the perfect breeding ground for innovation. The most common motivation behind the hundreds of forks I studied was to adapt an existing program to serve previously unaddressed user needs.”
Nyman’s thesis consists of a collection of articles, employing a variety of methodological approaches to uncover new insights about the significance and practice of code forking.
M.Sc. Linus Nyman defends his doctoral thesis in Information System Sciences: "Understanding Code Forking in Open Source Software - An examination of code forking, its effect on open source software, and how it is viewed and practiced by developers" on Friday 13 February.
Time: 13 February 2015, at 12
Place: Hanken School of Economics, Helsinki, room 309
Opponent: Senior lecturer Imed Hammouda, University of Gothenburg
Custos: Assistant professor Juho Lindman, Hanken School of Economics
For more information, please contact:
Linus Nyman
linus.nyman@hanken.fi
+358 40 722 7272
A copy of the thesis can be downloaded at: http://hdl.handle.net/10138/153135