Protecting the Virtual Commons: Self-Organizing Open Source and Free Software Communities and Innova

Worldwide, governments and businesses are recognizing the value of open source and free software. This software is developed and continuously improved by volunteers in communities on the Internet. How are these communities able to continuously develop innovative software in a world dominated by markets, companies and laws? Written with a clear focus on intellectual property rights, this book analyses the surprisingly creative solutions that explain the long-lasting stability of these communities. It identifies the threats that communities are faced with, and discusses the innovative strategies developed to neutralize these threats.