A Quantitative Study of the Evolution of Open Source Software Communities
Typically, virtual communities exhibit the well-known
phenomenon of participation inequality, which means that only a
small percentage of users is responsible of the majority of
contributions. However, the sustainability of the community requires
that the group of active users must be continuously nurtured with new
users that gain expertise through a participation process. This paper
analyzes the time evolution of Open Source Software (OSS)
communities, considering users that join/abandon the community
over time and several topological properties of the network when
modeled as a social network. More specifically, the paper analyzes
the role of those users rejoining the community and their influence in
the global characteristics of the network.
[1] M. R. Martinez-Torres, M. C. Diaz-Fernandez, Current issues and
research trends on open-source software communities, Technology
Analysis & Strategic Management, Vol. 26, Iss. 1, pp. 55-68, 2014.
[2] L. Dahlander, M. G. Magnusson, Relationships between open source
software companies and communities: Observations from Nordic firms,
Research Policy, Vol. 34, no. 4, pp. 481–493, 2005.
[3] S. L. Toral, M. R. Martinez-Torres, F. Barrero, Modelling Mailing List
Behaviour in Open Source Projects: the Case of ARM Embedded Linux,
Journal of Universal Computer Science, Vol. 15, Iss. 3, pp. 648-664,
2009.
[4] M. S. Zanetti, E. Sarigol, I. Scholtes, C. J. Tessone, F. Schweitzer, A
Quantitative Study of Social Organisation in Open Source Software
Communities, Proc. Imperial College Computing Student Workshop
ICCSW 2012, London, 2012, pp. 116–122.
[5] A. Mockus, T. Fielding, and D. Herbsleb, Two Case Studies of Open
Source Software Development: Apache and Mozilla, ACM Trans.
Software Eng. and Methodology, Vol. 11, no. 3, pp. 309-346, 2002.
[6] E. von Hippel, G. von Krogh, Open Source Software and the “Private-
Collective” Innovation Model: Issues for Organization Science,
Organization Science, Vol. 14, Iss. 2, pp. 209-223, 2003.
[7] S. L. Toral, M. R. Martínez-Torres, F. Barrero, F. Cortés, An empirical
study of the driving forces behind online communities, Internet
Research, Vol. 19, Iss. 4, pp. 378-392, 2009.
[8] S. L. Toral, M. R. Martínez-Torres, F. Barrero, Analysis of virtual
communities supporting OSS projects using Social Network Analysis,
Information & Software Technology, Vol. 52, Iss. 3, pp. 296-303, 2010.
[9] G. von Krogh, E. von Hippel, The promise of research on open source
software, Management Science, Vol. 52, pp. 975-983, 2006.
[10] M. R. Martinez-Torres, A genetic search of patterns of behaviour in OSS
communities, Expert Systems With Applications, Vol. 39, Iss. 18, pp.
13182-13192, 2012.
[11] M.P. Rombach, M.A. Porter, J.H. Fowler and P.J. Mucha, "Coreperiphery
structure in networks", Slam J. Appl. Math, Vol. 74, no. 1, pp.
187-190, 2014.
[12] S. Koch, Evolution of Open Source Software Systems – A Large-Scale
Investigation, Proceedings of the First International Conference on
Open Source Systems, Genova, 2005, pp. 148-153.
[13] E. Wenger, Communities of practice: learning, meaning, and identity,
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998.
[14] S. L. Toral, M. R. Martínez-Torres, F. Barrero, Virtual communities as a
resource for the development of OSS projects: the case of Linux ports to
embedded processors, Behaviour & Information Technology, Vol. 28,
Iss. 5, pp. 405-419, 2009.
[15] J. Lave and E. Wenger, Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral
participation. Cambridge University Press, 1991.
[16] C. Kimble, P. Hildreth, and P. Wright, Communities of practice: Going
virtual. In Hildreth, Paul M. and Kimble, Chris, editors, Knowledge
Networks: Innovation through Communities of Practice, Idea Group
Publishing, 220-234, 2000.
[17] P.A. David, F. Rullani, Dynamics of innovation in an open source
collaboration environment: Lurking, laboring and launching floss
projects on Sourceforge. Industrial and Corporate Change, Vol. 17, Iss.
4, pp. 647–710, 2008.
[18] K. Handley, A. Sturdy, R. Fincham, and T. Clark, Within and beyond
communities of practice: Making sense of learning through participation,
identity and practice, Journal of Management Studies, Vol. 43, Iss. 3,
pp. 641–653, 2006.
[19] Y. Fang, D. Neufeld, Understanding Sustained Participation in Open
Source Software Projects, Journal of Management Information Systems,
Vol. 25, No. 4, pp. 9–50, 2009.
[20] N. Ducheneaut, Socialization in an Open Source Software Community:
A Socio-Technical Analysis, Computer Supported Cooperative Work,
Vol. 14, pp. 323–368, 2005. [21] J. Mateos-Garcia & W. E. Steinmueller, “The institutions of open source
software: Examining the Debian community”, Information Economics
and Policy, Vol. 20, pp. 333–344, 2008.
[22] N. Knock, "Compensatory adaptation to a lean medium: An action
research investigation of electronic communication in process
involvement groups", IEEE Trans. on Professional Communication,
Vol. 44, no. 4, pp. 267-285, 2001.
[1] M. R. Martinez-Torres, M. C. Diaz-Fernandez, Current issues and
research trends on open-source software communities, Technology
Analysis & Strategic Management, Vol. 26, Iss. 1, pp. 55-68, 2014.
[2] L. Dahlander, M. G. Magnusson, Relationships between open source
software companies and communities: Observations from Nordic firms,
Research Policy, Vol. 34, no. 4, pp. 481–493, 2005.
[3] S. L. Toral, M. R. Martinez-Torres, F. Barrero, Modelling Mailing List
Behaviour in Open Source Projects: the Case of ARM Embedded Linux,
Journal of Universal Computer Science, Vol. 15, Iss. 3, pp. 648-664,
2009.
[4] M. S. Zanetti, E. Sarigol, I. Scholtes, C. J. Tessone, F. Schweitzer, A
Quantitative Study of Social Organisation in Open Source Software
Communities, Proc. Imperial College Computing Student Workshop
ICCSW 2012, London, 2012, pp. 116–122.
[5] A. Mockus, T. Fielding, and D. Herbsleb, Two Case Studies of Open
Source Software Development: Apache and Mozilla, ACM Trans.
Software Eng. and Methodology, Vol. 11, no. 3, pp. 309-346, 2002.
[6] E. von Hippel, G. von Krogh, Open Source Software and the “Private-
Collective” Innovation Model: Issues for Organization Science,
Organization Science, Vol. 14, Iss. 2, pp. 209-223, 2003.
[7] S. L. Toral, M. R. Martínez-Torres, F. Barrero, F. Cortés, An empirical
study of the driving forces behind online communities, Internet
Research, Vol. 19, Iss. 4, pp. 378-392, 2009.
[8] S. L. Toral, M. R. Martínez-Torres, F. Barrero, Analysis of virtual
communities supporting OSS projects using Social Network Analysis,
Information & Software Technology, Vol. 52, Iss. 3, pp. 296-303, 2010.
[9] G. von Krogh, E. von Hippel, The promise of research on open source
software, Management Science, Vol. 52, pp. 975-983, 2006.
[10] M. R. Martinez-Torres, A genetic search of patterns of behaviour in OSS
communities, Expert Systems With Applications, Vol. 39, Iss. 18, pp.
13182-13192, 2012.
[11] M.P. Rombach, M.A. Porter, J.H. Fowler and P.J. Mucha, "Coreperiphery
structure in networks", Slam J. Appl. Math, Vol. 74, no. 1, pp.
187-190, 2014.
[12] S. Koch, Evolution of Open Source Software Systems – A Large-Scale
Investigation, Proceedings of the First International Conference on
Open Source Systems, Genova, 2005, pp. 148-153.
[13] E. Wenger, Communities of practice: learning, meaning, and identity,
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998.
[14] S. L. Toral, M. R. Martínez-Torres, F. Barrero, Virtual communities as a
resource for the development of OSS projects: the case of Linux ports to
embedded processors, Behaviour & Information Technology, Vol. 28,
Iss. 5, pp. 405-419, 2009.
[15] J. Lave and E. Wenger, Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral
participation. Cambridge University Press, 1991.
[16] C. Kimble, P. Hildreth, and P. Wright, Communities of practice: Going
virtual. In Hildreth, Paul M. and Kimble, Chris, editors, Knowledge
Networks: Innovation through Communities of Practice, Idea Group
Publishing, 220-234, 2000.
[17] P.A. David, F. Rullani, Dynamics of innovation in an open source
collaboration environment: Lurking, laboring and launching floss
projects on Sourceforge. Industrial and Corporate Change, Vol. 17, Iss.
4, pp. 647–710, 2008.
[18] K. Handley, A. Sturdy, R. Fincham, and T. Clark, Within and beyond
communities of practice: Making sense of learning through participation,
identity and practice, Journal of Management Studies, Vol. 43, Iss. 3,
pp. 641–653, 2006.
[19] Y. Fang, D. Neufeld, Understanding Sustained Participation in Open
Source Software Projects, Journal of Management Information Systems,
Vol. 25, No. 4, pp. 9–50, 2009.
[20] N. Ducheneaut, Socialization in an Open Source Software Community:
A Socio-Technical Analysis, Computer Supported Cooperative Work,
Vol. 14, pp. 323–368, 2005. [21] J. Mateos-Garcia & W. E. Steinmueller, “The institutions of open source
software: Examining the Debian community”, Information Economics
and Policy, Vol. 20, pp. 333–344, 2008.
[22] N. Knock, "Compensatory adaptation to a lean medium: An action
research investigation of electronic communication in process
involvement groups", IEEE Trans. on Professional Communication,
Vol. 44, no. 4, pp. 267-285, 2001.
@article{"International Journal of Information, Control and Computer Sciences:69761", author = "M. R. Martinez-Torres and S. L. Toral and M. Olmedilla", title = "A Quantitative Study of the Evolution of Open Source Software Communities", abstract = "Typically, virtual communities exhibit the well-known
phenomenon of participation inequality, which means that only a
small percentage of users is responsible of the majority of
contributions. However, the sustainability of the community requires
that the group of active users must be continuously nurtured with new
users that gain expertise through a participation process. This paper
analyzes the time evolution of Open Source Software (OSS)
communities, considering users that join/abandon the community
over time and several topological properties of the network when
modeled as a social network. More specifically, the paper analyzes
the role of those users rejoining the community and their influence in
the global characteristics of the network.
", keywords = "Open source communities, social network analysis,
time series, virtual communities.", volume = "9", number = "6", pages = "1379-6", }
