Year-end Sale % OFF 
Abstract
Free (and open source) software can be considered a sort of «total social phenomenon» in contemporary information society: it includes elements pertaining to the cultural, organizational and economical sphere and many others. Despite the fact that it is still often thought of as a «new» phenomenon, the model of production and diffusion of free software incorporates basic principles that have characterized modern western science since at least five centuries. In particular, the sociologist of science Robert K. Merton, in a famous essay of 1942, has formulated the institutional norms that every scientist will learn in the course of his education and that he will have to observe to gain respect and reputation within the community of his peers. These same norms (universalism, communism, disinterestedness and organised skepticism) perfectly depict the processes of production and diffusion of free software. We can therefore conclude that it is proprietary software (and not free software) that represents a historical anomaly in the models of production and organization of knowledge.
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
