Abstract
Abstract This paper presents a discussion of crowdsourcing approaches to knowledge organization and more specifically to the development of classification schemes. It analyzes the case of Open Shelves Classification, a terminated project that was developed by the LibraryThing community following the “open source model”, and assesses its outcomes from methodological and sociological points of view. Working with all the documentation of the project that is freely available, the text conducts an analysis of the project following the structure of the methodological lessons for open source (Bazaar model) presented by Eric Raymond in his seminal work “The Cathedral and the Bazaar” and complementing it with the discussion of the sociological aspects presented in “Homesteading the Noosphere” and other writings. The paper concludes with some recommendations for the success of open source projects and some possibilities of research for crowdsourcing projects and social epistemology.
Highlights
Crowdsourcing is a “broad term referring to the collaboration of large numbers of distributed people on a common product, usually organized through information technology and generally invited through an open call” (Organisciak; Twidale, 2015)
The present paper reports a thorough analysis of all the documentation of the Open Shelves Classification (OSC) project and the assessment of its outcome
According to the seminal works on open source, key aspects for the success of a project are: (1) Legal aspects in the form of licensing to ensure the development of the project without limitations to studying, modifying, and redistributing code; (2) Communication tools, such as the internet, to allow fluid communications between leaders and the community; (3) A good community of developers that, must be interested in the project and able to contribute with meaningful knowledge; (4) A leader with good communication skills and who is able to recognize good design ideas by others; (5) A plausible promise at the announcement, including something runnable and testable so developers do not get frustrated
Summary
Crowdsourcing is a “broad term referring to the collaboration of large numbers of distributed people on a common product, usually organized through information technology and generally invited through an open call” (Organisciak; Twidale, 2015). By doing this you can give the whole community a chance to benefit from your changes (access to the source code is a precondition for this outcome) Did the OSC follow the proper method for an open source project as described by Eric Raymond?
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
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.
