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All,<br>
<br>
There is an interesting new report from Demos in the UK<br>
on the use of Open Source methods beyond software development.<br>
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.demos.co.uk/catalogue/wideopen/">http://www.demos.co.uk/catalogue/wideopen/</a><br>
<br>
(A PDF is available for download)<br>
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<br>
WJM<br>
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Abstract<br>
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<p><span lang="EN-GB">The rise of the Internet has made it possible for
knowledge to be created and shared in ways that emphasise its character
as a common good, rather than as something to be owned.</span></p>
<p>In the world of open source programming, the <span lang="EN-GB">computer
software is distributed under licence, allowing users to change or
share the software’s source code – the human readable version of a
computer programme.</span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-GB">This open and collaborative approach to creating
knowledge has produced remarkable results, such as the Linux operating
system and the web-based encyclopaedia Wikipedia. In defiance of the
conventional wisdom of modern business, open source methods have led
the main underlying innovations around the Internet.</span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-GB">Other fields have much to learn from open source
methods – because they bring principles and working methods which can
help to produce better knowledge, goods or services, or make them
available on more widely beneficial terms.</span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-GB">From the formulation of public policy to more
open forms of academic peer review, setting up mutual support groups
for people facing similar health problems to collaborative forms of
social innovation, the principles of open source promise to radically
alter the we approach complex social problems.</span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-GB">The future potential of these methods is such
that they will soon become commonplace in our lives. Just as it is now
impossible to think about getting things done without considering the
role of the Internet, so will it soon be impossible to think about how
to solve a large social problem without considering the role of open
methods.</span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-GB"><span lang="EN-GB"><strong>Geoff Mulgan</strong></span>
<span lang="EN-GB">is Director of the Young Foundation and former Head
of Policy in the Prime Minister's Office. <b>Tom Steinberg</b> is</span>
Director of mySociety and is currently a fellow at the Young
Foundation. <strong>Omar Salem</strong> is a student at Oxford
University and an intern at the Young Foundation.</span></p>
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<pre class="moz-signature" cols="100">--
Bill McIver, Ph.D
==
Group Leader (Acting) | Chef de groupe (par intŽrim)
e-Government/e-Citizen Group | Groupe de gouvernement Žlectronique/citoyen Žlectronique
National Research Council | Conseil national de recherches Canada
Institute for Information Technology | Institut de technologie de l'information
46 Dineen Drive | 46, promenade Dineen
Fredericton, NB E3B 9W4 Canada | Fredericton, NB E3B 9W4 Canada
E-mail: <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:Bill.McIver@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca">Bill.McIver@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca</a> | Courriel: <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:Bill.McIver@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca">Bill.McIver@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca</a>
==
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://iit-iti.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/r-d/e-government-gouvernement-e_e.html">http://iit-iti.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/r-d/e-government-gouvernement-e_e.html</a>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://iit-iti.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/r-d/e-government-gouvernement-e_f.html">http://iit-iti.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/r-d/e-government-gouvernement-e_f.html</a></pre>
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