Feller, Fitzgerald, Hissam and Lakhani (2005, 18) suggest the term "open source software" refers to software products that are distributed, modified, and used by any user without payment to an author for such uses. Feller et al (2005, 18) outline that "products such as the GNU/Linux operating system, the Apache Web server, the Mozilla Web browser, the PHP programming language, and the OpenOffice productivity suite are all well-known examples of this kind of software". In addition to this, the Free Software Foundation lists hundreds of other free software in their Free Software Directory that is free for users to browse, download, use, modify, redistribute etc. The key characteristic of open source software is that anyone can edit and modify the software, however, this is usually done by teams of users in the community (Bruns 2008). The concept of open source software has various parallels with the advantageous characteristics of online communities and the key principles of produsage. Development and editing of the software is done in direct response to user needs, typically because it is being edited by the users themselves. Opensource.org sums up the key advantages of open source software perfectly.
"The basic idea behind open source is very simple: When programmers can read, redistribute, and modify the source code for a piece of software, the Software evolves. People improve it, people adapt it, people fix bugs. And this can happen at a speed that, if one is used to the slow pace of conventional software development, seems astonishing." (opensource.org in Bruns 2008).
This practice differs significantly to the somewhat traditional idea of "closed source software" where the source code remains confidential. Such closed source software examples include Windows, Office and Internet Explorer. These programs are developed by paid staff teams of a company and therefore are subject to hierarchical directions and restrictions. This more traditional idea of closed source software runs various parallels to the characteristics describing offline communities. This sort of software development is based on a business model and perhaps one of it's main objectives is to sell the software and make a profit. By doing this, obviously they are going to strive to produce something that is responsive to user needs in order to sell more, but perhaps they may not be quite so focused on, or have as much of an idea of, what exactly it is that the user needs compared with a group of community users that create open source software.
DIY media encompasses the concept of produsage, which Bruns (2007, 3) describes as "the collaborative engagement of (ideally, large) communities of participants in a shared project". This is largely, and simply, based on the idea that 'two heads are better than one'. Produsage is built on the logic that, the community as a whole will be able to contribute a larger amount, and with more varied opinions, than that of a closed team of producers such as those in traditional structures (Bruns 2007, 3). Collaborative communities have no set agenda and could be considered self-organising communities, vastly different to commercial, hierarchical structured communities. Furthermore, participation isn't based on ownership, as is seen in most commercial communities, but rather is based on the merit and worth of the contributions that have been made by the user or participant.
There are various emerging forms of DIY media including:
open source software development,
online publishing, e.g. blogging, and open news (such as OhMyNews)
However, the rise of such DIY and collaborative communities can have a significant impact on the traditional methods of information-seeking and knowledge management. For example, open source software development undermines traditional software development (such as Windows) as it is a far more directly responsive to the needs and suggestions of users, and provides a far quicker response time. Traditional software development may often take up to a couple of years before user needs are met through the next edition of the software.
Another form of DIY media that is undermining the traditional forms is that of citizen journalism and DIY news. There still remains a few skeptical critics of citizen journalism, which I believe mainly arises from the question of whose opinion is reliable? How do we know who isn't just spinning a few yarns just for the sake of it? There are so many different opinions and views that are published on the Internet, that sometimes it becomes hard to sort through the clutter and find a trustworthy source. This is an idea touched on by Tom Merritt of CNET.com. But Merritt (2006) also suggests that this issue of trust also greatly surrounded the introduction of newspapers way back.
While this is one of the more guarded criticisms of citizen journalism, I believe citizen journalism also carries with it various advantages in comparison to traditional mainstream news coverage. Like many other DIY communities, I believe citizen journalism has been developed as a response to user needs. Mainstream news coverage has its shortcomings and has always remained such a biased, prejudiced and predisposed opinion on what the public needs to know. Perhaps the most obvious refute against this, is seen in the documentary "Outfoxed" which explores how Rupert Murdoch's Fox News has been "taking control of the public's right to know" (Outfoxed.org). I believe that citizen journalism puts everything out there because there is no set agenda or delegation of tasks; users are free to participate and add content at their own will which ultimately results in a broader selection of more alternative views. Nothing can really be covered up as the structure of online communities is naturally decentralised and self-organising.
Watch the Outfoxed trailer: (N.B. The whole documentary can be viewed in 9 segments via YouTube).
References:
Bruns, A. (2007). The Future is User-Led: The Path Towards Widespread Produsage. Retrieved April 22, 2008, from http://produsage.org/articles
Gregory, M. (2008). The End of Elite Liberal Media Empires and the Rise of Citizen Journalism. Retrieved April 30, 2008, from http://sadbastards.wordpress.com/
I am currently studying B. Business (Advertising) / B. Creative Industries (Media and Communication) at QUT. Through my studies I have developed a particular interest in audiences, particularly with the changes brought about by media.
