search query: @indexterm analytical review / total: 857
reference: 271 / 857
Author: | Johnson, J. P. |
Title: | Open Source Software: Private Provision of a Public Good |
Journal: | Journal of Economics & Management Strategy
2002 : WINTER, VOL. 11:4, p. 637-662 |
Index terms: | SOFTWARE PUBLIC GOODS MODELS ANALYTICAL REVIEW |
Language: | eng |
Abstract: | A simple model of open source software (as typified by the GNU-Linux operating system) is presented. Individual user-programmers decide whether to invest their own effort to develop a software enhancement that will become a public good if so developed. The effect of changing the population size of user-programmers is considered, finite and asymptotic results are given. Welfare results are presented. It is shown that whether development will increase when applications have a modular structure depends on whether the developer base exceeds a critical size. Potential explanations of several stylized facts are given, including why certain useful programs don't get written. |
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