Essay on open source - need more ideas

[Joe of loath]

Hi all

I'm writing an essay on open source software and its effect on the average computer user (I still have time to change it - maybe to 'its effect on the computer industry'? or 'What is open source software and how does it work?')

However, I've run out of ideas, and I need to double my wordcount (from 2500-ish to about 5000).

Anyone got any ideas of what else to write about? Anything obvious I'm missing? Does anyone work for a company that uses Linux (preferably on workstations for non-technical personnel) that I can interview over IM?

My current essay is here - http://transyada.com/Open Source Software.odt

Thanks in advance!
Joe

[Dustin2128]

Hi all

I'm writing an essay on open source software and its effect on the average computer user (I still have time to change it - maybe to 'its effect on the computer industry'? or 'What is open source software and how does it work?')

However, I've run out of ideas, and I need to double my wordcount (from 2500-ish to about 5000).

Anyone got any ideas of what else to write about? Anything obvious I'm missing? Does anyone work for a company that uses Linux (preferably on workstations for non-technical personnel) that I can interview over IM?

My current essay is here - http://transyada.com/Open Source Software.odt

Thanks in advance!
Joe
Link's broken. Could you just provide a dropbox link?

[<¡>]

Link's broken. Could you just provide a dropbox link?

visit http://transyada.com (http://transyada.com/Open) and you'll see the document

[Dustin2128]

EDIT:Whoops, never mind.

DOUBLEEDIT: Reading it now, looks good.The title overlaps a little on kword though.

Third paragraph nitpick: 'over the years' instead of after years may sound better, but I believe both are grammatically correct. Also: Linux is not an operating system, it is a kernel. Wait, before I continue, do you want corrections in addition or just new materials? Also what level is this essay, college, high school..?

[Dustin2128]

Okay, got one. You could easily get at least 2 thousand words about copyleft, GPLv2 vs v3, GPL vs MIT/BSD/Permissive licenses, and maybe a few hundred from the DMCA. You could wrap the thing up nicely by having a 'threats to open source section'.

[Joe of loath]

It's all appreciated, thanks :D

[Dustin2128]

It's all appreciated, thanks :D
No problem :)

[JRV]

Portableapps.com is a good place to start with open source software for a Windows user who is not ready to change operating systems yet.

[Old_Grey_Wolf]

Joe E.....,

Your topic is open source software; however, you focused on the GNU/Linux distros. You could add a few more words to your document by explaining that OpenOffice, GIMP, Firefox, Thunderbird, VLC media player, and other open source software also run on some other operating systems; such as, Microsoft Windows and OSX. OSS and FOSS benefits more than just the GNU/Linux user.

[JDShu]

In my opinion you should focus more in depth with the ideas you already have. For example, what makes Linux open source? You have a very brief overview about its beginnings, what effect has it had on the average computer user over the past few decades? Are there any indirect effects?

Some definitions would also help focus what you are trying to say. What is an "average computer user"? What is "open source software"?

[dh04000]

I got an idea, how about not spending 4 hours on a forum talking about writing a paper and actually writing it. Lol, procrastination is the biggest paper killer. :p

[Quadunit404]

I got an idea, how about not spending 4 hours on a forum talking about writing a paper and actually writing it. Lol, procrastination is the biggest paper killer. :p

This.

Also, why didn't you mention that the FAA switched to Red Hat in 2006 and saved over $15m? That's pretty significant if you ask me :|

[Joe of loath]

I got an idea, how about not spending 4 hours on a forum talking about writing a paper and actually writing it. Lol, procrastination is the biggest paper killer. :p

Because yesterday I spent three hours researching enough material to write one paragraph? :lol:

I'm adding some stuff on GNU, I'll probably do some stuff on VLC and open source licences, too. Thanks for the advice!

[Paqman]

It's pretty hard to suggest stuff without knowing what the actual question you've been set is.

[Sean Moran]

One possibility that might or not tie in with a nice conclusion could be related to Eric S. Raymond's "The Cathedral and the Bazaar."

Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cathedral_and_the_Bazaar
Webpage: http://www.catb.org/~esr/writings/cathedral-bazaar/ (http://www.catb.org/%7Eesr/writings/cathedral-bazaar/)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c4/Cathedral-and-the-Bazaar-book-cover.jpg/200px-Cathedral-and-the-Bazaar-book-cover.jpg

So many years since I scanned it and it might be outdated now, but maybe something you could glean a few ideas from.

Good Luck. :popcorn:

[Joe of loath]

It's pretty hard to suggest stuff without knowing what the actual question you've been set is.

It's in the first post (kind of) and in the essay ;) I chose it myself anyway, hence why it's flexible.


One possibility that might or not tie in with a nice conclusion could be related to Eric S. Raymond's "The Cathedral and the Bazaar."

Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cathedral_and_the_Bazaar
Webpage: http://www.catb.org/~esr/writings/cathedral-bazaar/ (http://www.catb.org/%7Eesr/writings/cathedral-bazaar/)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c4/Cathedral-and-the-Bazaar-book-cover.jpg/200px-Cathedral-and-the-Bazaar-book-cover.jpg

So many years since I scanned it and it might be outdated now, but maybe something you could glean a few ideas from.

Good Luck. :popcorn:

Excellent, thanks! I've heard it referenced, but it would be interesting to have a read of.

[Paqman]

I chose it myself anyway, hence why it's flexible.


Right, so it's a 5000-word paper on something tech-related, and you've chosen open source? The world is your oyster then.

I'd tighten your topic up a bit though. "The effect of open source software on the average computer user" is pretty vague. You could focus a bit more with something like "The benefits of open source software for the average computer user" or "The effect of open source software on personal computing 1990-2011".

Also i'd suggest that the "average computer user" is a Windows user, so if that's your topic then you'd want to pay a lot more attention to FOSS in the Windows ecosystem.

The main effect of open source software on home users is through the rise of the LAMP stack and the internet (which is an open platform), i'd suggest that open source desktop OSs and apps have had a much more limited impact, although there are obvious exceptions like Firefox.