- Hardcover: 280 pages
- Publisher: Pluto Press (20 Sep 2008)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0745324150
- ISBN-13: 978-0745324159
- Product Dimensions: 21.6 x 14 x 1.9 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 4,829,898 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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More About the Author
Product Description
Review
[A] fresh intellectual contribution, this book is a must-read for any scholar or activist interested in...free software or open-source. --Times Higher Education Magazine, 12 February 2009
Product Description
From downloading music and movies to accessing free software, digital media is forcing us to rethink the very idea of intellectual property.
While big companies complain about lost profits, the individual has never enjoyed such freedom and autonomy.
Berry explores this debate in a concise way, offering an ideal introduction for anyone not versed in the legalistic terminology that -- up until now -- has dominated coverage of this issue.
Looking at the historical development of the free software and the open source movement he examines its growth, politics and potential impact, showing how the ideas that inspired the movement have now begun to influence the wider cultural landscape. He explores whether free software offers us the potential to re-think our relationship with technology in the information society.
This book will appeal to students of media and journalism, and anyone interested in new opportunities for creating a truly independent and democratic media.
While big companies complain about lost profits, the individual has never enjoyed such freedom and autonomy.
Berry explores this debate in a concise way, offering an ideal introduction for anyone not versed in the legalistic terminology that -- up until now -- has dominated coverage of this issue.
Looking at the historical development of the free software and the open source movement he examines its growth, politics and potential impact, showing how the ideas that inspired the movement have now begun to influence the wider cultural landscape. He explores whether free software offers us the potential to re-think our relationship with technology in the information society.
This book will appeal to students of media and journalism, and anyone interested in new opportunities for creating a truly independent and democratic media.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
In order properly to understand a culture is it necessary - or even helpful - to be a member of that culture ? The advantages and disadvantages of an alien's perspective are on show in this fascinating overview of the politics of Open Source.
To the credit side, Berry's distant view allows him to identify quite clearly what is at stake in the current battle for the definition of intellectual property through law and custom. These laws and customs are currently in a state of flux, as different parties attempt to alter them to suit their own purposes, and the Open Source 'guerilla movement' has staked a place at the table. Berry's dissection of the forms of property is a tour-de-force and an invaluable contribution to the debate. Further, Berry's status as an outsider allows him to use (with fascinating results) techniques of postmodernist discourse analysis which no rationalist hacker would touch with a barge-pole.
There are disadvantages to this separation from the culture, however. In brief, Berry just can't figure out what makes these people tick. My sense reading the book is that Berry largely approves of the Open Source movement's actions and objectives but remains bewildered as to the actors' motivations. (By Open Source I refer here to both the Stallman/FSF and Raymond/OSM varaints). Further, I think this failure to get under the skin of the hackers leaves him with a sense that their position is precarious, and a lack of confidence that they will prevail against the forces opposing. Given his support for a "re-enchantment of the commons" of intellectual property, this lack of confidence drives him to a suggestion that we need a direct intervention by an 'active state' - a recommendation that will send most hackers diving for cover.
For myself, I remain an optimist. The hacker culture has strong and deep roots providing a shared perspective to a significant proportion of the West's (the world's ?) technologists. It provides this community with flexibility, resourcefulness, and - most importantly - mastery of the mysteries of programming computers to do ever more interesting and revolutionary things. "We reject Kings, Presidents, and Voting. We believe in rough consensus and running code." A potent credo.
To the credit side, Berry's distant view allows him to identify quite clearly what is at stake in the current battle for the definition of intellectual property through law and custom. These laws and customs are currently in a state of flux, as different parties attempt to alter them to suit their own purposes, and the Open Source 'guerilla movement' has staked a place at the table. Berry's dissection of the forms of property is a tour-de-force and an invaluable contribution to the debate. Further, Berry's status as an outsider allows him to use (with fascinating results) techniques of postmodernist discourse analysis which no rationalist hacker would touch with a barge-pole.
There are disadvantages to this separation from the culture, however. In brief, Berry just can't figure out what makes these people tick. My sense reading the book is that Berry largely approves of the Open Source movement's actions and objectives but remains bewildered as to the actors' motivations. (By Open Source I refer here to both the Stallman/FSF and Raymond/OSM varaints). Further, I think this failure to get under the skin of the hackers leaves him with a sense that their position is precarious, and a lack of confidence that they will prevail against the forces opposing. Given his support for a "re-enchantment of the commons" of intellectual property, this lack of confidence drives him to a suggestion that we need a direct intervention by an 'active state' - a recommendation that will send most hackers diving for cover.
For myself, I remain an optimist. The hacker culture has strong and deep roots providing a shared perspective to a significant proportion of the West's (the world's ?) technologists. It provides this community with flexibility, resourcefulness, and - most importantly - mastery of the mysteries of programming computers to do ever more interesting and revolutionary things. "We reject Kings, Presidents, and Voting. We believe in rough consensus and running code." A potent credo.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
1 review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
A Must Read for Computer Science Students
20 Mar 2010
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Copy, Rip, Burn covers the basics of free, open source, and proprietary software all in a relatively short book. It's a great introduction to the topic, especially for young Computer Science students/professionals. I found the history aspect of the book the most beneficial. I believe the history and ideological differences of the Free and Open Source Movements are important topics to understand and ought to be a part of undergraduate curriculum. I'm using this book as one of my main sources for my thesis on Free and Open Source Software.
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