Comments on: Socialism and Sakai Commercial Affiliates http://sakaiblog.korcuska.net/2007/10/15/socialism-and-sakai-commercial-affiliates/ Occasional thoughts and updates about Sakai Thu, 11 Mar 2010 23:28:56 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Socialism and Sakai Commercial Affiliates « Chris Coppola's Blog http://sakaiblog.korcuska.net/2007/10/15/socialism-and-sakai-commercial-affiliates/#comment-2369 Socialism and Sakai Commercial Affiliates « Chris Coppola's Blog Mon, 08 Mar 2010 04:22:47 +0000 http://sakaiblog.korcuska.net/2007/10/15/socialism-and-sakai-commercial-affiliates/#comment-2369 [...] 2007 October 22 tags: community, open source, sakai by Chris I read Michael’s post about socialism and Sakai commercial affiliates last week but between traveling, returning to Phoenix, and then hitting the road again I [...] [...] 2007 October 22 tags: community, open source, sakai by Chris I read Michael’s post about socialism and Sakai commercial affiliates last week but between traveling, returning to Phoenix, and then hitting the road again I [...]

]]> By: Notes from Educause 2007 (part 1) « Michael Korcuska Sakai Blog http://sakaiblog.korcuska.net/2007/10/15/socialism-and-sakai-commercial-affiliates/#comment-135 Notes from Educause 2007 (part 1) « Michael Korcuska Sakai Blog Fri, 14 Dec 2007 22:33:10 +0000 http://sakaiblog.korcuska.net/2007/10/15/socialism-and-sakai-commercial-affiliates/#comment-135 [...] rolling out training to users are all task that come with rolling out a new CMS. This is also where commercial partners come in. They can provide installation and support of Sakai for those who can’t, or [...] [...] rolling out training to users are all task that come with rolling out a new CMS. This is also where commercial partners come in. They can provide installation and support of Sakai for those who can’t, or [...]

]]> By: Usability Absolutely Does Matter for Adoption at e-Literate http://sakaiblog.korcuska.net/2007/10/15/socialism-and-sakai-commercial-affiliates/#comment-48 Usability Absolutely Does Matter for Adoption at e-Literate Mon, 12 Nov 2007 22:24:06 +0000 http://sakaiblog.korcuska.net/2007/10/15/socialism-and-sakai-commercial-affiliates/#comment-48 [...] It is absolutely true that adoption of open source user-facing apps in higher education is particularly limited right now by the perception that there is not adequate commercial support (which is why I was particularly pleased to see Sakai’s Executive Director Michael Korcuska acknowledge the importance of the Sakai Commercial Affiliates in a recent blog post). [...] [...] It is absolutely true that adoption of open source user-facing apps in higher education is particularly limited right now by the perception that there is not adequate commercial support (which is why I was particularly pleased to see Sakai’s Executive Director Michael Korcuska acknowledge the importance of the Sakai Commercial Affiliates in a recent blog post). [...]

]]> By: Chris Coppola http://sakaiblog.korcuska.net/2007/10/15/socialism-and-sakai-commercial-affiliates/#comment-27 Chris Coppola Mon, 22 Oct 2007 16:02:26 +0000 http://sakaiblog.korcuska.net/2007/10/15/socialism-and-sakai-commercial-affiliates/#comment-27 <strong>Socialism and Sakai Commercial Affiliates</strong> I read Michael's post about socialism and Sakai commercial affiliates last week but between traveling, returning to Phoenix, and then hitting the road again I didn't have time to say thanks. Thanks Michael, I think you've really captured the essence... Socialism and Sakai Commercial Affiliates

I read Michael’s post about socialism and Sakai commercial affiliates last week but between traveling, returning to Phoenix, and then hitting the road again I didn’t have time to say thanks. Thanks Michael, I think you’ve really captured the essence…

]]> By: Michael Feldstein http://sakaiblog.korcuska.net/2007/10/15/socialism-and-sakai-commercial-affiliates/#comment-22 Michael Feldstein Tue, 16 Oct 2007 20:47:48 +0000 http://sakaiblog.korcuska.net/2007/10/15/socialism-and-sakai-commercial-affiliates/#comment-22 Anybody interested in open source and its relationship to economic models should read Yochai Benkler's article "Coase's Penguin, or Linux and the Nature of the Firm" [http://www.benkler.org/CoasesPenguin.html] and then go on to read his book "The Wealth of Networks: How Social Production Transforms Markets and Freedom" [http://www.amazon.com/Wealth-Networks-Production-Transforms-Markets/dp/0300125771/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-7947100-8337206?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1192567064&sr=8-1] Benkler analyzes open source and similar network-based social means of production from the perspective of the theory of the firm put forth by Nobel Prize-winning economist Ronald Coase [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Coase]. Coase argues that firms and markets exist to lower transaction costs. Benkler argues that, in a world where networks radically lower transaction costs already, new sorts of organization for the production of capital start to make sense. This is about as hard-core a capitalist economic argument as you can make (assuming that you're talking to a real, thinking capitalist and not just a flag-waving jingoist). I'll be posting something about how these ideas apply to open source in higher education in a couple of weeks on Terra Incognita [http://blog.worldcampus.psu.edu/] Anybody interested in open source and its relationship to economic models should read Yochai Benkler’s article “Coase’s Penguin, or Linux and the Nature of the Firm” [http://www.benkler.org/CoasesPenguin.html] and then go on to read his book “The Wealth of Networks: How Social Production Transforms Markets and Freedom” [http://www.amazon.com/Wealth-Networks-Production-Transforms-Markets/dp/0300125771/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-7947100-8337206?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1192567064&sr=8-1] Benkler analyzes open source and similar network-based social means of production from the perspective of the theory of the firm put forth by Nobel Prize-winning economist Ronald Coase [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Coase]. Coase argues that firms and markets exist to lower transaction costs. Benkler argues that, in a world where networks radically lower transaction costs already, new sorts of organization for the production of capital start to make sense. This is about as hard-core a capitalist economic argument as you can make (assuming that you’re talking to a real, thinking capitalist and not just a flag-waving jingoist).

I’ll be posting something about how these ideas apply to open source in higher education in a couple of weeks on Terra Incognita [http://blog.worldcampus.psu.edu/]

]]> By: Michael Korcuska http://sakaiblog.korcuska.net/2007/10/15/socialism-and-sakai-commercial-affiliates/#comment-21 Michael Korcuska Tue, 16 Oct 2007 18:46:53 +0000 http://sakaiblog.korcuska.net/2007/10/15/socialism-and-sakai-commercial-affiliates/#comment-21 Thanks, John. I was trying to refer to socialism/communism as economic systems, not political systems. In practice I know that it probably isn't possible to fully disentangle these, although I'm not even an avid amateur historian/political scientist, much less an expert. Great articles, though. Thanks for providing the references... Michael Thanks, John. I was trying to refer to socialism/communism as economic systems, not political systems. In practice I know that it probably isn’t possible to fully disentangle these, although I’m not even an avid amateur historian/political scientist, much less an expert.

Great articles, though. Thanks for providing the references…

Michael

]]> By: John Lewis http://sakaiblog.korcuska.net/2007/10/15/socialism-and-sakai-commercial-affiliates/#comment-20 John Lewis Tue, 16 Oct 2007 18:22:38 +0000 http://sakaiblog.korcuska.net/2007/10/15/socialism-and-sakai-commercial-affiliates/#comment-20 Great blog entry, Michael, and thanks for all your support of the Sakai Commercial Affiliates. Actually, I think open source software is an exercise of the very freedoms that Socialism & Communism try so hard to suppress. There is nothing coercive about open source projects -- they are a true expression of liberty. And they extend this freedom and liberty to all the users of an open source project. It is the proprietary software vendors who create an oppressive regime as they work so hard to create vendor lock-in and to hold customers (and their data) hostage. From Jim Farmer's recent paper, "eLearning: A Conversation with Clay Fenlason at Georgia Institute of Technology", we see a clear example of choosing Sakai primarily because of the freedom that it provides. Georgia Tech's primary motive in moving from WebCT to Sakai was one of control. Using Sakai, "Georgia Tech could determine which versions to use when, what features to support, and what functions could be added using locally developed software." And cost was not a motive at all. In fact, because the Blackboard contract is with the Georgia Board of Regents, Georgia Tech would have to continue to pay its share whether or not the Blackboard software was used." I've recently run across a few good articles that provide a positive view of Free and Open Source Software from a Libertarian perspective (about as opposite to Socialism as you can get): "What I Learned from the Libertarians" Michael Tiemann, Board President of the Open Source Initiative http://opensource.org/node/184 "Why Libertarians Should Celebrate Free Software" Timothy B. Lee, Cato Institute http://www.cato.org/tech/tk/070622-tk.html Great blog entry, Michael, and thanks for all your support of the Sakai Commercial Affiliates.

Actually, I think open source software is an exercise of the very freedoms that Socialism & Communism try so hard to suppress. There is nothing coercive about open source projects — they are a true expression of liberty. And they extend this freedom and liberty to all the users of an open source project. It is the proprietary software vendors who create an oppressive regime as they work so hard to create vendor lock-in and to hold customers (and their data) hostage.

From Jim Farmer’s recent paper, “eLearning: A Conversation with Clay Fenlason at Georgia Institute of Technology”, we see a clear example of choosing Sakai primarily because of the freedom that it provides. Georgia Tech’s primary motive in moving from WebCT to Sakai was one of control. Using Sakai, “Georgia Tech could determine which versions to use when, what features to support, and what functions could be added using locally developed software.” And cost was not a motive at all. In fact, because the Blackboard contract is with the Georgia
Board of Regents, Georgia Tech would have to continue to pay its share whether or not the
Blackboard software was used.”

I’ve recently run across a few good articles that provide a positive view of Free and Open Source Software from a Libertarian perspective (about as opposite to Socialism as you can get):

“What I Learned from the Libertarians”
Michael Tiemann, Board President of the Open Source Initiative
http://opensource.org/node/184

“Why Libertarians Should Celebrate Free Software”
Timothy B. Lee, Cato Institute
http://www.cato.org/tech/tk/070622-tk.html

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