In 1991, Linus Torvalds made a free Unix-like kernel (a core part of the operating system) available on the Internet and invited all hackers interested to participate. Within the next two months, the first version 1.0 of Linux was released. From that point, tens of thousands of developers, dispersed globally and communicating via the Internet, contributed code, so that early in 1993, Linux had grown to be a stable, reliable and very powerful operating system.
The Linux kernel is 'copylefted' software, patented under the GNU GPL, and thus, nobody actually owns it. But more significantly, Linux is sheltered by the Open Source (hacker) community. From its very birth, Linux as a project has mobilised an incredible number of developers offering enhancements, modifications/improvements and bug fixes without any financial incentive. Despite the fact that an operating system is supposed to be developed only
by a closely-knit team to avoid rising complexity and communication costs of coordination (Brook's Law), Linux is being developed in a massive decentralised mode under no central planning, an amazing feat given that it has not evolved into chaos.
Innovation
release early and often: Linus put into practice an innovative and paradox model of developing software. Frequent releases and updates (several times in a week) are typical throughout the entire development period of Linux. In this way, Linus kept the community constantly stimulated by the rapid growth of the project and provided an extraordinary effective mechanism of psychologically rewarding his co-developers for their contributions that were implemented in the last version. On top of this, in every released version, there is a file attached which lists all those who have contributed (code).
Credit attribution if neglected, is a cardinal sin that will breed bitterness within the community and discourage developers from further contributing to the project.
According to conventional software-building wisdom, early versions are by definition buggy and you do not want to wear out the patience of your users. But as far as the Linux development stage is concerned, developers are the users themselves and this is where most innovation is created (Figure 8). "The greatest innovation of Linux is that treating your users as co-developers is your least-hassle route to rapid code improvement and effective debugging" (Raymond, 1998a).
leo bnu on 18 May 09For Beginners If you're just getting started, be sure to follow these tips. 1. Set up your profile: Give people a glimpse beyond what your tweets reveal. 2. Include a picture: Make sure you add a photo of yourself so that your tweets will be more personal. 3. Create a simple and short Twitter name: The longer your Twitter ID, the more space it takes up, and having a complicated name can make it hard for people to respond to or mention you. 4. Just do it: Don't just lurk-jump into the conversation. 5. Make your profile link something that tells more about you: Share your blog, an about me page, or any other page that offers more information about the person behind the tweets. 6. Share photos: Post your photos on Twitter to shake things up a bit and add some interest to your stream. 7. Use proper grammar: Occasional abbreviations are passable, but make sure that your tweets are readable. 8. Use your real name: Build your personal brand by choosing your real name as your Twitter ID. 9. List your location: Many people use Twitter for local networking, so they'll be more likely to follow you if they know where you are. 10. Learn the lingo: If you don't know what DM, @, RT, and other Twitter symbols and words are, look them up or ask. 11. Don't rush to build your network: Don't follow hundreds of people right away-allow your following to grow organically. 12. Reply to someone with @: Place an @ sign in front of someone's name on Twitter to write to them specifically, or simply just mention them-they will be notified that you did so. 13. Shrink your URLs: Use a URL shortener like TinyURL or is.gd to make it easier to fit into 140 characters. 14. Use your mobile device: Tweet from your phone, iPod, or other mobile device to keep your Twitter updated on the go, using the mobile web or text. 15. Find your friends: Use Twitter's search in order to find your friends, organizations, and others that you may want to follow o
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