Title
Cathedrals, Libraries and Bazaars
Author
Ken Krechmer, Fellow, International Center for Standards Research University of Colorado at Boulder; Communications Standards Review
Date
1/01/2005
(Original Publish Date: 3/10/2002)
(Original Publish Date: 3/10/2002)
Abstract
The open source and open standards movements are sometimes confused and sometimes clash. This seems unfortunate as they are both vital to the growing acceptance of technology and have much to offer each other. Expanding on the metaphors offered by Eric Raymond in his paper, The Cathedral and the Bazaar, this essay describes the similarities and differences between the concepts of open source and open standards. Openness has a very different meaning as applied to software programs or technical standards. As this essay attempts to explain, the open source and open standards movements are most closely related by their desire to allow competition to thrive based on merit, not market dominance.