Free and Open Source Software and Communities

Catalog description

This class examines the free and open source software communities. By the end of the quarter you will be able to answer a variety of questions related to the open source ecosystem, from technical (how do I modify a large existing software project?) to cultural (what happens when someone in the community acts badly?) to legal (what are the different open source licenses and which one should I use?). The class has an equal focus on implementation and readings, in-class debates, and guest lectures.