Open Source

From the Internet's infrastructure to operating systems like GNU/Linux, the open source movement comprises some of the greatest accomplishments in computing over the past quarter century. Its story embraces technological advances, unprecedented global collaboration, and remarkable tools for facilitating distributed development. The evolution of the Internet enabled an enormous expansion of open development, allowing developers to exchange information and ideas without regard to constraints of space, time, or national boundary. The movement has had widespread impact on education and government, as well as historic cultural and commercial repercussions. Part I discusses key open source applications, platforms, and technologies used in open development. Part II explores social issues ranging from demographics and psychology to legal and economic matters. Part III discusses the Free Software Foundation, open source in the public sector (government and education), and future prospects.

1. Introduction
   1. Why Open Source
   2. Preview
• Section One: Open Source - Internet Applications, Platforms, and Technologies
  2. Open Source Internet Application Projects
     1. The WWW and the Apache Web Server
     2. The Browsers
     3. Fetchmail
     4. The Dual License Business Model
     5. The P's in LAMP
     6. BitTorrent
     7. BIND
  3. The Open Source Platform
     1. Operating Systems
     2. Windowing Systems and Desktops
     3. GIMP
  4. Technologies Underlying Open Source Development
     1. Overview of CVS
     2. CVS Commands
     3. Other Version Control Systems
     4. Open Source Software Development Hosting Facilities and Directories
• Section Two: Social, Psychological, Legal, and Economic Aspects of Open Source
  5. Demographics, Sociology, and Psychology of Open Source Development
     1. Scale of Open Source Development
     2. Demographics and Statistical Profile of Participants
     3. Motivation of Participants
     4. Group Size and Communication
     5. Social Psychology and Open Source
     6. Cognitive Psychology and Open Source
     7. Group Problem Solving and Productivity
     8. Process Gains and Losses in Groups
     9. The Collaborative Medium
  6. Legal Issues in Open Source
     1. Copyrights
     2. Patents
     3. Contracts and Licenses
     4. Proprietary Licenses and Trade Secrets
     5. OSI - The Open Source Initiative
     6. The GPL and Related Issues
  7. The Economics of Open Source
     1. Standard Economic Effects
     2. Open Source Business Models
     3. Open Source and Commoditization
     4. Economic Motivations for Participation
• Section Three: Free Software: The Movement, the Public Sector, and the Future
  8. The GNU Project
     1. The GNU Project
     2. The Free Software Foundation
  9. Open Source in the Public Sector
     1. Open Source in Government and Globally
     2. Open Source in Education
  10. The Future of the Open Source Movement

This feels like someones Ph.D. thesis, that someone then tried to make a book out of.

Nothing new, nothing conclusive, no real overview, few original thoughts… Nothing to see…

You may miss this one, as it is boringly written as well.