@conference {1692,
	title = {Hackers on Forking},
	booktitle = {The International SymposiumProceedings of The International Symposium on Open Collaboration - OpenSym {\textquoteright}14},
	year = {2014},
	pages = {1 - 10},
	publisher = {ACM Press},
	organization = {ACM Press},
	address = {Berlin, GermanyNew York, New York, USA},
	abstract = {All open source licenses allow the copying of an existing body of code for use as the basis of a separate development project. This practice is commonly known as forking the code. This paper presents the results of a study in which 11 programmers were interviewed about their opinions on the right to fork and the impact of forking on open source software development.

The results show that there is a general consensus among programmers{\textquoteright} views regarding both the favourable and unfavourable aspects that stem from the right to fork. Interestingly, while all programmers noted potential downsides to the right to fork, it was seen by all as an integral component of open source software, and a right that must not be infringed regardless of circumstance or outcome.},
	isbn = {9781450330169},
	doi = {10.1145/2641580.2641590},
	attachments = {https://flosshub.org/sites/flosshub.org/files/p06.pdf},
	author = {Nyman, Linus}
}
@proceedings {1459,
	title = {Perspectives on Code Forking and Sustainability in Open Source Software},
	volume = {378},
	year = {2012},
	month = {09/2012},
	pages = {274-279},
	publisher = {IFIP AICT,  Springer},
	abstract = {The ability to create high-quality software artifacts that are usable over time is one of the essential requirements of the software business. In such a setting, open source software offers excellent opportunities for sustainability. In particular, safeguarding mechanisms against planned obsolescence by any single actor are built into the definition of open source. The most powerful of these mechanisms is the ability to fork the project. In this paper we argue that the possibility to fork serves as the invisible hand of sustainability that ensures that code remains open and that the code that best serves the community lives on. Furthermore, the mere option to fork provides a mechanism for safeguarding against despotic decisions by the project lead, who is thus guided in their actions to consider the best interest of the community.},
	author = {Nyman, Linus and Mikkonen, Tommi and Juho Lindman and Fougère, Martin}
}
@proceedings {1287,
	title = {To Fork or Not to Fork: Fork Motivations in SourceForge Projects},
	year = {2011},
	note = {"Using this search function, we compiled a list of all of the programs with the word {\textquotedblleft}fork{\textquotedblright}..."
"We then analyzed the motivations stated in the descriptions of the forked programs...."
"Based on the descriptions entered by the developer, we were able to identify motivations for 381 of the forks."
},
	month = {10/2011},
	pages = {259-268},
	publisher = {Springer},
	abstract = {A project fork occurs when software developers take a copy of source code from one software package and use it to begin an independent development work that is maintained separately from its origin. Although forking in open source software does not require the permission of the original authors, the new version, nevertheless, competes for the attention of the same developers that have worked on the original version. The motivations developers have for performing forks are many, but in general they have received little attention. In this paper, we present the results of a study of forks performed in SourceForge (http://sourceforge.net/) and list the developers{\textquoteright} motivations for their actions. The main motivation, seen in close to half of the cases of forking, was content modification; either adding content to the original program or focusing the content to the needs of a specific segment of users. In a quarter of the cases the motivation was technical modification; either porting the program to new hardware or software, or improving the original.},
	keywords = {fork rate, sourceforge},
	author = {Nyman, Linus and Mikkonen, Tommi}
}
