A critical approach to Open Source Software

The purpose of this masters' thesis was to discuss a number of assumptions regarding the benefits of Open Source software projects. By studying what has been written about Open Source combined with a number of own data collections, this thesis argues that: Brooks law is still valid in Open Source projects; Many Open Source projects are failures; Open Source culture is a product of the 90s, not the 70s Open Source is no guarantee for reduced lock-in effects; Our most famous Open Source projects are not built up by nerds working for free, but professionals, employed by commercial companies to contribute to the projects; Large Open Source projects are often hierarchical and bureaucratic Opening your source does not automatically lead to a large number of contributors; Open Source breeds diversity, not a single winner; Open Source projects often targets the community itself, rather than external actors; Companies benefiting from Open Source are often based on traditional business models rather than revolutionary visions. Open Source is not necessarily an efficient way to develop software.