Hackers on Forking

TitleHackers on Forking
Publication TypeConference Paper
Year of Publication2014
AuthorsNyman, L
Tertiary AuthorsRiehle, D, Gonzalez-Barahona, JM, Robles, G, Möslein, KM, Schieferdecker, I, Cress, U, Wichmann, A, Hecht, B, Jullien, N
Secondary TitleThe International SymposiumProceedings of The International Symposium on Open Collaboration - OpenSym '14
Pagination1 - 10
PublisherACM Press
Place PublishedBerlin, GermanyNew York, New York, USA
ISBN Number9781450330169
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' 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.

DOI10.1145/2641580.2641590
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