Linux Study Website

Motivation of Software Developers in Open Source Projects: An Internet-Based Survey of Contributors to the Linux Kernel

Goals of the Study

The goal of our study is to scientifically analyze the processes involved in Linux development from a social science perspective. This includes, but is not limited to, the investigation of the motivation of contributors (e.g. fun, cognitive challenge, using worldwide resources for problem solving, development of new skills, etc.) and success factors of the project (e.g. mutual trust, norms in the cooperation, feedback processes, organization of the projects, decision procedures, etc.).

Since we want to put the results of our study on a solid scientific base, we will conduct a web-based questionnaire study with developers contacted via the linux-kernel mailing list. A prototype of this questionnaire is already created, but we are open for additional suggestions and ideas by Linux developers and other interested persons. (These suggestions and ideas can be either directly sent to us or communicated via the linux-study mailing list before the final questionnaire will be released.)

We imagine that the results of our study

1. will trigger useful discussion among Linux developpers, thus making rather intuitively developed success factors more conscious,
2. will provide the ongoing discussion of the Open Source phenomenon with solid statistical data and an analysis,
3. might work out a general devise or structure how to optimize development processes that can be used for new Linux (or other Open Source) project, and
4. give an indication, how the successful Open Source model can be transferred to fields other than software developpment.

Open Source Process

In our project, we will not only investigate the mechanism of an Open Source development, but also use its concepts for the study itself. (This can somehow be seen as a field study relating to the last point mentioned above). The development of the questionnaire and the evaluation of its results will be conducted as an open process with an associated mailing list. Furthermore, our project will be announced on the Linux-kernel mailing list similar as other Linux-related projects. Contributors from the Open Source community and interested individuals are invited to participate in the design of the questionnaire. The study with the final questionnaire will then be conducted as a Web form.

Privacy and Anonymity

Since some of the questions in the questionnaire are of a personal nature, privacy will be an issue. German laws impose strict regulations on the treatment of personal data. Hence, we will only save the answers to the questions and no further information (IP address, etc.). If you want to care for you privacy yourself, you can use an anonymizing service such as beHidden.com or Anonymizer.com.

Procedure

There is a table of our planned procedure. The actual step is highlighted:

1. Annoucement of the study in the linux-kernel mailing list, including a link to a webpage on which the procedure is explained in more detail - as well as our motivation for the study.
2. Opening of a mailing list (for about 4 weeks) to discuss crucial factors and processes that were conditional to Linux project. The goal of the mailing list a the design of the questionnaire.
3. Start of the questionnaire on the Internet (feb. 15th. 2000)
4. Presentation of the results on the Internet
5. Discussion of the questionnaire results via the mailing list.

About us

Prof. Guido Hertel

Is a psychologist interested in team processes such as cooperation, trust development, fairness, and motivation for high performance. Currently he is working on a management concept for virtual teams. Linux development can be seen as an excellent example for a successful virtual cooperation.

Sven Niedner

Is a physicist working in the field of plasma turbulence. He is a long-time Linux user since kernel release 0.97 and thus followed the success story of Linux from the beginning.

Stefanie Hermann

Is a psychologist interested in work, organizational and consumer psychology as well as the usage of new media in daily work.