Comments on: Are Co-ops the Ideal FOSS Business Structure? http://pundit.ca/2006/07/20/are-co-ops-the-ideal-foss-business-structure/ Ideas and the Internet, Josh Chalifour Minding the Current Mon, 04 Jul 2011 20:39:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Josh Chalifour http://pundit.ca/2006/07/20/are-co-ops-the-ideal-foss-business-structure/comment-page-1/#comment-92 Josh Chalifour Fri, 21 Jul 2006 12:10:13 +0000 http://www.pundit.ca/article/are-co-ops-the-ideal-foss-business-structure/#comment-92 Interesting idea, I had thought of Linux distributions or other things more in general, but I hadn't envisioned what a GYM sort've service might be like as a cooperative. I have a slightly easier time imagining something like a Linux distribution as a co-op because I see that already, there are many well-defined development/art/documentation/working groups existing, which could immediately form communities with a stake in the co-op. On the other hand, maybe your GYM-style web service would be more immediately accessible to a wider range of people. As you noted however, it could be difficult to make the concept appeal. Still, as you've clearly shown me, there are certainly other people out there thinking about this (well before the idea popped into my head). I wonder what are the downsides? What are the big problems to overcome that this hasn't already caught on? Interesting idea, I had thought of Linux distributions or other things more in general, but I hadn’t envisioned what a GYM sort’ve service might be like as a cooperative. I have a slightly easier time imagining something like a Linux distribution as a co-op because I see that already, there are many well-defined development/art/documentation/working groups existing, which could immediately form communities with a stake in the co-op. On the other hand, maybe your GYM-style web service would be more immediately accessible to a wider range of people. As you noted however, it could be difficult to make the concept appeal.

Still, as you’ve clearly shown me, there are certainly other people out there thinking about this (well before the idea popped into my head). I wonder what are the downsides? What are the big problems to overcome that this hasn’t already caught on?

]]> By: Web Co-op — Crazy? » Blog Archive » Tim O’Reilly: Unwitting Nexus of Web 2.0, FOSS, and The Future Web Co-op http://pundit.ca/2006/07/20/are-co-ops-the-ideal-foss-business-structure/comment-page-1/#comment-90 Web Co-op — Crazy? » Blog Archive » Tim O’Reilly: Unwitting Nexus of Web 2.0, FOSS, and The Future Web Co-op Fri, 21 Jul 2006 06:00:35 +0000 http://www.pundit.ca/article/are-co-ops-the-ideal-foss-business-structure/#comment-90 [...] Another blogger has read cooperative into Tim O’Reilly’s words: … I can’t help but think that maybe this is a chance for the dispersed, open, development model to wed its counterpart in business, the co-op. … [...] [...] Another blogger has read cooperative into Tim O’Reilly’s words: … I can’t help but think that maybe this is a chance for the dispersed, open, development model to wed its counterpart in business, the co-op. … [...]

]]> By: Sid Steward http://pundit.ca/2006/07/20/are-co-ops-the-ideal-foss-business-structure/comment-page-1/#comment-89 Sid Steward Fri, 21 Jul 2006 05:26:08 +0000 http://www.pundit.ca/article/are-co-ops-the-ideal-foss-business-structure/#comment-89 Hello- I just found your post via technorati. I've been kicking around co-op + foss ideas myself! I thought a co-op would be a perfect organization for web-based services like we see from GYM (goog, yhoo, msft) these days. I think it would make an especially interesting basis for a web 2.0 social platform. Community from the inside out, baby! If such a co-op used free software, it would naturally be helping to maintain the free software. Money could flow in via sponsorships or (*gulp*) user fees. However, on my webcoop blog[1] I've actually grown pessimistic about it. I had thought it might have mainstream appeal, but now I have my doubts. From my optimistic days: "It just seems to me that as these services integrate more closely into our lives, the need for a stronger social contract increases. This isn’t just about privacy, but also reliability and community. It would feel good to know that the service’s management is working harder for the user than the shareholder (crazy!). In a cooperative, the user is the shareholder, so no worries." [1] http://webcoop.wordpress.com/ Hello-

I just found your post via technorati. I’ve been kicking around co-op + foss ideas myself! I thought a co-op would be a perfect organization for web-based services like we see from GYM (goog, yhoo, msft) these days. I think it would make an especially interesting basis for a web 2.0 social platform. Community from the inside out, baby! If such a co-op used free software, it would naturally be helping to maintain the free software. Money could flow in via sponsorships or (*gulp*) user fees.

However, on my webcoop blog[1] I’ve actually grown pessimistic about it. I had thought it might have mainstream appeal, but now I have my doubts.

From my optimistic days:

“It just seems to me that as these services integrate more closely into our lives, the need for a stronger social contract increases. This isn’t just about privacy, but also reliability and community. It would feel good to know that the service’s management is working harder for the user than the shareholder (crazy!). In a cooperative, the user is the shareholder, so no worries.”

[1] http://webcoop.wordpress.com/

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