November 20th, 2007
Can open source be applied to warfare?
John Robb (left) has spent the last few years writing about the open source process as applied to warfare, most notably in his book Brave New War.
He says the good guys may finally be getting the upper hand by applying those lessons.
When faced with terrorist militias, he suggests, allow the organic creation of counter-militia forces. An example is what happened in Iraq’s Anbar province, which the Bush Administration now trumpets as a success.
These forces may be beyond your control, just as an open source company may lack control over add-on developers. But they can hold chaos at bay long enough for forces of globalization, like economic growth and trade, to create peace.
Robb’s post may have serious lessons for open source projects, such as:
- Allow the agendas of developers to direct progress.
- Don’t force development in your own direction, except through your own investment.
- Fragmentation is better than chaos.
Mainly, Robb seems to be saying that central control doesn’t work, whether that’s the control of a government or an outside force. The resulting balance may not be to your liking, but it’s something that can be lived with.
Come to think of it, there are lessons for proprietary companies here as well.
Dana Blankenhorn has been a business journalist for 30 years, a tech freelancer since 1983. You can follow Dana on Twitter. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
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