论文标题
开源软件基础的调查
A Survey of Software Foundations in Open Source
论文作者
论文摘要
已经创建了许多软件基础作为法律工具，以更好地阐明开源软件（OSS）项目的结构，协作和财务模型。一些例子是Apache，Linux或Mozilla基础。但是，这些基金会提供的使命和支持在很大程度上有所不同。在本文中，我们对基础在OSS开发中的作用进行了研究。我们分析了101个软件基础的性质，活动，角色和治理，然后更深入地了解27个具有具体目标的特定开源项目的开发和演变（而不仅仅是促进自由软件移动或类似的通用动作）。我们的结果揭示了存在大量基础的存在，其唯一目的是促进自由软件运动和/或将自己限制在核心法律方面，但在该项目的日常运营中不发挥任何作用（例如，用于各种项目的伞组织）。因此，尽管有用，但基金会并没有消除特定项目以制定自己的特定治理，贡献和发展政策的需求。一个网站可以帮助选择最适合其需求的基础的项目。
A number of software foundations have been created as legal instruments to better articulate the structure, collaboration and financial model of Open Source Software (OSS) projects. Some examples are the Apache, Linux, or Mozilla foundations. However, the mission and support provided by these foundations largely differ among them. In this paper we perform a study on the role of foundations in OSS development. We analyze the nature, activities, role and governance of 101 software foundations and then go deeper on the 27 having as concrete goal the development and evolution of specific open source projects (and not just generic actions to promote the free software movement or similar). Our results reveal the existence of a significant number of foundations with the sole purpose of promoting the free software movement and/or that limit themselves to core legal aspects but do not play any role in the day-to-day operations of the project (e.g., umbrella organizations for a large variety of projects). Therefore, while useful, foundations do not remove the need for specific projects to develop their own specific governance, contribution and development policies. A website to help projects to choose the foundation that best fits their needs is also available.
