[Novalug] Explaining tech to the non-tech minded

[David A. Hammond]

List,

While I think all of the answers that have come through so far
do a great job of explaining the ethos of free software, I
think they have missed the mark of what the original querent
asked.

Here is what I focused on:

> It strikes me that very few policymakers understand the actual
> mechanics of how an open source community works -- from software
> repositories, to Concurrent Version Systems (CVS) tools, to patch
> contribution, to Peer Review, and collaboration. The organic aspect of the
> project.

I also focused on this:

> But, I suspect that you could create a presentation that quickly -- and
> hopefully graphically -- goes through the steps that is at the heart of the
> open sources collaborative process -- which results in software.


What I get from these quotes is he wants the actual steps and mechanics,
not the ethos.  If I knew enough, I would try to answer.  Can someone
else (who preferably has led a moderate sized project) try?

On the other hand, maybe the rest of you have it right.  I have had a
non-technical manager try to show off his technical-fu by asking me a
technical question and then get totally misled by the correct answer.
If he had asked a non-technical question about what he really wanted
to know, I could have given a non-technical answer that informed him.
It was funny when it happened, though.  (My boss was watching and
splitting his sides.)

Dave

Megan Larko wrote:
> Hello Folks,
> 
> As a member of the Tux.Org Board of Directors (BoD) I happened to receive the 
> following email message with a query of how to explain FOSS cooperation and 
> development to the non-technically or business minded.
> 
> I'm coming to the List for suggestions/analogies/pictograms/anything.
> 
> I am also reprinting part of the letter below for your perusal.
> 
> megan 
> 
> -------------------  Reprint  ----------------------------
>  I think it would be very informative and
> interesting if Tux.org could graphically illustrate how a community of users
> (and corporations alike) collaborate to develop and evaluate open source
> software. It strikes me that very few policymakers understand the actual
> mechanics of how an open source community works -- from software
> repositories, to Concurrent Version Systems (CVS) tools, to patch
> contribution, to Peer Review, and collaboration. The organic aspect of the
> project.
> 
> For the layperson, this grassroots process probably seems incomprehensible.
> But, I suspect that you could create a presentation that quickly -- and
> hopefully graphically -- goes through the steps that is at the heart of the
> open sources collaborative process -- which results in software.
> 
>