Open Source Software Development Projects: Determinants of Project Popularity

Arbeitspapier

This paper is an initial exploration of the determinants of open source project success as measured by project popularity. We simultaneously model the impact of project-specific characteristics on project popularity, and the impact of intended users and choice of operating system on the choice of end-user license. These models are jointly estimated using Full Information Maximum Likelihood Method. The results show that the software-user license, age of the project, project status, certain types of potential users, and compatibility with certain operating systems have a statistically significant impact on project popularity. An interesting finding is that GPL, the most widely used software license has an adverse impact on the popularity of an open source project.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: EERI Research Paper Series ; No. 2/2006

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Relation of Economics to Social Values ; Open Source Products and Markets ; Single Equation Models; Single Variables: General ; Data Collection and Data Estimation Methodology; Computer Programs: Other Computer Software
• Subject: Open source project ; OSS ; FLOSS

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Sen, Ravi
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Economics and Econometrics Research Institute (EERI)
• (where): Brussels
• (when): 2006

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/142507
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:42 AM CET