Free and Open Source Software and Communities

This class examines the free and open source software communities. By the end of the quarter you will be able to answer a variety of questions related to the open source ecosystem, from technical (how do I modify a large existing software project?) to cultural (what happens when someone in the community acts badly?) to legal (what are the different open source licenses and which one should I use?). The class has an equal focus on implementation and readings, in-class debates, and guest lectures.