2. The talk I was supposed to give:
How to Bring an Open Source
Application Into the Mainstream
3. But there are some problems with the premise:
1. every project is different
2. context really, really matters
3. lots of strategies are not “open” or “closed”
4. There are lots of examples of wonderful open source successes :
...but no clear models for how to get there.
5. So instead:
Lessons from Mozilla:
7 insights, 2 problems
& some thoughts for 2009
8. about:Mozilla
1. a global, open source project
2. a community of thousands of creators
3. a mission-oriented organization
4. a public benefit company and subs
5. the maker of Firefox & Thunderbird
9. about:Mozilla
Mozilla’s Mission:
To promote choice and
innovation on the Internet
10. the Web is too important...
seriously.
that’s it.
11. about:Mozilla
•Mozilla project started in 1998 within Netscape
•Mozilla Foundation started in 2003
•approximately 200 employees in 20 countries
•40% of code contributed by non-employees
•testing community of 20,000+
•current reach is more than 220 million users
17. Insight #2
Push (most) decision-making
to the edges
18. The Strongest Open Systems are Chaords
1. distributed decision-making
2. nodal authority
3. ways to route around
http://upload.wikimedia.org/
wikipedia/en/d/d2/
Internet_map_1024.jpg
19. Characteristics of Chaords (coined by Dee Hock)
1. exhibit characteristics of both chaos & order
2. regularly yield surprising innovation
3. highly robust & scalable systems
examples: the Internet, Visa, Wikipedia
20. Mozilla is a Chaord
1. high agreement on core values
2. decision-making rests with module owners
3. groups have distinct ways of working
4. many decision-makers outside the “official” org
5. communication is central
21. Insight #3
Communication will happen
in every possible way
(so make sure it’s reusable)
47. Citizens are noisy...
“Fitts’ says bigger
“The URL bar should
buttons are better.” “What’s with the
be removed.”
dirty house?”
“There should be
“My mom doesn’t “Nobody uses the “Add support for
a preference setting.”
understand tabs.” ‘Go’ button.” BitTorrent.”
“OpenID is the future!”
“That’s great!”
“Everyone uses tags,
not bookmarks.”
“I love tabs!”
“The profile manager
should be redesigned.”
“Add support for
Ogg Vorbis.”
“That’s awful”
“Closebuttons are better at
the end of the tabstrip.”
63. Questions & Discussion
John Lilly - lilly@mozilla.com
All content CC-Attribution
Thanks & apologies & materials borrowed from:
Mike Beltzner, Chris Beard, the Mozilla Community