The article examines the motivations behind contributions to free and open-source software (f/oss) projects, identifying intrinsic motivations such as enjoyment and creative flow, as well as extrinsic motivations like financial incentives and community obligations. It highlights the demographic profile of contributors, including a predominantly male population with an average age of 30 and various forms of training. The findings suggest that both intrinsic and extrinsic factors coexist, and that being paid does not negatively impact creativity in contributions.

1. Why hackers do what they do: Understanding Motivation and Effort in Free / Open Source Software Projects Authors of this article: Karim R. Lakhani and Robert G. Wolf Praveen AP CS 286 Open Source Development

2. Introduction What makes F/OSS developers to contribute? What is the motivation? Intrinsic Motivation Enjoyment based Intrinsic Motivation Obligation / Community based Intrinsic Motivation Extrinsic Motivation

3. Motivation Intrinsic Motivation Inherent satisfaction Enjoyment based Intrinsic Motivation Activities were pursued for the sake of enjoyment FLOW When the skill matches with the challenge F/OSS developers seek good flow states to avoid anxiety or boredom Obligation / Community based Intrinsic Motivation Acting on the basis of principle, adherence to norms Community goal is strongest when private gain seeking is minimized. Balance money & fun

4. Motivation Extrinsic Motivation Incentives induces people Benefits exceed the costs Immediate & Delayed benefits Use of software product & Career advancement, Improving programming skills, Assessment through code contributions Who are those developers? 97.5% Male Avg age: 30yrs 51% University level training , 9% on the job training, 40% self taught Students made 19.5% Average Computer Programming experience 11.8 years

5. Payment status and Efforts Paid Participants Paid contributors Direct payments & supervisor’s awareness Effort in projects 14.1 average hours spent/week

6. Creativity and Flow Creativity Flow

7. Motivations to contribute to F/OSS Community Economic/Extrinsic based motivations Obligation/Community based motivations

8. Motivations Cluster 1 (%) Cluster 2 (%) Cluster 3 (%) Cluster 4 (%) Work need 91 8 12 28 Nonwork need 11 100 0 2 Intellectually stimulating 41 45 69 12 Improves skill 20 43 72 19 Work with team 17 16 28 19 Code should be open 12 22 42 64 Beat proprietary software 11 8 9 19 Community reputation 14 8 11 13 Professional status 25 6 22 18 Obligation from use 23 20 6 83 Paid for contribution 86 18 26 32 Total percentage of sample in each cluster 25 27 29 19

9. Findings Creative exercise leads to useful output Being paid feeling creative have no negative impact Production – consumption activity To participate and contribute to the creation of public good None dominates or destroys the efficacy of the other(Intrinsic, extrinsic) Majority is creativity Being paid & writing code = ½ the weight of creativity Caring about the reputation = 1/3 the weight of creativity

10. Critics The project is controlling your creativity and not you. Is not it?