This document discusses open-source software as an infinite game. It summarizes the concept of finite versus infinite games from a book, where finite games are played to win and infinite games are played for the sake of continuing play. It then gives examples of how open-source allows individuals to continue contributing code even after leaving companies and allows companies to find and retain talent by participating in open-source communities. Open-source is described as an infinite game that requires collaboration.

1. Open-Source:
An Infinite Game
M. Denker
S. Ducasse

2. Some ESUG past…

3. Book Presentation

4. Book Suggestion

6. We should have a
book session at esug

7. Today

9. Strange Book

10. Interesting Book

11. "The wisdom held in this
brief book now informs
most of what I do in life."
Kevin Kelly

12. There are at least two
kinds of games.

13. One could be called
finite, the other, infinite.

14. A finite game is played
for the purpose of
winning

15. An infinite game is played
for the purpose of
continuing the play

16. Book is more than
that (and a bit odd)

17. Interesting way to
look at what you do

18. “…resolves my uncertainties
about what to do next. Easy:
always choose infinite games”
Kevin Kelly

19. Open-source as an
infinite game

20. 1. For the Individual

21. Story one

22. X worked Z years on
a business

23. But business failed and
position got
“compressed”

24. X did not have any
code legally in his hand

25. Story two

26. Company Z is
successful, project X is
nice

27. Company K “merged”
company Z

28. Project X does not fit
the new vision

29. Xxx years of efforts
thrown away

30. For Individuals, work
done in companies are
often finite games

31. Do not die with the
company

32. Contribute to Open
Source and be part of
a community!

33. 2. For Companies

34. A company should be
an Infinite Game

35. e.g. Toyota

36. Would be a nice Book

37. Here: Open Source

38. Of course not everything
has to be open source

39. But it has a space even
in a company where the
product is closed

40. Finding Talent

41. Find experts inside a
community
Find future real
colleagues within a
community

42. Story three

43. Company X was looking for
CTO and hired a “super smart”
guy without the possibility to
really look at his achievements

44. How a company could do that?
No idea.
But it did :( and miserably failed

45. Be wary about a
developer you cannot
browse source code…

46. Retaining Talent

47. e.g. allow people to
contribute to a
community

48. An infinite game is played
for the purpose of
continuing the play

49. Open-source is an
infinite game

50. No one can play a
game alone

51. Links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finite_and_Infinite_Games
Speaker:
http://marcusdenker.de
http://stephane.ducasse.free.fr