To Fork or Not to Fork: Fork Motivations in SourceForge Projects

Linus Morten Nyman; Tommi Mikkonen

To Fork or Not to Fork: Fork Motivations in SourceForge Projects

Linus Morten Nyman, Tommi Mikkonen

Information Systems Science, Helsinki

Tampere University

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Scientific › peer-review

22 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

A project fork occurs when software developers take a copy of source code from one software package and use it to begin an independent development work that is maintained separately from its origin. Although forking in open source software does not require the permission of the original authors, the new version, nevertheless, competes for the attention of the same developers that have worked on the original version. The motivations developers have for performing forks are many, but in general they have received little attention. In this paper, we present the results of a study of forks performed in SourceForge (http://sourceforge.net/) and list the developers’ motivations for their actions. The main motivation, seen in close to half of the cases of forking, was content modification; either adding content to the original program or focusing the content to the needs of a specific segment of users. In a quarter of the cases the motivation was technical modification; either porting the program to new hardware or software, or improving the original.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Open Source Systems: Grounding Research : IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology
Editors	Scott A. Hissam, Barbara Russo, Manoel G. de Mendonca, Fabio Kon
Place of Publication	Berlin, Heidelberg
Publisher	IFIP - International Federation for Information Processing
Publication date	2011
Pages	259-268
ISBN (Print)	978-3-642-24417-9
ISBN (Electronic)	978-3-642-24418-6
Publication status	Published - 2011
MoE publication type	A4 Article in conference proceedings
Event	IFIP International Conference on Open Source Systems - Salvador, Brazil Duration: 05.10.2011 → 08.10.2011 Conference number: 7th

Publication series

Name	IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology
Volume	365/2011
ISSN (Print)	1868-4238
ISSN (Electronic)	1868-422X

Keywords

113 Computer and information sciences
KOTA2011

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Nyman_Mikkonen_2011Final published version, 116 KBLicence: Other

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Nyman, L. M., & Mikkonen, T. (2011). To Fork or Not to Fork: Fork Motivations in SourceForge Projects. In S. A. Hissam, B. Russo, M. G. de Mendonca, & F. Kon (Eds.), Open Source Systems: Grounding Research: IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology (pp. 259-268). (IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology; Vol. 365/2011). IFIP - International Federation for Information Processing.

Nyman, Linus Morten ; Mikkonen, Tommi. / To Fork or Not to Fork: Fork Motivations in SourceForge Projects. Open Source Systems: Grounding Research: IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology. editor / Scott A. Hissam ; Barbara Russo ; Manoel G. de Mendonca ; Fabio Kon. Berlin, Heidelberg : IFIP - International Federation for Information Processing, 2011. pp. 259-268 (IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology).

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abstract = "A project fork occurs when software developers take a copy of source code from one software package and use it to begin an independent development work that is maintained separately from its origin. Although forking in open source software does not require the permission of the original authors, the new version, nevertheless, competes for the attention of the same developers that have worked on the original version. The motivations developers have for performing forks are many, but in general they have received little attention. In this paper, we present the results of a study of forks performed in SourceForge (http://sourceforge.net/) and list the developers{\textquoteright} motivations for their actions. The main motivation, seen in close to half of the cases of forking, was content modification; either adding content to the original program or focusing the content to the needs of a specific segment of users. In a quarter of the cases the motivation was technical modification; either porting the program to new hardware or software, or improving the original.",

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note = "This article was later published, by invitation, in the International Journal of Open Source Systems and Processes (IJOSSP), available at: http://www.igi-global.com/article/fork-not-fork/68147 Volume: Proceeding volume: ; IFIP International Conference on Open Source Systems ; Conference date: 05-10-2011 Through 08-10-2011",

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Nyman, LM & Mikkonen, T 2011, To Fork or Not to Fork: Fork Motivations in SourceForge Projects. in SA Hissam, B Russo, MG de Mendonca & F Kon (eds), Open Source Systems: Grounding Research: IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology. IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology, vol. 365/2011, IFIP - International Federation for Information Processing, Berlin, Heidelberg, pp. 259-268, IFIP International Conference on Open Source Systems, Salvador, Brazil, 05.10.2011.

To Fork or Not to Fork: Fork Motivations in SourceForge Projects. / Nyman, Linus Morten; Mikkonen, Tommi.
Open Source Systems: Grounding Research: IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology. ed. / Scott A. Hissam; Barbara Russo; Manoel G. de Mendonca; Fabio Kon. Berlin, Heidelberg: IFIP - International Federation for Information Processing, 2011. p. 259-268 (IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology; Vol. 365/2011).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Scientific › peer-review

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T1 - To Fork or Not to Fork: Fork Motivations in SourceForge Projects

AU - Nyman, Linus Morten

AU - Mikkonen, Tommi

N1 - Conference code: 7th

PY - 2011

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N2 - A project fork occurs when software developers take a copy of source code from one software package and use it to begin an independent development work that is maintained separately from its origin. Although forking in open source software does not require the permission of the original authors, the new version, nevertheless, competes for the attention of the same developers that have worked on the original version. The motivations developers have for performing forks are many, but in general they have received little attention. In this paper, we present the results of a study of forks performed in SourceForge (http://sourceforge.net/) and list the developers’ motivations for their actions. The main motivation, seen in close to half of the cases of forking, was content modification; either adding content to the original program or focusing the content to the needs of a specific segment of users. In a quarter of the cases the motivation was technical modification; either porting the program to new hardware or software, or improving the original.

AB - A project fork occurs when software developers take a copy of source code from one software package and use it to begin an independent development work that is maintained separately from its origin. Although forking in open source software does not require the permission of the original authors, the new version, nevertheless, competes for the attention of the same developers that have worked on the original version. The motivations developers have for performing forks are many, but in general they have received little attention. In this paper, we present the results of a study of forks performed in SourceForge (http://sourceforge.net/) and list the developers’ motivations for their actions. The main motivation, seen in close to half of the cases of forking, was content modification; either adding content to the original program or focusing the content to the needs of a specific segment of users. In a quarter of the cases the motivation was technical modification; either porting the program to new hardware or software, or improving the original.

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KW - KOTA2011

M3 - Conference contribution

SN - 978-3-642-24417-9

T3 - IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology

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EP - 268

BT - Open Source Systems: Grounding Research

A2 - Hissam, Scott A.

A2 - Russo, Barbara

A2 - de Mendonca, Manoel G.

A2 - Kon, Fabio

PB - IFIP - International Federation for Information Processing

CY - Berlin, Heidelberg

T2 - IFIP International Conference on Open Source Systems

Y2 - 5 October 2011 through 8 October 2011

ER -

Nyman LM, Mikkonen T. To Fork or Not to Fork: Fork Motivations in SourceForge Projects. In Hissam SA, Russo B, de Mendonca MG, Kon F, editors, Open Source Systems: Grounding Research: IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology. Berlin, Heidelberg: IFIP - International Federation for Information Processing. 2011. p. 259-268. (IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology).

To Fork or Not to Fork: Fork Motivations in SourceForge Projects

Abstract

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Keywords

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