But is he right? Internet Evolution - Andrew Keen - Economy to Give Open-Source a Good Thumping: "One of the very few positive consequences of the current financial miasma will be a sharp cultural shift in our attitude toward the economic value of our labor. Mass unemployment and a deep economic recession comprise the most effective antidote to the utopian ideals of open-source radicals. The altruistic ideal of giving away one's labor for free appeared credible in the fat summer of the Web 2.0 boom when social-media startups hung from trees, Facebook was valued at $15 billion, and VCs queued up to fund revenue-less 'businesses' like Twitter. But as we contemplate the world post-bailout, when economic reality once again bites, only Silicon Valley’s wealthiest technologists can even consider the luxury of donating their labor to the latest fashionable, online, open-source project."
First off note that "positive consequences": here's someone keen to see off stuff that rattles the cage of good ol' capitalism as we've grown to know and love it (let the reader understand). The article shows, imho, a misunderstanding of what's going on in open source and does that really equate with web2.0? I don't think so, no. Open source predates the 2000 start of bubble by, what? something like 10 years, if not more. Web2.0 has plenty of paid-for apps and clearly a number where the business model is ad-supported or loss-leader to sell premium services. Then there's the model that gives content away in order to sell other services or goods.
I think I'm unpersuaded by this thesis. Must try harder Mr Keen.
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