The Struggle for Internet Freedom and the Rise of Digital Commons, Research Proposal Example

This research proposal is based upon the struggle for internet freedom and the rise of digital commons. Digital commons refers to the basis of open sourced applications, programs, software or other tools that allow interactions among users to better the tool overall. This freedom of collaboration allows for a greater sense of community and awareness for a product that is developed in a community environment. These digital commons are areas in which the community acts as a civil society in which they can express their interests, protect their rights and form in a collective of users in a symbiotic relationship. The research is based upon the benefits of this digital common or community, their ability to promote their interests as well as their ability to progress their passions. Ultimately, the question to be answered is “Is the digital commons successful in promoting group collaboration and execution of open source programs and how does it relate to corporate or standardized software development?”

The relevance to this course coincides with not only the development of the applications and programs but also the process and methodology in which the users and developers in the community interact and progress their interests. There is a basic workflow and key interactions that must occur between the users of the community within the lifecycle of their idea. From the first thoughts on what should be presented and implemented in the new system to the finalized and published iterations or enhancements rely on multiple variables that promote or negate the ability for the idea to come to fruition. The final format of this research will be presented in essay format based on the analysis of digital commons, open source environment and the comparison to their more structured counterparts.

Works Citied

Mackinnon, Rebecca. Consent of the networked. The worldwide struggle for internet freedom. New York. Perseus Books Group, 2013. Print.

Meeker, H. . The open source alternative: Understanding risks and leveraging opportunities. John Wiley and Sons, 2008. Print.

St. Laurent, Andrew. Understanding open source and free software licensing. Sebastopol, 2004. Print.

Steele, Robert. The open-source everything manifesto: transparency, truth, and trust. Berkeley, 2012. Print.