Moodle postings (MP1-MP6)
For each of these assignments, you must read the assigned reading carefully, take notes on important points, and be ready to discuss the content in class. You must also post at least one question worthy of discussion to the relevant Moodle forum. Optionally, you may reply to others’ questions and post additional questions yourself.
During discussion sessions, no use of electronic devices will be permitted. Therefore, it is essential to bring some handwritten or typed notes with you to class, so that you can refer to essential information from the readings during the discussion. If you attend more than one discussion session without bringing suitable notes, you will be considered absent and an additional blog post will be required (see below).
Two of the required readings below refer to the following publication as “Fogel”: Producing Open Source Software: How to Run a Successful Free Software Project, by Karl Fogel (first published 2005 by O’Reilly Media; free online version updated 2019).
If you are absent from a discussion session or required event (regardless of whether your absence is excused in advance or not), you must still post a discussion question as described above, and you must write a blog post about the reading or event. In your blog post, discuss and respond to one or more of the questions posted by other students. Your post should be made publicly available online somewhere (e.g. tumblr.com). The post must be at least 800 words in length. Submit a link to your blog post to the Moodle forum. The link must be submitted within three days of our discussion session.
MP1
Required reading: Fogel Chapter 1. 6000 words; about 30 minutes’ reading.
- Post discussion questions to MP1 Moodle forum.
MP2
Required reading: parts of Fogel Chapter 6. The first two sections (Written Culture and You Are What You Write) are required reading. The section on Avoiding Common Pitfalls is recommended reading. The rest of the chapter is also worthwhile and is optional extra reading. Required component: 5000 words; about 25 minutes’ reading.
- Post discussion questions to MP2 Moodle forum.
MP3
The required “reading” is actually an episode of the Good Robot podcast, hosted by Dr Eleanor Drage and Dr Kerry Mackereth of Cambridge University. You can listen to it and/or read the transcript. The length of the audio is about 30 minutes.
- The specific episode is from December 26, 2022, entitled Su Lin Blodgett on Creating Just Language Technologies, available as audio or transcript.
- Post discussion questions to MP3 Moodle forum.
MP4
Required reading: selections from The Cathedral and the Bazaar: Musings on Linux and Open Source by an Accidental Revolutionary, by Eric Raymond (originally published 1999 by O’Reilly Media). Available in html at catb.org or PDF via Moodle.
The required parts of this reading are the first five sections (from “The Cathedral and the Bazaar” to “How Many Eyeballs Tame Complexity” inclusive) and the 11th section (titled “The Social Context of Open-Source Software”). However, it is recommended to read the entire document. Required portions: 7000 words; about 35 minutes’ reading. Entire document: 18000 words; about 90 minutes’ reading.
Post discussion questions to MP4 Moodle forum.
MP5
Required reading: How to Ask Good Technical Questions–the Ultimate Guide by software developer Nabil Tharwat, June 2011.
Post discussion questions to MP5 Moodle forum.