COLLABORATIVE PRODUCTION OF FREE SOFTWARE: work and technology in the information society

Abstract

This article presents the collaborative production of free software, which takes place on opensource codes, emerging as an example of relations between work and innovative technology in the information society. It discusses the criticism of the political economy of the capitalist mode of production today, looking for evidence that the information and communication technologies modify the forms of social organization and production. The current capitalist production centralizes the information. Sharing information is part of the production process and is, at the same time, its main product. The sharing enables the intelligent organization. The sharing makes common, incessant basis for recreation. It follows that combine open source licenses with creative use can contribute to technological development faster than forms of industrial production. This combination can produce autonomous modes of life and enable the cooperative work and solidarity.