Social Product Development in action: Linux

I'll admit it.  I'm a Linux user.  For those of you who don't know what Linux is, it's a computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution.  Essentially you can install it on just about any computer from very small to very large.  There are many versions to match just about anybody's desires.  And it is very secure.  Why do I bring up Linux in the context of Social Product Develop & Collaboration?

Linux is an example of how social collaboration has propelled innovation.  There are four essential ingredients: standards, findabilty, organic development and motivation.  Android development is a similar example of the explosive power of social product development.

What is curious to me is that this same social product development fabric does not exist in most product development companies.  There is very little use of social applications, people cannot find previous knowledge and they lack motivation to innovate.

Linux started in 1991 with the commencement of a personal project by a Finnish student, Linus Torvalds, to create a new free operating system kernel.  Linus developed a basic set of software applications and standards for how software programs would communicate with the hardware and between other software programs.   Since then, the resulting Linux kernel has grown constantly from a small number of C files under a license prohibiting commercial distribution to its state in 2009 of over 370 megabytes of source under the GNU General Public License.

If you have a question about Linux, you will find an answer.  There are thousands of blogs, personal websites and wikis all connected by google.  After a while you learn exactly how to phase the question to get a good answer.  I haven't seen this same information fabric exist in any company.

Linux develop organically.  There was no master plan.  A small group of people started sharing their knowledge, built on each other's knowledge, exchanged ideas and code all through social media means.  Now there is a huge developer community.  Again, where is this ability in most companies?

Why do people develop Linux?  Is it for the money?  Nope.  It's free software so it can't be for the money.  There is abundant research that says people are NOT motivated by money after their basic needs are met.  They are motivated by autonomy, mastery and purpose.  Developing a Linux app, you can essentially do what you want, program it to work the way you want it to work.  There is tremendous self-satisfaction when a person becomes a master developing software.  There is a deep purpose behind Linux.  Open software.

Bringing social tools and techniques inside companies can enable the same explosion in creativity and innovation.