every FOSS booster has *got* to read dreaming in code. what you learn is that the very things FOSS is supposed to address (buggy code, lengthy release cycles, etc.) it isn't any better at doing than the proprietary, closed source approach. (note to miles: i really don't think anything is at all close to socialism when it comes to free software, and i really don't think open source models meet your criteria either.)
the other fascinating thing is that rosenberg shows how software developers are actually terrible at 'standing on the shoulders of giants' when building their code. they are also, and i think this is so true, simply not very self-reflective about their profession. with exceptions, they aren't inclined to read about, think about it, reflect on it beyond the day to day work of coding, or raise their head much and actually share ideas, lessons learned, history, etc.
so, whereas, when a bridge falls apart, there's an investigation, a report, a dissemination of ideas and lessons learned, nothing like that happens when it comes to software. and yet, software runs pretty much everything that determines how we live our lives.
rosenberg follows the fate of an open source software project - chandler -- that seems like it ought to be an exemplar of open source development and its so-called advantages (with enough eyes, all bugs are shallow; etc.)
but back to chandler, Rosenberg sets out thinking that the project has the advantage of being free of the conditions that are usually blamed for failed software projects:
-- it's generously funded by Mitch Kapor and, later, investors and grants
-- an abundance of big brains with plenty of experience under their belt
-- no hostile enemies out to sabotage them
it is still a huge failure -- in terms of taking forever to release, making bad decisions, the volunteer spirit of the community flags not just in terms of contribution but in terms of finding bugs in the first place (something like 2% of all bug finds come from the vaunted foss community)
6 years and millions of dollars later, chandler is not at all ready for prime time.