Open Source Communities! I want to know about YOU!

[JEmmons]

I know this doesn't really belong on this forum but it seemed like the best place to get it seen by the people I want it to be seen by so I would appreciated it if it was not moved, or at least not moved until it has served its purpose.

I am a CS major doing research on open source software communities. I am interested in the way an opensource community functions and operates, specifically the humanities and logistical side of the problem and not so much the technical side. I am trying to get a better understanding on how the communities are managed and ran. But sadly finding information on the subject has been difficult so instead I decided that a better solution would be to just ask(hence why I am here). I chose you guys because VLC is a relativity small community(hopefully more tightly nit) but still a large project, and because VLC is awesome! I just want to know more about you guys.

So I come to you oh wise elders of open source, share with me your wisdom.

All I ask is that is that you guys answer some questions and hopefully we can generate some interesting discourse in this thread.
Most of these questions are really open ended to try and just get you guys to talk.

-How did you get involved?
-Why do you do it?(work on the project I mean)
-Are you paid?
-Is any one paid?
-How is every one managed?
-Is their a hierarchy?
-If their is, who is at the top?
-How is open source different from working on a regular project(say at a company or what have you)?
-How does one contribute?
-Are their any rules or procedures concerning contributing?
-How do you make sure not just any one can contribute?
-Has any one been kicked out? If so why?
-Are all opinions equal? Or do some people have more power than others?
-How are things decided?
-What would you say are the communities values?(really ambiguous question here)
-What would you say are the reasons that open source tends to be so much cheaper than its alternatives. (pretty ambiguous as well)

That seems like enough for now. You don't have to answer all of them, just what you feel comfortable with. If you guys don't want to talk to me, I guess that fine too, I guess I would go and try to see if the GIMP people will talk to me...

Thanks for reading c:

[techtonik]

> If you guys don't want to talk to me, I guess that fine too, I guess I would go and try to see if the GIMP people will talk to me...

LOL. =)