Introduction

The Internet has undergone significant transformations since its inception, evolving from a limited information retrieval system to a global platform for knowledge sharing and collaboration. This paper traces the development of web technologies, focusing on the emergence of open source models in the mid-1990s and their impact on the proliferation of personal websites, portals, and blogs. It examines how these changes have facilitated knowledge sharing and the development of collective intelligence.

The Evolution of Web Technologies

Early Limitations

In the early 1990s, the client-server model was not fully developed, leading to technological constraints that limited the widespread creation of personal websites. Enterprise Resource Planning Systems, for instance, required the installation of pseudo-client programs to enable server-client connections (Author, Year).

Current Landscape

Today, web applications are globally accessible, and the number of web users has increased dramatically. This evolution coincides with the emergence of open source web technologies such as Apache HTTP Server, MySQL, and PHP (Author, Year).

The Open Source Model and Knowledge Evolution

The contributions of the open source model to knowledge evolution can be analyzed from two perspectives: openness and collective efforts.

Openness in Software Development

Traditionally, software developers focused on proprietary software with restrictive licenses. The open source model, popularized in the mid-1990s, aimed to create high-quality software with guaranteed public use and development rights (Carrillo & Okoli, 2009).

Rights and Obligations in Open Source

Carrillo and Okoli (2009) outline several key rights and obligations associated with open source software:

  1. Full access to source code
  2. Unrestricted right to run the program
  3. Right to modify source code
  4. Right to distribute original and modified software
  5. Right to know about open source rights
  6. Obligation to distribute derivatives under General Public License (GPL)

These rights have enabled continuous growth in technology and knowledge by allowing unrestricted testing, modification, and enhancement of open source code.

Collective Intelligence and Open Source Communities

Formation of Spontaneous Communities

The openness characteristic of the open source model has led to the creation of spontaneous communities where individuals with common interests can propose ideas and work towards resolving shared problems.

Platforms for Non-Developers

Open source models have provided platforms for non-developers to share information via the World Wide Web. Content management systems like Joomla, Drupal, and WordPress, built on open source components, enable large numbers of people to contribute to and share data.

The Power of Collective Efforts

Analogies from Nature

The concept of collective intelligence is often illustrated through analogies from nature, such as bee colonies. As noted in “Collective Intelligence” (P.V.F., 1991), individual contributions may be insignificant, but the combined efforts result in a more intelligent and capable entity.

Homogeneity and Organization in Groups

Weschsler (1971) argues that the success of collective efforts in problem-solving is related to the degree of homogeneity and level of inner organization within a group. This contrasts with unorganized crowds, which often fail to achieve goals due to a lack of common purpose.

Swarm Intelligence

Miller (2007) highlights the concept of swarm intelligence, demonstrating how collective efforts can solve complex problems that are beyond the capabilities of individuals. This principle applies to both insect colonies and human social networks.

Conclusion

The open source model has significantly contributed to the evolution of knowledge sharing and collective intelligence. By providing flexible platforms for collaboration and centralization of efforts, it has enabled the rapid advancement of web technologies and the creation of diverse online communities. The success of these collective efforts relies on the presence of common goals and motivations, demonstrating the power of unified purpose in problem-solving and knowledge creation.

References

Carrillo, K., & Okoli, C. (2009). The Open Source Movement: A Revolution In Software Development. Journal of Computer Information Systems, 1-9.

Miller, P. (2007). Swarm Theory. National Geographic, 212(1), 126-147.

P.V.F. (1991). Collective Intelligence. Country Journal, 18(6), 10.

Weschsler, D. (1971). Concept of Collective Intelligence. American Psychologist, 26(10), 904-907.