Why Collaborative Intelligence is Working for Open Source

The virtual world is without limits — a vast, unrelenting thing. It’s filled to countless individuals, all trying to find connections, seek reason among the servers.

That intention didn’t always succeed: the processes were too singular and the networks were too divided. There was too much dissonance among the masses and not enough effort.

The introduction of the open source culture changed that, however — because it demanded collaborative intelligence.

As its name implies, collaborative intelligence is the gathering of separate entities, utilizing differing thoughts to achieve a shared goal. It is defined by participation, ensuring that all members of a group are able to contribute. This is — the theory suggests — the only way to ensure quality; and its effect on the open source mentality has proven this theory correct again and again.

Higher Standards, Greater Rewards

Software is to be shaped by vendors — this was once the belief of the masses, was thought to true. All standards were to be created by corporations, accepted blindly by those who were most effected by them. The emergence of the open source culture, however, defied this.

The desire was to address the concerns of the individual, not force him to use what didn’t apply. It was only through collaborative intelligence that this desire could succeed, though. Countless users had to work together to learn what was needed, what was loathed and what was possible. Applications were changed; their uses were improved; and the reward was quality. That reward continues even today.

Creative Process, Fewer Boundaries

Slow thoughts, stifled notions: the creative process is a fickle thing. It demands inspiration but doesn’t always provide it; it requires perfection but can be quickly swayed. And an individual can suffer from failure with surprising ease — simply because he’s alone and is unable to see an idea from all perspectives.

His glances are instead too contained. Collaborative intelligence, however, seeks to change that. It allows users to work together, examining the same problems but forming different solutions for them. It takes advantage of the talents of the many to tame the concerns of a singular issue. And open sources can be rewritten, redefined and made better because of this. All flaws can be found and fixed.

Network Effect, Success Strengthened

It’s the dull drag of a page, the clumsy browser support: a site has become popular, is no longer buried amongst the obscurity of the Internet; and millions are flocking to it, straining the servers and damaging the downloads. This is the sad end of the network effect (the steady build of a specific site’s value, the gain of users).

It renders the Internet futile. Collaborative intelligence, though, can help to strengthen it. The open movement — due to its nature of multiple supports and peer driven exchanges — divides the processes among endless sources. This ensures that the network effect can maintain critical mass without ever exceeding it. Collaboration shapes it to convenience.

BOTTOM LINE

Victory can’t be achieved through independent efforts. Ease can’t be found when all attempts are disconnected. Open sources must rely on the many to solve the worries of the few. Together all can succeed.

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