Why do people contribute to open source software?

: the motivations of the different contributors to OSS projects, and how their participation is characterized

Abstract

Open source software has seen a significant evolution in the last few years. From relatively
niche products and free alternative solutions to mass commercial software, OSS has been
adopted by some of the largest companies in technology as a viable mean to create some of
the most used programs and operating systems nowadays.
The past research on this topic has approached the benefits of this perspective, the roles
within the communities and the motivations of its contributors. However, there has not been
research that has approached a detailed definition of the profiles within these communities,
and how these contributors are motivated.
In this research, we defined four profiles within the OSS communities, based on personality
traits, as well as taking into account the reasons that lead them to choose the project in which
they participate. Furthermore, we characterized these profiles of contributors from the nature
of their contribution in OSS projects to demographics. Finally, we assessed the main
motivations that drive each of these groups, finding that there are significant differences of
motivations between the profiles, particularly in an intrinsic level. Finally, we assessed the
difference between groups concerning reasons for contributors to increase their participation,
and found, once again, that there are significant differences between groups in what would
lead them to participate more. This research found that there is potential for organizations to
select the contributors that are a better fit for their communities, and target their motivations
and preferred incentives.

Date of Award	26 Jul 2017
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Cláudia Isabel de Sousa Costa (Supervisor)