no fun

work, labor, action in free software

Christopher M. Kelty
UCLA, Information Studies + Center for Society and Genetics
~ckelty@ucla.edu$ date
Sat 14 Nov 1:30 EST 2009
~ckelty@rice.edu$ pwd
/NewSchool/InternetasPlaygroundFactory
http://www.ashersarlin.com/archives/2004/09/honestly_who_co.php
i = finitely lived individual
n = population of finitely lived individuals
w = continuous wage
Ti = individual i's finite time horizon
ri = rate of future discount
zi = utility flow from open source software
ci = one-time development cost
pi = one-time play value (homo ludens payoff)
gi = net utility flow (gift benefit)

J. Bitzer et al. / Journal of Comparative Economics 35 (2007) 160–169 165

“Now this last named element,
the fun of playing, resists all
analysis, all logical interpretation.
As a concept, it cannot be
reduced to any other mental
category.”
Johan Huizinga, Homo Ludens, p. 3
“Now this last named element,
the fun of playing, resists all
analysis, all logical interpretation.
As a concept, it cannot be
reduced to any other mental
category.”
Johan Huizinga, Homo Ludens, p. 3
Fun (play) Labor
Fun (play)
Labor?
Fun (play)
Labor
Work
Action
 Labor
Fun (play) life itself, the life
process, reproduction,
feeding, surviving

things made by hand,

outlasting the maker,
instantiating a durability
Work
words and deeds in a
web of relationships the
space of appearances.
Action
 oikos private sphere of deprivation
slavery, family, reproduction, labor

Labor
Fun (play) life itself, the life
process, reproduction,
feeding, surviving

solitude: making
things, crafting
institutions, crafting
things made by hand,
outlasting the maker,
instantiating a durability
Work
memories

words and deeds in a

web of relationships the
space of appearances.
Action

polis public realm, space of

appearances, agonistic competition for
recognition
 society. the problem of the
management of needs
oikos private sphere of deprivation extended to the population
slavery, family, reproduction, labor at large oikos-->economy

Labor
Fun (play) life itself, the life
process, reproduction,
feeding, surviving

solitude: making
things, crafting
institutions, crafting
things made by hand,
outlasting the maker,
instantiating a durability
Work
memories

words and deeds in a

web of relationships the
space of appearances.
Action

polis public realm, space of

appearances, agonistic competition for
recognition
 society. the problem of the
management of needs
oikos private sphere of deprivation extended to the population
slavery, family, reproduction, labor at large oikos-->economy

Labor
Fun (play) life itself, the life
process, reproduction,
feeding, surviving
public? solitude: making
things, crafting
institutions, crafting
things made by hand,
outlasting the maker,
instantiating a durability
Work
memories

words and deeds in a

web of relationships the
space of appearances.
Action

polis public realm, space of

appearances, agonistic competition for
recognition
 Labor? Work?

Mechanical turk tasks?

World of Warcraft Raids?
Wikipedia articles?
Free Software?
Action?
 Free Software as Action

recursive publics
work labor and action together