November 15, 2009

I just finished reading Two Bits by Christopher Kelty.

I haven’t really had time to sit and think too much about it yet, but one thing that does jump out at me immediately is that the author is an anthropologist first and a ‘geek’ second (if at all).

This makes me a bit reflexive in my own work in that I think of myself as equally a geek and anthropologist. To me, they go hand in hand.

While he seemed to look at his research and knowledge of open source software and the culture that surrounds it in such a way that it was, say, elevated due to its scientific nature (take chapter 8 for example), I want mine to be on the level and completely accessible to those for whom it is about. Scientific of course, but purposeful and usable as well.

I suppose this is also the difference between applied and theoretical anthropology in that it is my goal to perform my research FOR an open source community rather than ON open source culture.

I think I’ll definitely give this book a second read, it deserves at least that. I have to say though, it’s not quite what I expected it would be.