Gençer, M.Özel, B.2024-07-182024-07-18201297836423344121868-4238https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-33442-9_27https://hdl.handle.net/11411/6253Microsoft Research;Google;SAMA Partners;Tampere University of Technology;Universite de Monastir8th IFIP WG 2.13 International Conference on Open Source Systems: Long-Term Sustainability, OSS 2012 -- 10 September 2012 through 13 September 2012 -- Hammamet -- 94201Open source software (OSS) presents opportunities and challenges for developers to exploit its commons based licensing regime by creating specializations of a software technology to address plurality of goals and priorities. By 'forking' a new branch of development separate from the main project, development diverges into a path in order to relieve tensions related to specialization, which later encounters new tensions. In this study, we first classify forces and patterns within this divergence process. Such tensions may stem from a variety of sources including internal power conflicts, emergence of new environmental niches such as demand for specialized uses of same software, or differences along stability vs. development speed trade-off. We then present an evolutionary model which combines divergence options available to resolve tensions, and how further tensions emerge. In developing this model we attempt to define open software evolution at the level of systems of software, rather than at individual software project level. © 2012 IFIP International Federation for Information Processing.eninfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessDivergenceForkingSoftware EvolutionSpecializationDivergenceEvolutionary ModelsForkingOpen SoftwareOpen Source SoftwareSoftware EvolutionSoftware ProjectSoftware TechnologySpecializationDivergenceEvolutionary ModelsForkingOpen SoftwareSoftware EvolutionSoftware ProjectSoftware TechnologySpecializationComputer SoftwareSustainable DevelopmentComputer SoftwareEnvironmental TechnologyOpen SystemsSoftware EngineeringSustainable DevelopmentOpen SystemsOpen Source SoftwareConference Object2-s2.0-8487035871810.1007/978-3-642-33442-9_27315Q3310378 AICT