Wayne, WOW this is such an interesting posting that I hardly know where to start. As I read through your reflections and assertions dozens of questions rose to the surface. This being the case, I am going to start with a very general observation and question, but I also want to invite others to respond to Wayne's posting and to the comments (like this one) that are also posted.
Observation: Clearly, as I read your posting I see a strong relationship developing between Open Source Software (OSS) and Open Educational Resources (OER). I believe that as this series progresses some of those relationships and connections will be reinforced, refined, and challenged. I am actually very happy to see OSS and OER being treated together, but feel then that it is important that we understand the relationships and, as importantly, what impact they have on education.
Question: I have the sneaking suspicion that the really important touchstones between OSS and OER are not so much with the code or content, but more with the nature of the rules around distribution - that is the level of “Freedom” that is conferred to individuals and organizations that can potentially use and benefit from the assets (physical assets as well as the development of community). So, what do you think are the characteristics that allow us to talk about OSS and OER at the same time, what can the OSS and OER communities learn from each other, and how do both OS and OER impact on education?
I know that these questions are large, but perhaps the responses do not need to be.
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