Benevolent Dictator for Life: Difference between revisions

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'''''Benevolent Dictator for Life''''' ('''BDFL''') is an informal title, sometimes uses humorously, given to an individual in an [[open source]] development community, who is usually also the founder or originator of the project. The term was [http://fringe.davesource.com/Fringe/Computers/Philosophy/Homesteading_The_Noosphere/homesteading-15.html first coined] by [[Eric Raymond]] in his book <i>[[Homesteading the Noosphere]]</i>, referring to a project structure where "a project has multiple co-maintainers working under a single 'benevolent dictator' who owns the project'"
'''''Benevolent Dictator for Life''''' ('''BDFL''') is the informal title given to a respected individual in the [[open source]] development community who sets general directions and makes final calls in certain situations within the scope of a given project. The term "Benevolent Dictator" is [http://fringe.davesource.com/Fringe/Computers/Philosophy/Homesteading_The_Noosphere/homesteading-15.html first used] in the open source development context by [[Eric Raymond]] in his book <i>[[Homesteading the Noosphere]]</i> to refer to a project structure in which "a project has multiple co-maintainers working under a single `benevolent dictator'"
<ref>''Homesteading the Noosphere'', ch. 15.</ref>.


A "benevolent dictator" (or '''Benevolent Dictator for Life''') is the person who effectively holds dictator-like powers over that project, yet is trusted by other users/developers not to abuse this power. The term is used humorously, because the "subjects" of the project leader contribute voluntarily, and the end-product may be used by everyone. A dictator in this context has power only over the process, and that only for as long as the trust remains. Examples include [[Linus Torvalds]] for the [[Linux kernel]]; [[Guido van Rossum]] for the [[Python programming language]]; [[Larry Wall]] for the [[Perl programming language]].
According to Raymond, who cites [[Emacs]] and [[Linux]] as examples of Open Source project lead by a "Benevolent Dictator," this dictator is usually the owner or maintainer of the project, and his dictatorship is mainly used to solve the 'who decides' problem in Open Source project.  


Of course, a project coordinator cannot really be anything like a [[dictator]] in the sense that one ultimately cannot enforce a decision, since a project [[fork (software)|fork]] is always possible.
Some examples of "Benevolent Dictators" are [[Linus Torvalds]] with the [[Linux kernel]], [[Guido van Rossum]] with the [[Python programming language]], and [[Larry Wall]] for the [[Perl programming language]].


Not all, or even most, open source projects have a BDFL.
==Comments==
 
<div style="font-size: 85%"><references/></div>
The title is an [[portmanteau]] of [[benevolent dictator]] and [[president for life]].
 
==See also==
* [[List of Benevolent Dictators for Life]]


[[Category:Free software culture and documents]]
[[Category:Free software culture and documents]]

Revision as of 10:09, 1 November 2006

Benevolent Dictator for Life (BDFL) is an informal title, sometimes uses humorously, given to an individual in an open source development community, who is usually also the founder or originator of the project. The term was first coined by Eric Raymond in his book Homesteading the Noosphere, referring to a project structure where "a project has multiple co-maintainers working under a single 'benevolent dictator' who owns the project'" [1].

According to Raymond, who cites Emacs and Linux as examples of Open Source project lead by a "Benevolent Dictator," this dictator is usually the owner or maintainer of the project, and his dictatorship is mainly used to solve the 'who decides' problem in Open Source project.

Some examples of "Benevolent Dictators" are Linus Torvalds with the Linux kernel, Guido van Rossum with the Python programming language, and Larry Wall for the Perl programming language.

Comments

  1. ↑ Homesteading the Noosphere, ch. 15.
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