Abstract We give a plausible explanation of the power law distributions of degrees observed in the graphs arising in the Internet topology [5] based on a toy model of Internet growth in which two objectives are optimized simultaneously: "last mile " connection costs, and transmission delays measured in hops. We also point out a similar phenomenon, anticipated in [2], in the distribution of file sizes. Our results seem to suggest that power laws tend to arise as a result of complex, multi-objective optimization.

We propose a new model of knowledge creation in purposeful, loosely-coordinated, distributed systems, as an alternative to a firm-based one. Specifically, using the case of Linux kernel development project, we build a model of community-based, evolutionary knowledge creation to study how thousands of talented volunteers, dispersed across organizational and geographical boundaries, collaborate via the Internet to produce a knowledge-intensive, innovative product of high quality. By comparing and contrasting the Linux model with the traditional/commercial model of software development and firm-based knowledge creation efforts, we show how the proposed model of knowledge creation expands beyond the boundary of the firm. Our model suggests that the product development process can be effectively organized as an evolutionary process of learning driven by criticism and error correction. We conclude by offering some theoretical implications of our community-based model of knowledge creation for the literature of organizational learning, community life, and the uses of knowledge in society. Revision to #OS 00-1246RR I.

History repeatedly demonstrates that rural communities have unique technological needs. Yet, we know little about how rural communities use modern technologies, so we lack knowledge on how to design for them. To address this gap, our empirical paper investigates behavioral differences between more than 3,000 rural and urban social media users. Using a dataset collected from a broadly popular social network site, we analyze users ’ profiles, 340,000 online friendships and 200,000 interpersonal messages. Using social capital theory, we predict differences between rural and urban users and find strong evidence supporting our hypotheses. Namely, rural people articulate far fewer friends online, and those friends live much closer to home. Our results also indicate that the groups have substantially different gender distributions and use privacy features differently. We conclude by discussing design implications drawn from our findings; most importantly, designers should reconsider the binary friend-or-not model to allow for incremental trust-building. Author Keywords Social media, rural, digital divide, social network sites

This paper describes the evolution of the Linux operating system, and studies dynamics of socio-technical change using Linux as a case example. Theoretical models of community-based practice and learning are combined with actor-network theory, and the characteristics open source development model are described using the introduced theoretical concepts. The paper analyses the growth and development of Linux and its development community, and shows how the development community evolves into an ecology of community-centered practices. During the last couple of years, the Open Source development model has been on front pages of newspapers, and focus of much attention (e.g., DiBona, Ockman, & Stone, 1999

2003 I dedicate this thesis to my son, Shuntaro, who came into this world on December

Abstract. This paper presents an empirical analysis of a global software development relationship between a Norwegian client and Russian contractor for the redesign of a payroll system called SalarySystem. The empirical analysis, which involved multiple visits to both the Russian and Norwegian sites and meetings and interviews with people from different levels involved with the system, revealed some interesting insights into how the project was initiated, how it nearly degenerated into a breakdown situation, and how learning took place and the project was first salvaged and then was grown. The theoretical notion of embedded knowledge (Nicholson and Sahay 2004) is drawn upon, and extended to describe features of embedding arising from domain, language, and project management issues. Four mechanisms through which this embedding was negotiated are discussed: use of TestTool; use of test cases; use of ICQ; and increased face to face interaction. Key words: global software outsourcing, knowledge, embedded, Norway, Russia.

Assuming a rational perspective, the adoption and development of a new organisational technology can be viewed as a way to achieve an higher level of efficiency by finding the best way to fully exploit its potential. In other words, one might sustain that since organisations do initially ignore how to best deal with an innovative technology, they engage in a trial and error learning process that finally leads to the x-efficiency frontier. Once this knowledge is achieved, it will probably be spread around by external agents (e.g. consultants) enabling an imitative process. Thus in the long run all organisations will make almost the same efficient use of a mature organisational technology. In this paper we tried to explore how the same technology (eLearning) has been adopted by two diverse educational organisations. The patterns of development have been studied across time to verify if a progressive convergence has occurred. Results are providing some useful insights on what variables must be paid attention to when transferring a technological organisational innovation in a different setting. Keywords: Elearning; Complex Learning; Innovation Management. 1 THEORETICAL BACKGROUND

“[Telecommunications] should be universal, interdependent and intercommunicating, affording opportunity for any subscriber of any exchange to communicate with any other subscriber of any other exchange ” – Theodore Vail, AT&T President, 1907. “I think the content providers should be paying for the use of the network – obviously not the piece from the customer to the network, which has already been paid for by the customer in Internet access fees – but for accessing the so-called Internet cloud...If someone wants to transmit a high quality service with no interruptions and ‘guaranteed this, guaranteed that’, they should be willing to pay for that...They shouldn't get on and expect a free ride. ” – Ed Whitacre, AT&T CEO, 2006. The past year witnessed an extraordinary event. An otherwise obscure telecommunications policy debate spilled outside the rarefied airs of Congressional Committees and the Federal Communications Commission’s eighth floor to rage across the Blogosphere, the

cost networking based on intermittent connectivity (rather than persistent connectivity as assumed by the Internet), 3) a user-interface toolkit that supports poor literacy through novel speech recognition, and supports a variety of sensors for environment and health applications, and 4) a three-tier architecture that uses proxies and data centers to support low-cost devices with more functionality, easier development, over-the-wire reprogramming, and usage monitoring for social science research. The expected 10-100 times reduction in device cost stems from the co-design of the devices and infrastructure, system-on-a-chip integration, and the extensive use of open standards. The 10-100 times reduction in device power usage stems from the use of low-power circuits, the need for less CPU power due to help from the infrastructure, and novel low-power intermittent networking. The 10100 times reduction in infrastructure cost comes largely from 1) the focus on intermittent networking, which

As wireless mobile technologies become central to contemporary living in urban areas, private service providers are undertaking directives to expand their broadband designs. Using critical policy analysis, this research examines city planning documents in cities with wireless broadband technology initiatives. It finds a disconnection between urban planning efforts and wireless technology policy that must be remedied to ensure democratic communication technology policies for the future.