Update 2010-06-19: Descriptions of the theses can now be found on StudOn. Check them out! (If you don’t see them, you are not logged in.) Topics crossed out below have been picked up by students already.
We just updated our set of open source theses topics. They cover technology, software process, legal/law, and business/economics. These are the headlines:
Best Practices of Adopting Open Source in Software Products- Migrating Community Open Source to Commercial Open Source
- Packaging Software from conflicting Open Source Components
Codifiying Open Source’s Best Collaboration PracticesIntroducing Agile Methods and Open Source to Student TeamsEstimating Open Source Growth and the Software End-game- Case Study: TikiWiki—Success Against Common Wisdom?
- When to Open Source and When Not
Please find detailed descriptions on the ground floor of the Blaues Hochhaus (Martensstr. 3) or on the Professorship’s floor (4th floor). Both boards are right next to the elevators.
What about the topic “Migrating Commercial Open Source to Community Open Source” ?
Great topic! Would you like to take it on? What would be your research hypothesis?
Thanks, but I fear that I am to old and leave that topic to others. But can provide input if that would be helpful.
My hypothesis is that there often are compelling reasons to move from commercial to community Open Source and also from Closed Source directly to community Open Source (if such an alternative exists). And there are also reasons for certain commercial Open Source projects (or parts of them) to become community Open Source projects. You already dealt with some of these reasons in a few of your papers.
People are becoming more and more aware of the fact that there is not just Closed Source and Open Source but that there are different kinds of Open Source licenses and also that the license is not the the only aspect of an Open Source project which is important. The “market” of Open Source projects is becoming more transparent.
So far I have not seen recent empirical research in that area: What do software users know about Open Source (and how is that knowledge developing over time)? What do *they* care about?
whats the best thesis topic i can cover in 3 months,in a 3rd world country?about open source software
Hi, thesis topics depend strongly on the interest of your advisor. You can use our ideas for inspiration, but I advise you find an advisor you can work with first. Good luck! –Dirk
wonderful topics!
It would be great if we can see detailed descriptions here.