NET24 - Case Study - Typo3

by Diane Russell

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One cannot look at the effects of the ‘Typo3 community’ in isolation from the’ technology Typo3’. They have become two parts of a whole. The very existence of the one feeds the other. So when we look at Typo3 the community we must also look at Typo3 the technology and the vision of its founder. Just as when we look at the Internet we cannot isolate it from its origins as a resilient communication system answerable to no single authority.

Typo3 is a system developed with the vision to inspire people to share and to jointly develop quality free software enabling people to communicate. The Typo3 community by the simple act of sharing their contributions inspires others. This aids communication which feeds the cycle.

The most profound effect I have observed over the last 6 years has been how Typo3 has affected people’s attitude to community and sharing both on and off line.

Most people I have introduced to this system, myself included, have followed a similar path. They start of thinking ‘ I’ll just use the system, after what can I really contribute, I’m not a programmer’. After using the system for a couple of moths the attitude changes, they become overawed by the power of the tool they have been handed. This is followed by a deep sense of gratitude and feeling of possibilities. As their skill level increases they invariably find ways of developing sites or systems that ‘give back’ to the greater community. This may not always be directly to the Typo3 community but it is to the greater Internet community. Most people happily acknowledge Typo3.

Why do I feel that Typo3 is a better example of a community than say Oscommerce?

It is because the community philosophy has permeated from the cyber environment into the real world. Newbies tend to start out with a ‘grab for resources’ attitude thinking Kasper Skårhøj must be crazy to give it all away. However after a fairly short time Newbies tend to ‘buy into’ the system of sharing and their attitude change.

This is seen by the increase in the Consultant list where Typo3 users are becoming the real world interface with people. They are not high jacking the software and branding it themselves for their own commercial benefit. They would rather acknowledge Typo3 and only take remuneration for their consulting services. The Consultants enthusiasm and support of the system in turn tends to inspire the new user to share in some form.

While there is great enthusiasm, support and gratitude for the Open Source Oscommerce software there does not seem to be as much of a driving desire to ‘give back’ amongst its users. Users of both Oscommerce and Typo3 who have fewer programming skills tend to more comfortable contributing or answering technical questions on Oscommerse. They feel less inadequate on the Oscommrece discussion boards. However these same users are very driven to ‘give back’ in response to more personal issues on Typo3.

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(D Raward - set up and manages http://info4u2.com and http://www.2smock.com/)

Question to DR:   Do you contribute to Typo3 discussion board?

Answer:           “I ask questions but I don’t often answer anything, I really feel my programming skills are not up to speed for Typo.”

Question to DR:   Do you contribute to the Oscommerce discussion board?

Answer:           “Yes the questions are more my level.”

Question to DR:   Do you ever contribute to the Typo3 community?

Answer:           “Yes all the time. I do it in my way, I tell people about it and if I do a site for a commercial group I really lay on the part about giving back to the community. They do all sorts of things from sponsoring students to making donations. It all depends. I guess the thing is the giving back is always in a different way and may not always be directly back to Typo3 but it is in their name.”

Question to DR:   Ok but have you ever contribute directly to the Typo3 community?

Answer:           “Yes an example is my current contribution. Kasper, whom I have never met or corresponded with directly has just had a baby girl  I will most certainly send a pacifier but as my business is smocked dresses for little girls I will be sending some and will most probably continue to do so. This is something I can do and I do very well, it is my way of saying thanks.”

(http://typo3.org/community/people/kaspers-korner/amelie-frilund-skaarhoej/)

Question to DR:   Does that make you part of the typo3 community?

Answer:            “No I was always a part of the community. I was a part of the community from the moment I I started reading, caring about and taking on board the vision of the project. This is just an obvious way of participating in the community but it is certainly the smallest part of what makes the typo3 community work.”

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