NET24 - Case Study - Typo3

by Diane Russell

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How does Typo3 compare to the WELL’s goals as an Example of an Online Community.

In Howard Rheingold’s ‘The Virtual Community’ he recalls the original WELL goals,

“…Kelly recalled the original design goals that the WELL's founders had in mind when they opened for business in 1985. …

That it be free.

It should be profit making

It would be an open-ended universe . . .

It would be self-governing . . .

It would be a self-designing experiment.

It would be a community, one that reflected the nature of Whole Earth publications.

Business users would be its meat and potatoes..”

The following table illustrates how Typo3 compare to these goal.

The WELL	Typo3	Does Typo3 meet The Well’s Goals

That it be free.	Typo3 software, community and most modules are free. Some individual members may choose to charge for consulting time on the software.	Yes. I am sure WELL members also earn a living from their areas of expertise which they discuss in the WELL.
It should be profit making	Typo3 does not make a profit collectively. Individuals do as a result of the collective work but Typo3 does not have the goal of making a profit.	No. To the contrary Typo3 actively promotes free sharing to generate something greater than the sum of its parts.
It would be an open-ended universe	There is no limity to all aspects of Typo3 growth. Whether this be online or off, the community contribution or software development. There are NO limits	Yes. Both are very open ended.
It would be self-governing	Evidence of this can be seen in all areas of Typo3 from the Guidelines to discussion threads	Yes. Typo3 may have a face to the product (similar to Phish.net where the ‘group is the face) but Typo3 is self governing.
It would be a self-designing experiment	In this regard Typo3 is an even better example of a self designing experiment as the software itself is just that.	Yes. More so than The WELL
It would be a community, one that reflected the nature of Whole Earth publications	Typo3.org is a refection of the nature of the Typo3 software and it’s mission. Both are open source/open ended projects for open communication and collaboration	Yes. The software supports the mission of the participants.
Business users would be its meat and potatoes	Typo3 because it has resulted in a very useful and practical tool for the business community has found that the business community supports Typo3 either directly in donations or indirectly by providing a revenue source for its developers and members.	Yes. Unlike the WELL Typo3 has been very successful in this area.