socialmedian: Cosy social networks 'are stifling innovation' - tech - 05 August 2009

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Cosy social networks 'are stifling innovation' - tech - 05 August 2009 - New Scientist

Submitted by Hutch from Google Reader

Aug 05, 2009

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The tight links among software developers on the internet is stifling the development of new ideas, a social scientist argues

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Hutch,

Aug 05, 2009

To restore the kind of aggressive innovation needed to build the next-generation internet will require re-engineering of the social networks of software developers themselves (Science, vol 325, p 396). This could be done, for example, if funding agencies ensured that research projects were carried out by many small, competing groups over longer periods. "To enable innovation it may be necessary to reduce the number of social ties between coders," says Mayer-Schönberger.