%0 Journal Article %J Open Source Business Resource %D 2010 %T What's the Value of an Eyeball? Passive Participation in Open Source Ecosystems %A Mekki MacAulay %X Passive participants in open source ecosystems should not be viewed as leeches as they contribute value to the ecosystem. Every eyeball has value. By better understanding the roles of passive participants in the ecosystem, keystone companies can assign resources, such as community managers, more effectively and better leverage the value these participants create. The next challenge is to better quantify the value of passive contribution. This article discusses how passive participants in open source ecosystems play an important role in value creation in the ecosystem. It examines why the value they add is not well captured by current measures and suggests areas of future research, the outcomes of which would enable keystone companies to better position themselves. %B Open Source Business Resource %I Talent First Network %C Ottawa %8 01/2010 %G eng %U http://timreview.ca/article/318 %N January 2010 %9 Articles %1 OSStrategy.org Mekki MacAulay is the Principal of OSStrategy.org, a consulting firm that helps companies improve their competitive advantage and strategic positioning in a world embracing open source. Mekki is also the president and founder of MekTek Solutions, an IT services company based in Ottawa, ON. Mekki holds undergraduate degrees from Carleton University in Computer Systems Engineering, and Psychology, and a Master's degree in Technology Innovation Management. His research interests focus on open source adoption; open source ecosystem value creation, extraction, and keystone company positioning; and quantifying the value of passive participation in open source projects.