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'''''Benevolent Dictator for Life''''' ('''BDFL''') is the informal, slightly [[tongue-in-cheek]] title given to a respected individual in the [[open source]] development community who sets general directions and makes final calls in certain situations within the scope of a given project. 


A "benevolent dictator" (or '''Benevolent Dictator for Life''') is the person who effectively holds dictator-like powers over that project, yet is trusted by other users/developers not to abuse this power. The term is used humorously, because the "subjects" of the project leader contribute voluntarily, and the end-product may be used by everyone. A dictator in this context has power only over the process, and that only for as long as the trust remains. Examples include [[Linus Torvalds]] for the [[Linux kernel]]; [[Guido van Rossum]] for the [[Python programming language]]; [[Larry Wall]] for the [[Perl programming language]]. Many claim [[Jimmy Wales]] is the benevolent dictator for the [[Wikimedia Foundation]], but it is argued that most of the power belongs to its board of directors.
'''''Benevolent Dictator for Life''''' ('''BDFL''') is an informal title, sometimes used humorously, given to an individual in an [[open source software|open source]] development community, who is usually also the founder or originator of the project.  


Of course, a project coordinator cannot really be anything like a [[dictator]] in the sense that one ultimately cannot enforce a decision, since a project [[fork (software)|fork]] is always possible.
The term was first coined by [[Eric Raymond]] in his book ''[[Homesteading the Noosphere]]'', referring to a structure where "a project has multiple co-maintainers working under a single 'benevolent dictator' who owns the project"
<ref>''[http://catb.org/esr/writings/cathedral-bazaar/homesteading/ar01s16.html Homesteading the Noosphere]'', ch. 15.</ref>.  


Not all, or even most, open source projects have a BDFL.
According to Raymond, who cites [[Emacs]] and [[Linux]] as examples of open source projects led by a "benevolent dictator," this dictator is usually the owner or maintainer of the project, and his dictatorship is mainly used to solve the 'who decides' problem in the open source project.  


The title is a play on the concept of a [[benevolent dictator]] and a [[president for life]].  
It should be noted that this is an honorary title, meaning in the [[open source software community]], if a "dictator" began to act irresponsibly, the project would most likely be [[fork (software)|forked]] in another direction, or the "dictator" would be fired.


==See also==
Some examples of "benevolent dictators" are [[Linus Torvalds]] for the [[Linux kernel]], [[Guido van Rossum]] for the [[Python programming language]],  [[Larry Wall]] for the [[Perl|Perl programming language]], and [[Jimmy Wales]] for [[Wikipedia]].
* [[List of Benevolent Dictators for Life]]
==References==
 
<references/>[[Category:Suggestion Bot Tag]]
[[Category:Free software culture and documents]]
[[Category:Management occupations]]
[[Category:Project management]]
[[Category:Internet slang]]

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Benevolent Dictator for Life (BDFL) is an informal title, sometimes used humorously, given to an individual in an open source development community, who is usually also the founder or originator of the project.

The term was first coined by Eric Raymond in his book Homesteading the Noosphere, referring to a structure where "a project has multiple co-maintainers working under a single 'benevolent dictator' who owns the project" [1].

According to Raymond, who cites Emacs and Linux as examples of open source projects led by a "benevolent dictator," this dictator is usually the owner or maintainer of the project, and his dictatorship is mainly used to solve the 'who decides' problem in the open source project.

It should be noted that this is an honorary title, meaning in the open source software community, if a "dictator" began to act irresponsibly, the project would most likely be forked in another direction, or the "dictator" would be fired.

Some examples of "benevolent dictators" are Linus Torvalds for the Linux kernel, Guido van Rossum for the Python programming language, Larry Wall for the Perl programming language, and Jimmy Wales for Wikipedia.

References

  1. ↑ Homesteading the Noosphere, ch. 15.
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