Microsoft,Open Source and the software ecosystem: of predators and prey—the leopard can change its spots

Over the past few years, Microsoft has promoted a project called ‘Shared Source Initiative’, which allows certain customers (e.g., research institutions and independent software vendors) access to its source code on a restricted basis. As part of this initiative, Microsoft introduced some licences that appear to give unrestricted access to source code and closely resemble ‘traditional’ Open Source licences. In July 2007, two of these ‘shared source’ licenses (the Microsoft Community Licence and the Microsoft Permissive Licence) were submitted to the Open Source Initiative (OSI) and subsequently approved by the OSI as certified Open Source licences. Thus Microsoft's Shared Source Initiative and its partial embrace of Open Source appear to be a significant step towards closing the ideological rift between developers of proprietary software and the Free/Open Source software movement, and more than just another attempt to appease consumers and/or critics in terms of software transparency. By analysing the ‘evolution’ of Microsoft's Shared Source licences, this article aims to shed some light on the question what is needed for a ‘predator’ (i.e., proprietary, software developer) such as Microsoft to become ‘prey’ (i.e., be part of the Open Source community). This article concludes that, although Microsoft's efforts are to be lauded, it is highly unlikely that the company will embrace fully the Open Source philosophy in the near future.     

城市生态的自然回归——波特兰雨园

本文以波特兰雨园为案例,就城市景观作为城市环境不可或缺的重要部分,如何在迎合城市发展的过程中,真正化身为城市生态系统的一个有益环节,协调优化城市与自然的关系,营造丰富并具有深度的体验场所的问题展开分析。     

Systems,habitats or places: evaluating the potential role of landscape character assessment in operationalising the ecosystem approach

A key challenge for research and practice is to understand how the ecosystem approach can be rolled out in spatial planning, management and decision-making. Any framework used to apply the ecosystem approach needs to not only be environmentally coherent but also socially meaningful. Drawing on semi-structured interviews and case studies, this paper examines the potential role of one place-based approach, landscape character assessment, as a medium to ensure socio-ecological relevance in operationalising the ecosystem approach. Our findings show that although place-based approaches have value as frameworks for distilling the ecosystem approach into a manageable form, their ecological relevance is a subject of debate. However, the potential relationship between landscape character, function and ecosystem services presented a powerful pathway for operationalising the ecosystem approach. The ecosystem approach may, in turn, complement landscape character assessment by providing a framework for exploring the functional dimension of landscape condition.     

Assessing landscape preferences: a visual choice experiment in the agricultural region of Märkische Schweiz,Germany

Natural amenities and the aesthetic value of agricultural landscapes are important territorial assets for improving rural tourism and the quality of the living environment. To identify which characteristics shape the visual quality of a landscape, a stated-preference survey was conducted (N = 200) using photorealistic landscape visualisations of four different landscape attributes (point green elements, linear green elements, crop diversity and presence of livestock). We estimated respondents’ preferences for landscape attributes, examined the extent of agreement among respondents and identified socio-economic factors influencing their responses. Results revealed that point elements had the highest general preference. About 70% of respondents preferred diverse and highly structured landscapes, while about 30% of respondents had opposing preferences. Preferences were also found to be dependent on the individual’s sociocultural background, such as their level of education, gender or age. These results can help to improve the multi-objective targeting of policies by including an aesthetic value perspective.     

Residents’ relationship with green infrastructure in Cosmo City,Johannesburg

Scholars have expressed concerns about environmental sustainability in low-income housing development in South Africa in terms of the poor households’ relationship with, access to and benefit from natural ecosystems and green spaces. Using a qualitative research approach – discourse-based methods (semi-structured interviews, focus group discussion and transect walks), this paper shows how low-income households in Cosmo City, Johannesburg (South Africa) benefit from green infrastructure at the domestic, neighbourhood and riparian scales. The central lesson from this case is that landscape/urban design, planning and management must recognise and respond to socio-economic and socio-ecological realities and dynamics inherent in the ways low-income households relate with green infrastructure.     

When green is grievous: downsides in human-nature interactions in informal urban settlements

Considering how poor households relate with natural ecosystems is crucial to achieving environmentally sustainable low-income communities in South Africa and beyond. This paper presents negative experiences associated with residents’ interactions with, perceptions of, and appropriations of natural ecosystems and green spaces in informal settlements in Johannesburg. In-depth interviews with residents in two communities, key informants, and transect walks were used to identify problems associated with domestic gardens and vegetation in riparian and non-riparian open spaces. Inadequate services and infrastructure exacerbates these problems. This work contributes to knowledge regarding undesirable aspects of green infrastructure in the context of urban poverty. Understanding the downsides in human-nature interactions can usefully inform ecologically sound intervention in low-income informal urban areas.     

江南圩田的法与式：生态系统服务与空间形态增效

以江南圩田为研究对象,文章阐释在风景园林生态的语境下,以生态系统服务效能为"法",以空间形态为"式",有法有式,有律可循的观点。通过"水—绿—人"三者的关系,进行传统江南圩田原生空间形态的整体解读,剖析其间蕴含的8个维度的生态系统服务,反思当下圩田地区建设过程中的冲突与矛盾,进而探讨传统江南圩田生态智慧对当代圩田地区发展与规划实践给予的启示:"顺水而为"适度改造自然的理念;形成三生融合的整体人文生态系统;以及与水相协调的传统社会治理系统。     

一种应对气候变化的适应性城市植物 配置方法

全球气候变化威胁着本就脆弱的城市生态系统。探索具有气候适应性的植物配置方法,是应对气候变化、保护城市生物多样性和稳定城市生态系统的有效手段。介绍一种能够在气候变化大背景下持续稳定地提供生态系统服务的适应性城市植物配置方法。以苏南地区为例,首先对植物材料的物种特性与适应性进行研究与编码,再根据植物群落的抵抗力稳定性、结构多样性以及场所审美文化和成本因素的综合考虑进行配置。为城市植物群落应对气候变化,提升城市植物群落的生态系统服务功能提供新思路。     

海洋生态系统服务功能及其价值评估研究进展

科学认识和评估海洋生态系统服务及其价值,有利于海洋资源的合理开发利用,促进生态系统可持续发展。根据已有研究成果,从海洋生态系统服务内涵和功能、价值构成、评估方法与应用研究等方面,总结归纳了海洋生态系统服务的有关研究成果。