There has been the occasional gift-based economy. As opposed to our [Exchange Economy] or a centrally-controlled [Command Hierarchy].(Eric Raymond compares them.)

• HackEr community (open source developers)

• academia? ("the politics are so severe because the stakes are so low")

• Kwakiutl chieftain's potlatch, http://www.potlatch.net/

• rich-people's philanthropy

Article comparing Open Source software to community gardens, blood banks, and other gift economies.

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Is it just a coincidence, or did you know that this has been a recent topic on Meatball as well? MeatballWiki:GiftEconomy --John Abbe ... (reply: just a coincidence, unless someone from Meatball Wiki was at Jerry Michalski's retreat... --Bill Seitz)

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