Open Source Software (OSS) communities are an interesting social phenomena. They get things done that commercial shops do not or cannot. They are a feature of the Friedman’s ‘flat’ world that are a bit mysterious. rather than being the open, accepting, nd egalitarian social organization that they are often made out to be (by members), it turns out that they’re about as cliquish as they come. Through a recent article, Gina Trapani shows how she has struggled with being a member of OSS communities and with being a leader of her own. <p /> Her description of OSS communities and what she is doing to broaden participation could be a case study in dynamics at work in the broader STEM community. Maybe?