The open internet has made many projects more successful than they
could have been in the past, simply because the experts can connect
with each other and with the project efficiently and collaboratively.

For example, the development of KerberosV has taken off in the last
couple of years, partially because it has been easier for developers
at commercial sites (HewlettPackard, CygnusSupport, CyberSafe, and
others) to work closely with MIT on design and implementation work. A
recent example was the implementation of TripleDES support, done by an
MIT graduate working at Lehmann Brothers; his designs and ideas could
be critiqued by fellow security engineers and cryptographers without
having to get people together, simply with email.

There are sure to be clearer case examples.

-- MarkEichin