A few recent developments which relate to Dave Levine article (Trade Secrets in our Public Infrastructure) that I came across:
Sequoia open-sources one of its voting machine’s software:
http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2009/10/sequoia/
Interesting tussle around public vs private infrastructure development in a Minnesota town trying to develop municipal fiber
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2008/10/city-owned-fiber-network-a-go-as-judge-tosses-telco-lawsuit.ars