http://kerneltrap.com/article.php?sid=459
This is mostly about FreeBSD but the tech discussion is nice to read:
This part at the end is significant:
... I would like to say something about open-source and making money.
There are two kinds of open-source programmers in the world. No, make
that three kinds: There is the open-source programmer who is still in
school, the open-source programmer who has a real job, and the open-source
programmer who tries to make a living out of his open-source programming.
In many respects, each individual goes through ALL of the above phases.
We've all been in (or are in) school, we all must eventually make a
living, and having been somewhat disillusioned by real work we have
all either tried or will try to make a living from our open-source
endevours. This last item -- making a living from open-source, has
been over-stressed by the open source community (mainly Linux related
developers) over the last few years. Guys, if you haven't figured it out
by now it is mostly an illusion! The hype made it possible. The
crazy stock market made it possible, but it didn't last now did it? If
I take a hundred people I know only two or three can make a living from
their open-source work (and I'm not one of them today!).
The open-source community has to come to terms with this. Don't let it
get you down! I read LWN.NET (Linux Weekly News) every week and I
see a definite trend towards mass depression as the internet craze
settles down into something a bit more sustainable. Don't let it get
to you! Face the issue squarely and come to terms with what it means
for your own work. If an older generation (that's me! At 35! God I
feel old!) can teach the younger generation of programmers/hackers
anything it is that the character of open-source will always be with us,
with or without wall-street, and that we open-source programmers do not
do these things for a 5-minute spot on CNN, we do these things because
they are cool, and interesting, and make the world a better place
for everyone. That is our legacy. We are not an anarchy, we are a
charity. A very *LARGE* charity I might add!
_
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