Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.

Re: Fucking Daft

Author:Jonathan Hendry
Posted:8/28/2000; 5:42:56 PM
Topic:scriptingNews outline for 8/28/2000
Msg #:20408 (In response to 20397)
Prev/Next:20407 / 20409

There's a false dichotomy in the Open Source value system, of course: the idea that you can only earn the respect of your peers if you work for free. This certainly isn't the case.

There also seems to be a rather arbitrary distinction between software development done on a consulting basis, as a service, and development done for commercial software. I fail to see the difference, but Stallman seems to see one. If time spent working on software should be uncompensated, what difference does it make who the customer is?

Peer recognition is overrated, anyway. I wonder how many open source contributors feel like they got 'paid in full'? It seems to me that the vast majority of open source contributors are essentially anonymous, outshined by a few high-visibility stars. They might get their name in a README, but does anyone really remember them?

Hm. I wonder if Open Source, in a way, is based on self esteem problems of programmers...

There are responses to this message:

This page was archived on 6/13/2001; 4:56:21 PM.

© Copyright 1998-2001 UserLand Software, Inc.