Linux Credits File Reanimated

No_Weak_Heart writes "In his in depth paper Evolution of the Linux Credits file, Ilkka Tuomi discusses the challenges of extracting data from open source files, and then uses the extracted data to describe the geographical expansion of the core Linux developer community."

Comments

Re:Who Knew?

[pe1rxq]

The numbers aren't that far from eachother....
Luxemburg has such a small number of residents that a few coders more or less can have a huge impact on the number.

Or...

[bonch]

It could just be that nerdy males with fewer social skills tend to gravitate toward introverted tasks that don't require a lot of personal interaction with others.

Women, by nature, are more social creatures. Sitting alone in a basement at night hacking a kernel isn't necessarily something they can't do (I've met plenty of women who blow me away in science in math), it's something they don't want to do. Hell, I had to ask one of my female friends to help me with some SQL statements for my website. She is a complete SQL expert, and better than any male I know.

looks like a good job...

[xot]

Thats a good job to have in the corporate IT world.Just make sure everyone gets credit... and you get paid!
I would say just make sure the guy who pays you gets credit and everything else runs fine. :-)

Potential flamers please read

[GillBates0]

Those of you intending to point out that there are "very few" open source contributors from India (or largely developing countries) please take a moment to ponder and note that not every computer enthusiast in the world has the resources, means or relative luxury needed to actively contribute or even pursue a hobby.

Most programmers from the developed countries (read US, Europe) take the computer/network resources and even their standard of living for granted. Computer prices and network acces in developing countries is still sparse and exorbitant for most people.

Moreover, writing code for a hobby is at the back of the minds of most people, when their foremost worries are basic comforts needed for a comfortable life (read electricity, job, steady income, etc). It is only when a comfortable life is guaranteed, that a person has the luxury/option/motivation to pursue hobbies.

So not true

[BlackHawk-666]

I am sick of hearing this "lone hacker theory" rubbish. Since anyone who works on the kernel is going to be constantly emailing, newsgrouping, and using IRC/IM there is no reason to label them as unsocialable. Just because you are using a computer to do the socialising doesn't make it count less than an afternoon at the pub with your workmates. If they were sitting in their basements and hacking their own sources and never communicating with other developers then your model might hold up, but it just isn't relevant any more.

You've got to be joking

[bonch]

I am sick of hearing this "lone hacker theory" rubbish. Since anyone who works on the kernel is going to be constantly emailing, newsgrouping, and using IRC/IM there is no reason to label them as unsocialable.

You think typing text characters into an e-mail or on IRC is the same as actually speaking to somebody in person right in front of you, staring them in the face?

Just because you are using a computer to do the socialising doesn't make it count less than an afternoon at the pub with your workmates.

Socializing on a computer isn't the same as socializing in person. Comparing it to an afternoon at the pub with your workmates his hilaroius. You may as well say you're actually "speaking" to me right now, and it's the same as if we actually ran into each other in person and started debating. Completely different. IM, IRC, and e-mail allow you to communicate with others without actually confronting them face to face.

Re:You've got to be joking

[Anonymous Coward]

While you may find it hard to talk to people face to face, your over the internet ability appears to be lacking as well.

Re:You've got to be joking

[phrasebook]

I doubt you'd be using so many f-words if you were speaking to someone face to face. If your communication online is similar to offline as you say, then it's just as well you do most of it here and not out there!

Re:You've got to be joking

[bonch]

I have Asperger's syndrome. I find it hard to talk to people face to face. Over the Internet, it's much easier, and as I said above I have more online friends than offline.

First, you illustrate the difference you have between face-to-face communication and faceless communication behind a keyboard. I'd love to see you calling someone an "insensitive friggin' clod" in person, complete with all your profanity.

Don't give me the same retarded bullshit about it "not being the same thing"-it is.

But then, you claim it's the same thing. If it's the same thing, why can't you talk to people face to face? Because it's not the same thing. With Asperger's, you should know that better than anyone.

There is more to socialization than sending words to people. My point was that women excel in this area and prefer it to sitting alone all day behind a keyboard sending text to people, when they could be laughing, smiling, and expressing themselves face-to-face with other actual humans that aren't just little text names in IRC.

I don't doubt that personal relationships can be formed over the Internet, but in most cases it's not the same kind of personal relationships that form between people who actually see each other and physically interact. It's how our brains work.

Cue the feminists

[Marxist Hacker 42]

During the evolution of Linux, new contributors have been continuously added to the file. In July 2002, the Credits file contained information on 418 developers. With two exceptions, all were male [1].

Obviously Linux Kernal Development suffers from a serious lack of diversity. Time to get more young girls interested in kernal development. Perhaps we could have a "Female Kernal Developer" class required in the 6th grade....

Trends

[Ian Peon]

Studies like this are interesting ways to spot trends. Note the levelling, then steep rise in US developers right around the time the dot-com bubble burst in 2000 seen in figure 2

Anytime a large number of geeks have free time on their collective hands is good for the Linux kernel. Though, that shouldn't be a suprise to many here...