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

Where's SCO?

[Anonymous Coward]

Odd..
I couldnt find SCO in there..

Related News

[deutschemonte]

"and then uses the extracted data to describe the geographical expansion of the core Linux developer community."

In a related breaking story, SCO is using these results to track down and sue Linux developers RIAA style.

The real question is...

[TechnologyX]

"In July 2002, the Credits file contained information on 418 developers. With two exceptions, all were male "

2 female types listed in the credits file? With contact information? Time to do a little research of my own...

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.

The CREDITS file is not very accurate

[mocm]

The people in the CREDITS file are not all the people that work on the kernel. You should look at the Copyright notices in the source code.
E.g. I am not in the CREDITS file (not that I need to be), but I have Copyright notices in over 30 files. I guess there are many more people working on parts of the linux kernel than are noticed in the CREDITS file.

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

[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.

Re:Research ??????

[Mr2cents]

Talking about research, did you read the article? Did you check the credits file? Let me show you a snippet:

N: Matti Aarnio
E: *** (not printing someone else's email here as a spambot target)
D: Alpha systems hacking, IPv6 and other network related stuff
D: One of assisting postmasters for vger.kernel.org's lists
S: (ask for current address)
S: Finland

N: Dragos Acostachioaie
E: ***
W: http://www.arbornet.org/~dragos
D: /proc/sysvipc
S: C. Negri 6, bl. D3
S: Iasi 6600
S: Romania

A good part of the article is dedicated to the analysis, I suggest you check it out. Of course, it's difficult to resist writing an ad-hoc opinion when you see an article with only a few comments..