Have The Suits Changed Linux?

rcunnings points out this "interesting story about the assimilation of one prominent Linux hacker into the business of Linux. Sushi anyone?" Linus himself has always seemed a perfect pragmatist, and in this article he implies that corporations are benefiting everyone when they act as -- his term -- "sponsors."

Comments

The suits haven't taken over

[echeslack]

"Now the suits are cutting checks and running the show."

But that really isn't true. They may have some influence on the direction development takes, but anybody can still contribute, and there are plenty of kernel hackers not being paid to do specific things. And besides, isn't Linus paid, but pretty much can do anything he wants?

That's one of the great things about free software - people can pretty much do with it as they please without necessarily taking control of it. Sure, companies may pay for certain features to be added, removed, fixed, whatever, but somebody is always free to just keep their own tree without those patches.

I don't see the suits ever taking over linux.