Slashdot Mirror


Who Wrote, and Paid For, 2.6.20

Corbet writes "LWN.net did some data mining through the kernel source repository and put together an analysis of where the patches came from. It turns out that most kernel code is contributed by people paid to do the work — but the list of companies sponsoring kernel development has a surprise or two." The article's conclusion: "The end result of all this is that a number of the widely-expressed opinions about kernel development turn out to be true. There really are thousands of developers — at least, almost 2,000 who put in at least one patch over the course of the last year. Linus Torvalds is directly responsible for a very small portion of the code which makes it into the kernel. Contemporary kernel development is spread out among a broad group of people, most of whom are paid for the work they do. Overall, the picture is of a broad-based and well-supported development community."

2 of 238 comments (clear)

  1. BDFL by SaidinUnleashed · · Score: 1, Redundant

    No matter how little code he contributes, Linux will always be Linus' baby.

    All hail the Benevolent Dictator For Life! o/

    --
    Shiny. Let's be bad guys.
  2. Re:Define "volunteer." by CodeBuster · · Score: 0, Redundant
    In that case, nobody should ever know about selfless giving, since telling someone about it could imply that they're looking for acceptance.

    That depends upon one's point of view...

    "1 Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. 2 Thus, when you give alms, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you."

    Matthew 6:1-4