Torvalds Says It's No Picnic To Become Major Linux Coder

Jack Spine writes "Linus Torvalds has given an interview to ZDNet.co.uk about the trials and tribulations of becoming a Linux kernel developer. 'Torvalds said that, while it is relatively easy for coders and organisations to contribute small patches, the contribution of large patches, developed in isolation, could lead to both new and established contributors becoming frustrated. "It's definitely not easy to become a 'big contributor'," wrote Torvalds. "For one thing, the kernel is quite complex and big, and it inevitably simply takes time to learn all the rules — not just for the code, but for how the whole development environment works. Similarly, for a new developer, it will take time before people start recognising the name and start trusting the developer to do the right things.""

Comments

Re:huh

[Swizec]

In other words the Linux kernel is opensource merely on paper. In practice it's developed by a close group of developers who don't let anybody in and write code practically nobody but them understands.

I'm certain it's easier to become a major Microsoft developer because they'll at least give your resume a read, the linux guys blow you off a priori.