75% of Linux Code Now Written By Paid Developers

i_want_you_to_throw_ writes "During a presentation at Linux.conf.au 2010 in Wellington, LWN.net founder and kernel contributor Jonathan Corbet offered an analysis of the code contributed to the Linux kernel between December 24 2008 and January 10 2010. The Linux world makes much of its community roots, but when it comes to developing the kernel of the operating system, it's less a case of 'volunteers ahoy!' and more a case of 'where's my pay?'" It's not clear from the article why anyone should perceive a contradiction between having high ideals and getting paid to do something you enjoy.

Comments

Re:I'll be the first to say...

[aurispector]

The big advantage of commercial software is that the sales revenue allows you to pay people to write it. It should come as no surprise that people LIKE being paid for working. If developers are being paid, the money doesn't just magically appear. Somebody, somewhere is paying for it. Intel, Oracle, etc. get their revenue for selling other kinds of stuff to people, stuff that they paid somebody to make, write or whatever. The revenue can then be invested in other projects of which support for linux is merely one.

Another advantage is that if you pay people to do something, you can hold them accountable for their work and hence increase productivity.

In the end the fact remains: there's no such thing as a free lunch.

Re:But are they in the software business?

[selven]

Red Hat 11.2%
Novell 8.9%
Linux Foundation 2.6%
Oracle 1.3%

(among others)

Source: https://www.linuxfoundation.org/publications/linuxkerneldevelopment.php