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:And this is a bad thing?!

[Anonymous Coward]

Well, it certainly explains why Linux is starting to suffer from severe bloat.

First you had excellent devs self-selecting and trying to show off their best skills.
Then you had some doing it for a meager living.
Now it's largely professional.
Next comes mostly outsourced to incompetent people for lowest possible cost regardless of skill.

Theres no such thing as a

[Twillerror]

free lunch. Yep your high school economics teacher wasn't a complete idiot.

Re:Software is grown on trees

[pnewhook]

I completely agree. Giving away useful code for free is tantamount to communism.

As a professional Engineer, the engineer code of conduct specifically states that we are to get fair pay for work performed. As such I will never give away code.