Who Are Those Guys?

CIO Magazine ^ | Mar. 15, 2003 | CHRISTOPHER KOCH

[singsong]

The mysterious people designing open-source software are the same people who are working for you right now

Worried about trusting your infrastructure to a bunch of shaggy college kids who might bolt at any moment for a yearlong backpacking trip to Switzerland? Don't worry. Even if every one of them left for the Alps tomorrow, 90 percent of the open-source community would still be checking in to one of the community's Internet hangouts (SourceForge.net and Freshmeat.net are the most popular) to see what's new.

Turns out these people have real jobs—58 percent of the open-source community is made up of professional IT administrators and programmers (with 11 years of professional experience, on average), and 30 percent of them will have to answer to their bosses if they don't write open-source code. That's right: Open source is their job, according to a recent survey of 678 open-source developers that was conducted by The Boston Consulting Group (BCG).

The most successful open-source projects are those that solve a problem that the community's biggest constituency—IT admins—are encountering in their day jobs. "To form a successful open-source community, you have to have an overlap between people who want to solve a problem and people who have the skills to solve that problem," says Dan Frye, who leads a group of 250 IBM programmers who work on Linux full-time.

Though most projects focus on the IT infrastructure, some flock to gaps you might not expect. The open-source GIMP photo-editing software got started because Adobe took too long to build a Unix version of Photoshop. Clearly, the community isn't afraid to reach beyond its most direct areas of expertise.

That's because they are all hungry to learn. Ninety-two percent said that was their primary motivation for working in open source, according to BCG—and to write code that gets respect. In this way, the open-source community resembles the scientific research community. You rise or fall based on the quality of your contributions, and you can see everything that has already been done. "You can stand on the shoulders of others" and let their work inform your own, says Jeremy Allison, who leads development for Samba, the open-source file and print server for Windows.

But it can be brutal out there, even for the coders who have won the respect of Linus Torvalds, who flames regular contributors to the Linux kernel. "It requires the willingness to be judged by people you don't know, and that takes a thick skin," says Frye. But in the end, everyone agrees, good code always wins.

—Chris Koch

[singsong]

Golden Eagle recently asked the following question

"Who is Linus Torvalds anyway? HE runs the show... And who is this man. What is his background to be put in such a position of authority?

Well, HE is the one elected by the market. Based on his honesty, ability, hard work and excellent product. Just good ole market forces here. It's a barter market for infrastructure. It works much in the same way we clean our sidewalks from snow - everyone cleans a piece, but gets to walk on clean all the way to the bank. Those who do it enjoy more customers coming to their door. It's the best way to build infrastructure, much better than government meddling or robber barons. Works wonders with software.

[tallhappy]

Who or what is Golden Eagle.

[Revolting cat!]

It's a perfect world, isn't it. But yes, who are these guys? I've asked that question myself recently, and I'm on the side of the angels, mind you (isn'rt everyone, though, in their own little minds?) that is to say not on the side of the Golden Eagles.

I asked at my corporate little corner, OK, you're paying these exorbitant sums to Redhat, much more per workstation that you were paying to Sun, and what do you get? Let's say you find a bug in one of the utilities or request an enhancement, are they going to fix it? (We were discussing the two Linux automounters, I think.) Some guy in Sweden (say) is in charge of one of them, and my research shows he's stopped developing it. Well, the answer in my corporate corner, more hopeful than factual, was, oh sure, Redhat has got to take care of it. But, knowing what I know about who these guys are, and admittedly not having read the support agreement, I'm not so sure.

[Cicero]

If people want to mess around with software development for free, more power to them. For them, it's a form of play. But, as you say, the product tends to be more or less as reliable as what you pay for.

[singsong]

Golden Eagle

He is a member of FR. Shows exceptional interest in open source matters. I'm not sure if he works on weekends though. BTW, I hope you don't mind our funny screen names.

[singsong]

Some guy in Sweden (say) is in charge of one of them, and my research shows he's stopped developing it.

Basically, I do not recommend OS for everything. For infrastructure like operating systems and web servers there are many eager developers who would replace the quiting. We don't everything in the way we clean our sidewalks. OS makes it easier to develop business-enabling infrastructure. The good part is that the source is open, in the worse case you can find a proficient person to do the changes for you.

[singsong]

For them, it's a form of play.

What isn't?

[TalBlack]

the product tends to be more or less as reliable as what you pay for.

Interaction of product is a problem! I bought 3600 dollars of Digital Audio Workstation (MOTU2408mklll, Cubase SX, Gateway p4 2.26 533 bus) and IT DOESN'T WORK! Where is the problem? Beats me! Beats everyone! Involved software is changing DAILY! Back to Tascam!

[beida]

IMHO, the open source people are mostly socialists. They are extremely anti-corporation. They think it's evil to be rich and make money by writing code. They think it's a sin for a company to control its IP. They are actually a religious group who believes in socialism and free IP.

They are extremely anti-Microsoft. Their voices were heard by the clintons and MS was sued by the govt, while Enron and Worldcom were committing crimes to the crazy. MS might not be a good company. But didn't the govt have much more important things to do at that time, e.g. cracking down frauds?

[tallhappy]

You signed on today (from peking U?) just to spew this drivel?

[tallhappy]

Ninety-two percent said that was their primary motivation for working in open source, according to BCG—and to write code that gets respect. In this way, the open-source community resembles the scientific research community.

This is key as to why open source is good and fuels and leads in innovation.

Later if there's a call the software can be commercialized and is.

Again the analogy to the scientific community is good and in fact there is a lot of overlap.

[singsong]

The open source people are mostly socialists

Not among those I know. Most work because they like their job, want to advertise their skills, or make money outright. Sure, every commie and his brother proclaimed the end of capitalism (again) because of OS. But they said the same about the radio...

Their voices were heard by the clintons and MS was sued by the govt,

Clinton did not support OS. He passed laws (DMCA) that are against its spirit. I can only speculate about his motives regarding MS. OS developers like the trill of the fight. Someone taking down MS by legal means would be a huge loss of fun.

BTW, now IBM is being sued because they use, contribute and profit from open source. It's the latest carnival in town. Beats any soap opera.

[beida]

People will not get to know what OS group are really thinking by reading news from CIO.com. Instead go to slashdot.org. You can see the real words of these people there.

Here are some quote from this official OS memo:
http://opensource.org/halloween/halloween7.php

"Here's a summary of the tactical advice for open-source advocates that I think we can glean from this memo: .....
Internationally, a distaste for being dependent on U.S. technology companies in general (and Microsoft in particular) is exploitable. Microsoft perceives serious problems with this, as well it should."

---

Let me try to translate it: Let's do our business against MS by exploiting the anti-america sentiment...

[Bush2000]

I wonder how many of these "hungry to learn" OSS geeks are developing open source software on the clock without the boss's permission... This is one of the questions that Golden Eagle has been asking that this article doesn't answer.

[singsong]

TI wonder how many of these "hungry to learn" OSS geeks are developing open source software on the clock without the boss's permission...

30% do it as their official full time job.

This is one of the questions that Golden Eagle has been asking that this article doesn't answer.

Well, nobody can give a single answer for the remaining 70%. Each individual case is handled by the person ih charge there. I guess, some tolerate it.

[singsong]

People will not get to know what OS group are really thinking by reading news from CIO.com. Instead go to slashdot.org.

I do go to slashdot and indeed most of the articles are with liberal and anti-American bias. Good discussions are few and far between these days - but before the site was bought out, it was mostly technical and not so bad.

"Internationally, a distaste for being dependent on U.S. technology companies in general (and Microsoft in particular) is exploitable."

Eric Raymond, the author of this, is one of the polarizing figures. I consider him a jerk and his weirdo world-view is substance-free. I'm happy that he is not involved with the Linux kernel or any major piece of infrastructure.

I would highly stress one point though - if we shy away from this movement, it might be twisted and hijacked by lunatics. It has a lot of raw power that I would like to see on our side, not theirs. Besides, it fits the bill perfectly - FR is an example of it!

[TheEngineer]

58 percent of the open-source community is made up of professional IT administrators and programmers (with 11 years of professional experience, on average), and 30 percent of them will have to answer to their bosses if they don't write open-source code.

That leaves 28% who are probably working on open source software while they are being paid to do something else... in other words they are stealing time from their employers.

[TheEngineer]

I would highly stress one point though - if we shy away from this movement, it might be twisted and hijacked by lunatics. It has a lot of raw power that I would like to see on our side, not theirs. Besides, it fits the bill perfectly - FR is an example of it!

It isn't going to be hijacked by lunatics... It has always firmly been under the control of the socialist-leaning members of the open source "community".

And FR is not exactly an example of an organization that is part of this "community", any more than I am. As far as I can ascertain, FR doesn't develop GPL software. (Is the custom FR software that runs this website available as a free download?) FR uses open source software (Linux, Apache, Perl), but not in a way that its software is stolen by the GPL.

[singsong]

It has always firmly been under the control of the socialist-leaning members

You sond like a French general - surrendering without a fight. No wander our schools are "firmly under the control of the socialist-leaning" types. We'll have to take them back - both of them - they go together! There is no other option.

As far as I can ascertain, FR doesn't develop GPL software.

I'm not asking anyone to develop. I'm asking everyone to just use it.

[the invisib1e hand]

..elected by the market...

one rule of the market is that you don't get what you don't pay for.