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"The results I found were shocking: there were two clearly sustainable open source projects, but the majority (more than 80%) of projects that we usually consid

"The results I found were shocking: there were two clearly sustainable open source projects, but the majority (more than 80%) of projects that we usually consider sustainable are actually receiving income below industry standards or even below the poverty threshold." This is a general principal of the world. Almost everything, including customers, getting dates, and wealth follow the same pattern: Pareto. There's even a Bible verse: Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. Matthew 13:12 May be more interesting to compare the jobs allowing open source contributions at the top of the scale. Or put another way: comments closer to the top attract more karma than those at the bottom.

gagege 7y ago
That Bible verse is Jesus talking about people having no knowledge of the kingdom of heaven. What little knowledge they have will be taken away, and that's why he's speaking in parables, and not saying things more plainly. I don't see how that applies to this article.
- base698 7y ago
  That's the thing about stories and literature, they can be different things to different people. A story about loss can be a love song to one person, a dead loved one or a missed opportunity to another...
- karlmcguire 7y ago
  You're right about that specific verse but that line is repeated throughout the Bible - some within the specific context of compounding money (Luke 19:26). It applies to the article because the Pareto principle (also known as the Matthew effect [1]) explains why there's so many open source projects with low revenue and only a few with six figure revenues. [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_effect https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_effect
sdegutis 7y ago
In other words, "The rich get richer and the poor get poorer." Although, technically that Bible verse has significantly richer and more useful meaning than your interpretation, I don't think it doesn't mean what you said either. St. Augustine affirms the common opinion of the Church Fathers that each Bible verse may have multiple true meanings as long as they aren't incompatible with one another. But I've seen this principle very truly at work: you have to spend money to make money. Those who have very little money to start with, usually can make very little money in return. Especially in software, if you don't spend a decent amount of money on advertising, you will almost never get anywhere. Fortunately for those of us who don't have that money to make more money with, there are other things in life than money, and Jesus also says "blessed are the poor, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven."
- pluma 7y ago
  Since we're already derailing a conversation about open source sustainability by discussing the Bible: the only problem with "blessed are the poor..." is that getting into Heaven doesn't feed them or provide them shelter and it's very little use if the whole afterlife thing turns out to have been a false hope and the majority of Christians certainly doesn't seem to think that this in any way means they should give away their wealth to become more worthy of Heaven -- quite the opposite: they use it to justify keeping the poor poor because income inequality is really working in poor people's favors if it makes it easier for them to get into Heaven, etc etc. Promises of a better life after death are consoling if you're at the end of a terrible life on Earth but the only good they do to the poor in desperate need is that they make them more accepting of the injustice they're experiencing. Shut up about what happens after death and help the people who are alive right now and suffering. Because if you're wrong about the whole afterlife thing, all those people who suffered got the short end of the stick and if you're right and you still helped them, the only bad thing you maybe did to them was making them have to "work" as hard as you did to get into Heaven (if your understanding of poverty easing entry was even correct in the first place) but at least they didn't have to do it on an empty stomach while unable to afford healthcare.
  - sdegutis 7y ago
sn41 7y ago
Please do not use the quote from the Bible in an inappropriate context. Matthew 13:11 is He replied, "Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. The context makes it clear that 13:12 is talking about spiritual possessions/riches, and not an endorsement of the 1 percent. Camel, eye of the needle, not serving God and mammon etc. all deal with this.
- karlmcguire 7y ago
  Luke 19:26 repeats the line but within the context of money. It certainly isn't an "endorsement of the 1 percent", but more a statement of truth observed in virtually every human domain.
  - sn41 7y ago
    I do agree. But ever since Malcom Gladwell popularised the "Matthew effect", I am sad that an-out-of context quote is used to justify the promotion of deliberate cold-blooded apathy towards inequality. Whereas it is very clear in other contexts that the New Testament discourages accumulation of wealth. (Disclaimer: I am not a Christian, but read the Bible and other scriptures regularly).
- base698 7y ago
  I don't understand how you got "endorsement of the 1 percent" from "general principal". Think of it another way. Imagine two people with Tom Brady's talent: one ends with mansions in Southern California and multiple superbowl titles, the other ends up unemployed in Arkansas.
- sdegutis 7y ago
  The Church has always said that the same Bible verse can have multiple true, correct meanings, as long as they don't contradict one another.
- kyberias 7y ago
  People can use quotes from any book in any context they wish.

gagege 7y ago

That Bible verse is Jesus talking about people having no knowledge of the kingdom of heaven. What little knowledge they have will be taken away, and that's why he's speaking in parables, and not saying things more plainly. I don't see how that applies to this article.

base698 7y ago
That's the thing about stories and literature, they can be different things to different people. A story about loss can be a love song to one person, a dead loved one or a missed opportunity to another...
karlmcguire 7y ago
You're right about that specific verse but that line is repeated throughout the Bible - some within the specific context of compounding money (Luke 19:26). It applies to the article because the Pareto principle (also known as the Matthew effect [1]) explains why there's so many open source projects with low revenue and only a few with six figure revenues. [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_effect https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_effect

sdegutis 7y ago

In other words, "The rich get richer and the poor get poorer." Although, technically that Bible verse has significantly richer and more useful meaning than your interpretation, I don't think it doesn't mean what you said either. St. Augustine affirms the common opinion of the Church Fathers that each Bible verse may have multiple true meanings as long as they aren't incompatible with one another. But I've seen this principle very truly at work: you have to spend money to make money. Those who have very little money to start with, usually can make very little money in return. Especially in software, if you don't spend a decent amount of money on advertising, you will almost never get anywhere. Fortunately for those of us who don't have that money to make more money with, there are other things in life than money, and Jesus also says "blessed are the poor, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven."

pluma 7y ago
Since we're already derailing a conversation about open source sustainability by discussing the Bible: the only problem with "blessed are the poor..." is that getting into Heaven doesn't feed them or provide them shelter and it's very little use if the whole afterlife thing turns out to have been a false hope and the majority of Christians certainly doesn't seem to think that this in any way means they should give away their wealth to become more worthy of Heaven -- quite the opposite: they use it to justify keeping the poor poor because income inequality is really working in poor people's favors if it makes it easier for them to get into Heaven, etc etc. Promises of a better life after death are consoling if you're at the end of a terrible life on Earth but the only good they do to the poor in desperate need is that they make them more accepting of the injustice they're experiencing. Shut up about what happens after death and help the people who are alive right now and suffering. Because if you're wrong about the whole afterlife thing, all those people who suffered got the short end of the stick and if you're right and you still helped them, the only bad thing you maybe did to them was making them have to "work" as hard as you did to get into Heaven (if your understanding of poverty easing entry was even correct in the first place) but at least they didn't have to do it on an empty stomach while unable to afford healthcare.
- sdegutis 7y ago

sn41 7y ago

Please do not use the quote from the Bible in an inappropriate context. Matthew 13:11 is He replied, "Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. The context makes it clear that 13:12 is talking about spiritual possessions/riches, and not an endorsement of the 1 percent. Camel, eye of the needle, not serving God and mammon etc. all deal with this.

karlmcguire 7y ago
Luke 19:26 repeats the line but within the context of money. It certainly isn't an "endorsement of the 1 percent", but more a statement of truth observed in virtually every human domain.
- sn41 7y ago
  I do agree. But ever since Malcom Gladwell popularised the "Matthew effect", I am sad that an-out-of context quote is used to justify the promotion of deliberate cold-blooded apathy towards inequality. Whereas it is very clear in other contexts that the New Testament discourages accumulation of wealth. (Disclaimer: I am not a Christian, but read the Bible and other scriptures regularly).
base698 7y ago
I don't understand how you got "endorsement of the 1 percent" from "general principal". Think of it another way. Imagine two people with Tom Brady's talent: one ends with mansions in Southern California and multiple superbowl titles, the other ends up unemployed in Arkansas.
sdegutis 7y ago
The Church has always said that the same Bible verse can have multiple true, correct meanings, as long as they don't contradict one another.
kyberias 7y ago
People can use quotes from any book in any context they wish.