3 ms·
That is very much not true. I get paid to write free software. Linux, arguably the most successful piece of free software, is almost entirely written by people
by remram 5y ago
That is very much not true. I get paid to write free software. Linux, arguably the most successful piece of free software, is almost entirely written by people who are paid to do it.
You don't pay for the software, but that doesn't mean "there is no money" or that it is very different from "what we do at our day jobs".
- brianpan 5y agoI think the point is, like the gift analogy in the post, that once you're doing it for money it's no longer free. Not free as in beer or free as in speech, but free as in choice (or free as in time). :D
- throwawaylinux 5y agoWell that's not what FOSS software means, but even if you creatively change what it means to fit, that's still not true. I'm also paid to work on free software. I work on what I like and choose to at my job. That is why I chose to take a job where I am. If I didn't have a job I'd be doing this anyway as I was when I started getting into it as an unpaid hobby for several years. If my employer decided they wanted me to work on something I don't want to, I would choose to quit and look for something else.
- remram 5y agoThat's not true. You are paid to do it, but it can very much be grabbed by anyone for free (as in free beer).