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the point being that there was a time (some greybeards might remember) where contributing to the linux kernel wasn't "work" but a fun hobby
by ctde 1y ago
the point being that there was a time (some greybeards might remember) where contributing to the linux kernel wasn't "work" but a fun hobby
- alistairSH 1y agoSure, but that time was nearly 30 years ago. Linux has been "mainstream" since at least August 1999.
- ctde 1y agopeople like me contributed their freetime afterwards still
- BeetleB 1y agoPeople still do. I think the point he's making is that the bulk of the kernel's source coming from people paid to do it has been a thing for probably over 20 years.
- deleted 1y ago[deleted]
- arp242 1y agoWhy August 1999? Seems quite specific?
- alistairSH 1y agoRedHat's IPO. Seemed like as good a date as any to anchor "when Linux went mainstream". I'm sure there are other dates that are arguably at least as good here.
- arp242 1y agoAh right, that roughly tracks. Just wasn't obvious where "August 1999" came from. Kind of amazing timeline in hindsight by the way; Linux was "only" 8 years old at that point.