On Fri, May 8, 2015 07:59, Timothy Murphy wrote:
> Sorin Srbu wrote:
>> Yeah, well, but it's free.
>> I'm not sure you can complain too much in that case. 8-)
>
> I find this comment, often made, completely unacceptable.
> The implication is that inferior code is OK
> if the developer is not being paid.
>
> (Actually, the premise is probably nonsense,
> as most Linux developers _are_ paid, even if formally
> their pay is not specifically for Linux development.
> But presumably the company that pays them believes that
> it is of value to the company to have a Linux developer on board.)
>
> But is Linux code in fact inferior to code produced by Microsoft, say?
> I don't think so.
> And I don't think Linux developers are less keen to improve their
> code.
> Just the opposite.
>
>
The difference is that a large portion of the FOSS corpus, if not a
preponderant majority, is ultimately dependent upon the interest of
the people responsible for its existance and not the people using it.
Once a project's core team either loses enthusiasm for something, or
have otherwise moved on in life, their project oft-times is left
without any meaningful support.
If a project is backed/picked up by a corporation, say Redhat or
Oracle, or a foundation, say Apache or LibreOffice, then it may have a
future more or less independent of any single individual or group.
Otherwise it does not.
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