Is Linux like the Goodwill of operating systems?
All these people donate their work for free while RedHat and Linus make millions off of it?
Why do people do it /g/? What is the philosophy of the GNU?
I heard it was all because Richard Stallman didn't like having to type a password.
>>53639202
>What is the philosophy of the GNU?
Freedom 0: The freedom to run the program for any purpose.
Freedom 1: The freedom to study how the program works, and change it to make it do what you wish.
Freedom 2: The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor.
Freedom 3: The freedom to improve the program, and release your improvements (and modified versions in general) to the public, so that the whole community benefits.
(see GNU General Public License)
>>53639202
>donate for free
Loads of kernel devs are paid.
>Why do people do it /g/? What is the philosophy of the GNU?
It's like communism, except it actually works because it's isolated to software. I donate my free work so that you can benefit from it. You donate your free work back so I can benefit from it.
>>53639202
>I heard it was all because Richard Stallman didn't like having to type a password.
And also, no. It was because a printer didn't work and he was first able to fix it with reverse engineering but then told he wasn't allowed to fixed it in the next version.
Personally I just think the printer deal just made him go batshit insane.
>>53639202 (OP) (OP)
>Is Linux like the Goodwill of operating systems?
For some people it is, yes. Others simply recognise the value of open source as a means to publicly verify the code does what it's supposed to do, and not what it's not supposed to do (i.e. open security).
>All these people donate their work for free while RedHat and Linus make millions off of it?
Mind you they don't 'steal' open source projects as you're implying. Companies like Red Hat also contribute largely towards the open source community, either directly (programming), or indirectly (donations).
>Linus
Torvalds contributes directly to his kernel.
>Why do people do it /g/? What is the philosophy of the GNU?
https://gnu.org/philosophy/
>I heard it was all because Richard Stallman didn't like having to type a password.
No.
>>53639202
1: Because it's a collaborative effort. If you fix a problem that YOU have in the kernel, then everyone else will benefit too.
2: Because... it's fun.
