RIP: Community Linux (1991-2007)

Does anyone else notice that SJVN is consistently positive, even enthusiastic, about Linux and its prospects.....except when he's writing for Linux Watch?

The first few times I read articles which I consciously connected to SJVN were on Linux Watch, and I was mentally ranking him as a better-spelling Rob Enderle.

Then his works on DesktopLinux made an impression, and I revised my opinion.

After reading his works now for quite a while, I have had to separate into Linux-Watch SJVN-Hyde, and everywhere-else SJVN-Jekyll.

Even if his "community Linux" is dead, he really attaches a lot of weight to the Linux Foundation.

> he really attaches a lot of weight to the Linux Foundation.

From what I've seen he's one of the few that does.

I didn't even know that this "Linux Foundation" existed, I'm much more interested in the Open Source Development Labs, since they seem to actually get things done rather than just jaw flapping.

RIP?

Huh?

It's been years since Linux was a purely volunteer effort, and that's a good thing.

The idea of free software has never been about volunteers, per se, although volunteers have made a huge impact.

The idea of free software has been about guaranteeing freedom to use and modify code, and that idea is orthogonal to the idea of volunteer vs. employee vs. whatever.

IBM and others have long paid developers to work on the Linux kernel, Apache, postgresql, and countless other Linux projects. That has not stopped volunteers from chipping in with their own pet projects or scratching their personal itches.

To the contrary. It has made the process even stronger by allowing hundreds or even thousands of developers to work on free software with time that might otherwise need to be dedicated to feeding the family. Without these paid contributors, the mix of experience and enthusiasm would be highly skewed towards the latter.

Nothing against enthusiasm, mind you. Smart and energetic young minds do some pretty amazing things. OTOH, there's a lot to be said for us old farts who've seen a lot of things in our time.

Bottom line...

Community is stronger than ever, just different.

Yet another Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols masterpiece of FUD.... Nothing to read here, move on.

No wonder our readership seems to be increasing, even in the face of declining available news material to post.

Because we collect linux humor too?

What catches my interest here is, here is a guy who to date has had a decidedly corp-rat linux leaning in his writtings has taken umbrage to corporate leadership on the board.

huh