John Dvorak has an interesting take on why people participate in open-source software projects…
I’ve always sensed that programmers are masochists by nature. The better the coder the more masochistic. Think about it: Writing good code is a tormenting, thankless chore. Many CEOs know how to berate coders to get them to work harder. Somehow the best coders come under some delusion that they are in control and free-spirited because they can work whatever hours they want. And this looks true when seen from afar. In fact, most smart organizations quickly learn that the “freedom” usually means programmers working 12 to 16 hours a day, sleeping under their desks, and staying alert with caffeine-laced soft drinks and starches.
I’m starting to think, therefore, that open-source has to be the ultimate freedom trip for these folksā??voluntary servitude.
It’s almost Christmas — maybe we should take up a collection to buy John a clue… [Seen on Gemal’s Psyched Blog]
Posted by Jason Lefkowitz at December 11, 2003Ant's Eye View is edited by Jason Lefkowitz, a consultant and Web developer in Alexandria, Virginia. Got a question, comment, or concern? Let me hear it!
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