Re:The Ethics of Unpaid Labor and the OSS Community (2013)
by vidarh on Wednesday March 18, 2015 @04:01PM
(#9228275)
I contribute to OSS because I have no reasons not to, and often benefit:
I occasionally write stuff for my own use that might be of use to others. There's no downside to me if I release it, and the occasional upside.
Sometimes I need to apply a fix to some OSS project. Contributing helps me avoid having to maintain a fork.
Sometimes I write something at work that may be useful for others and convince my employers to let me open source it, and as a result I am also able to reuse the same software at home or in future jobs.
None of these have deprived me of income. Some of the work I was paid for. Some of it has indirectly led to income.
I find your expression of resentment curious. Their use of your software did not deprive you of anything other than in your own mind.
I occasionally write stuff for my own use that might be of use to others. There's no downside to me if I release it, and the occasional upside.
Sometimes I need to apply a fix to some OSS project. Contributing helps me avoid having to maintain a fork.
Sometimes I write something at work that may be useful for others and convince my employers to let me open source it, and as a result I am also able to reuse the same software at home or in future jobs.
None of these have deprived me of income. Some of the work I was paid for. Some of it has indirectly led to income.
I find your expression of resentment curious. Their use of your software did not deprive you of anything other than in your own mind.