Why Do People Make and Provide Software and Support for Free?

s1gma · 2011-04-04 15:24:54

1. How long have you been using Linux?

2 years.

2. How did you learn/find out about Linux?

At school. And I was a Mac user, so knowing that OSX is UNIX lead me to want to know more about Linux.

3. Why have you chosen Linux over other operating systems available?

It's free. It has package managers. And now that I know it better, because it is really elegant.

4. Why did you choose to use your current distribution?

You control everything. You understand what you do, why you do something, thus you learn a lot. With the rolling-release system and the AUR, you have nearly all the softwares you need, you have the latest version, and they are all managed by the same package manager. I don't think I have any software installed from outside official repos or AUR. When I need something that is not packaged, I create a PKGBUILD, upload it, and use install the soft.

5. Do you still use any closed source programs that are not available for Linux?

No.

6. Tell me the reasons that you contribute to the community?

I'm pleased when something works out of the box, or when a program installs and works painlessly. So why not try to do the same for other people ?

9. In what ways do you feel contributing to the community could benefit someone's future/career?

You learn a lot when contributing to a open-source project. Programming, system internals, working with others (using revision control). You are part of a knowledgeable community, which is always nice. You learn to be autonomous and fix stuff yourself.

13. If you provide support on forums such as these, why do it for free?

I like when I get free answers, so I give mine for free :-)

Ranguvar · 2011-04-06 23:48:31

1. How long have you been using Linux?

Seven years if you count "playing around with", two and a half if you mean nearly full-time.

2. How did you learn/find out about Linux?

I read an article in PC Magazine that had a very brief overlook of a couple distributions, and was shocked to learn that there were other PC operating systems (age 11 or so).
I found a copy of SUSE 9 or around there, and installed it in a dual-boot to be greeted by massive headaches involving the NVIDIA driver. I kept installing new versions while using Windows primarily for a few years, mostly played Pingus when I could get accelerated 3D to work, was mystified by the directory structure.

3. Why have you chosen Linux over other operating systems available?

I am a very big proponent of Free Software, and I love its open-ended tweak-ability. Also, package managers.

4. Why did you choose to use your current distribution?

Eventually I started using Ubuntu some, but was immensely frustrated by the version upgrades that usually caused major problems -- Arch's rolling approach was a huge draw. I did learn some about the GNU/Linux directory structure, bash, etc. on Ubuntu though. Still I used Windows mainly. I went to Gentoo and was driven away by poor attitudes of the development team, as well as very kludgey problems in package management (though I still have a soft spot for the compiling approach). Eventually I found Arch, and learned more in the first month than I did in all of using Ubuntu. I messed up a few times but have stuck with it due to never finding anything that better matched my own feelings of how a distro should behave, and learning so much each time I failed. I was happy that, for once, it was me that was failing and not "the computer" -- I can learn from my mistakes, I can't learn from some unidentifiable issue in the OS.

5. Do you still use any closed source programs that are not available for Linux?

I use some programs in Wine from time to time, usually games like World of Warcraft.

6. Tell me the reasons that you contribute to the community?

I would like to popularize Free Software and that which is free, as well as spreading knowledge and making the world a (very slightly) better place.

8. In your opinion, what reasons do you think others provide software to everyone for free?

The open-source business model is often the best one, especially if you want to start a project by yourself and expand it beyond that.
Also, some others too get enjoyment out of respecting the rights of the user (Stallman's Four Freedoms).

9. In what ways do you feel contributing to the community could benefit someone's future/career?

To me personally, nothing looks better on a résumé than seeing that the applicant has such an interest in their work, they do it when they aren't even paid for it. Maybe others see it differently, but...

10. What is it about contributing or programming that you enjoy most? Is there any aspects you dislike?

I enjoy helping people to solve problems and decrease knowledge/disinformation in the world, but working with people (ungrateful or disrespectful) can get very annoying and requires frequent breaks

13. If you provide support on forums such as these, why do it for free?

I like to help people, and I like to spread knowledge.

JHeaton · 2011-04-07 11:57:21

1. How long have you been using Linux?
Four years.

2. How did you learn/find out about Linux?
Recommended by a friend.

3. Why have you chosen Linux over other operating systems available?
Security, stability, freedom and customisation.

4. Why did you choose to use your current distribution?
The Arch philosophy matches up with how I think the operating system should be: simple, but powerful.

5. Do you still use any closed source programs that are not available for Linux?
I still use Windows, Visual Studio, various games and the Microsoft exam packages.

6. Tell me the reasons that you contribute to the community?
To give back something to those who have helped me, and those who help the community and distribution grow.

7. What do you think motivates others to contribute to the community?
As above, I suppose.

8. In your opinion, what reasons do you think others provide software to everyone for free?
Different core values and philosophies. Some believe that software freedom is a right and that proprietary software is evil, which would be a driving reason for their choice.

9. In what ways do you feel contributing to the community could benefit someone's future/career?
Well, the community here helped me build confidence with what is not a beginner distro and to persevere even when I was finding it difficult. That pushed me to learn more of the in-depth Linux stuff to enhance my knowledge. I imagine this could well be the same for other people, who may then go on to get jobs working with Linux and/or other free software projects.

10. What is it about contributing or programming that you enjoy most? Is there any aspects you dislike?
Contributing makes me happy because it allows me to share my skills for the benefit of other people, as well as give back some time to the community. With programming, I enjoy solving problems and learning how to do new things. Things that I dislike aren't aspects that I have been involved in, but seeing the way some users speak to developers with a sense of entitlement, when they've been given a piece of software free of charge and often with the freedom to do whatever they want with it, really irritates me. That said, the way some developers talk to users is also appalling...

11. Are you a member of other non-software communities? Such as a church, voluntary organizations or charities?
Not really.

12. Does your open source work spillover with any other areas of your life?
Not as far as I'm aware.

13. If you provide support on forums such as these, why do it for free?
I enjoy helping others and sharing knowledge.

xelados · 2011-04-09 03:16:23

1. How long have you been using Linux?
Five years as of this writing.

2. How did you learn/find out about Linux?
I went searching for Windows alternatives when I got tired of the need for preventative software in Windows and wanted to learn more about computers instead of The Windows Way™.

3. Why have you chosen Linux over other operating systems available?
I chose GNU/Linux mainly due to its price, at first anyway. Mac OS comes with the hardware and Apple hardware is expensive, so I went with the obvious choice. I was also interested in programming, and heard that GNU/Linux was the platform best suited for that.

4. Why did you choose to use your current distribution?
Arch GNU/Linux blends the power of a binary package manager with a no-fuss, simplistic system structure. More to the point, the user is in complete control over what goes on the system, and can customize packages with a familiar language (bash for PKGBUILDs) if they decide they want something different. Those traits are most important to me in an operating system, and Arch has consistently offered me that without compromising control of the machine or learning.

5. Do you still use any closed source programs that are not available for Linux?
I can't think of any at this time. The only time I find myself using closed software is when I'm using a closed machine of someone else's.

6. Tell me the reasons that you contribute to the community?
I haven't contributed much, but I want to give back to the community for providing me a free set of software that I can use and study to achieve my computing and programming goals.

7. What do you think motivates others to contribute to the community?
The FOSS community is mostly pragmatic, when they're not bickering over things. I imagine people contribute to better the things that are out there or scratch their own itch and offer it up for others.

8. In your opinion, what reasons do you think others provide software to everyone for free?
There are many reasons. Employers love to see open source contributions on resumes, it feels good to give something useful away for free and read user feedback, and it strengthens the FOSS world, one application at a time.

9. In what ways do you feel contributing to the community could benefit someone's future/career?
If someone gets their name out there, they will be noticeable in a stack of applications and resumes. Additionally, a person can let their code do the talking instead of selling themselves or lying.

10. What is it about contributing or programming that you enjoy most? Is there any aspects you dislike?
Contributing seems to be a largely bureaucratic process, with developers insisting on "proper channels". It's sound logic, but as long as people are aware of issues I've never seen a problem with posting issues anywhere.

As for programming, it seems that a lot of programmers are not used to new programmers who can't or aren't going through formal education first. That, coupled with a low patience, means that new programmers are not received very well unless other coders deem them intelligent enough, usually through reciting of dogma or sharing their (irrelevant) opinions.

11. Are you a member of other non-software communities? Such as a church, voluntary organizations or charities?
No.

12. Does your open source work spillover with any other areas of your life?
Everything I make is freely available, though some of my artwork is licensed to prevent modification.

13. If you provide support on forums such as these, why do it for free?
I don't support very much, or often, but I have been helped through similar channels in the past. When I see a question I know the answer to or have enough skills to find someone's answer, I give them the best answer I can provide simply because that's what should happen. I know how it feels to post a question and it take weeks to answer.

Fun Fact: I used a vim macro to format the questions and xclip to transfer it to the textbox. Fun stuff.

hockeyfighter09 · 2011-04-12 21:46:26

Hey Guys! Just dropping in to let you know I have not forgotten about you! Just a quick update on my progress. I have finished my first draft of my thesis. Right now I am currently working on a second draft to better perfect it. Your responses have been great! If anymore of you want to chime in, feel free to do so! Thanks!

toad · 2011-04-15 07:09:11

1. How long have you been using Linux?

Some seven or eight years.

2. How did you learn/find out about Linux?

A far away friend was using it. When I finally met him I burned all eight CDs.

3. Why have you chosen Linux over other operating systems available?

I found the idea of free collaboration just mind bogglingly simple and brilliant - exactly as I have always wanted the world to function. So even if the whole Linux thing had been crap (and at times it has) I was never going to stray from this ideal.

4. Why did you choose to use your current distribution?

I was sick of reinstalling every X months. Then I became aware of the rolling release concept and it boiled down to Sidux (as it was called at the time) and Arch. The community and documentation won me over.

5. Do you still use any closed source programs that are not available for Linux?

No.

6. Tell me the reasons that you contribute to the community?

If I benefit then others should, too. Part of the whole involvement thing. Also, if I learn something new I'm excited, want to brag about it, spread the word. The OS community is an ideal platform for this near universal behaviour trait.

7. What do you think motivates others to contribute to the community?

Enjoyment, bragging rights, intellectual challenge, community.

8. In your opinion, what reasons do you think others provide software to everyone for free?

Part of it, I'm sure, is about learning by doing. Also, it is exciting to be doing something "big" so that afterwards you can say: "Oh yeah, I was involved" in a social/job situation.

9. In what ways do you feel contributing to the community could benefit someone's future/career?

Exposure, experience, drive.

10. What is it about contributing or programming that you enjoy most? Is there any aspects you dislike?

Helping and being helped. I'm proud if I do something that actually works - regardless of whether it is building a bed, fixing the bike or writing a wiki page. So if I can help someone I just have that bit more of a spring in my step at the end of the day. Same goes if somebody helps me get the latest bit of software to work.

Dislike - trolls. But then again, it is nice being a forum moderator (I'm not here but for KDE)

11. Are you a member of other non-software communities? Such as a church, voluntary organizations or charities?

On and off.

12. Does your open source work spillover with any other areas of your life?

I should hope so - even if only in the widest sense.

13. If you provide support on forums such as these, why do it for free?

If it were paid it'd be binding both in terms of time and quality. If you do it for free you're free to do it when you like/have the time/feel like it/enter at literally any level of expertise.

Last edited by toad (2011-04-15 07:28:21)

Arch Linux

#51 2011-04-04 15:24:54

Re: Why Do People Make and Provide Software and Support for Free?

#52 2011-04-06 23:48:31

Re: Why Do People Make and Provide Software and Support for Free?

#53 2011-04-07 11:57:21

Re: Why Do People Make and Provide Software and Support for Free?

#54 2011-04-09 03:16:23

Re: Why Do People Make and Provide Software and Support for Free?

#55 2011-04-12 21:46:26

Re: Why Do People Make and Provide Software and Support for Free?

#56 2011-04-15 07:09:11

Re: Why Do People Make and Provide Software and Support for Free?

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