[SOLVED] how linux developers get paid?

[mdialogo]

linux is great! ubuntu is almost like windows in terms of quality, expecially the gui... but i just wondering... how linux developers get paid for their efforts in creating this wonderful product, if its free?

[vikramaditya]

Right now, Canonical is bankrolling most of the OS development. But, leave us not forget the countless dedicated codemasters slaving behind the scenes for no more than the satisfaction of sharing!:)

[hyper_ch]

Some work for the linux foundations... others work in large companies that are linux friendly, others work in linux companies (like Canoncial, Red Had, ...)... and others just develope because they like it and don't get paid - or not directly.

[Joeb454]

Moved to Community Cafe

[indytim]

If you have some highly valued apps, you can show your support and encouragement by contributing to the app developers. This is usually accomplished at the home site of the application.

IndyTim

[tamoneya]

they're many different source of income. For example ubuntu is mostly funded by mark shuttleworth. The linux kernel however is different: Contributions come from everywhere but also some companies pay people to make sure their stuff works with the kernel. The best example of this that I know of is intel who pays some of its employees to improve the kernel drivers for intel chips.

[Lostincyberspace]

I think there are more people who get paid to develop to than most think there is.
I know of quite a few local company's that hire Linux developers.

I think it might even be safe to say that more paid coding hours are currently going into Linux than unpaid, at least for major projects like the kernel.

[az]

Most people employed full-time to write software do *not* work for a shrink-wrapped store-bought software project. But even those that do only really get paid for their day's work. So people who write F/LOSS get paid in the same way as the ones who write proprietary software.

The proprietary software model is where you sell the same piece of software to many people. But that doesn't mean that the person who actually wrote the code gets money for every copy sold. In fact, vendors of proprietary software may spend more on legal costs than on software development.

[Vivaldi Gloria]

Watch this to learn more about development:

http://excess.org/article/2008/07/oclug-june-kernel-walkthrough/

[bobbocanfly]

95% of Ubuntu developers do not get paid. There are a couple awesome and dedicated hackers on the Canonical payroll that spend all of their time hacking on Ubuntu. They also pay Jono Bacon (http://www.jonobacon.org/) to sit on IRC all day chatting to people :D

[Vivaldi Gloria]

95% of Ubuntu developers do not get paid.

I'm not sure that this is true. Any references?

Also, even in that case, it is possible that the remainig 5% do most of the developing.

The OP asks about linux in general. Naturally the kernel comes to mind. I know that 75% of commits are by paid developers.