Re: Who pays Debian developement
On 1/31/23 09:04, Thomas Schmitt wrote:
Hi,
how does it actually work?
Most of the software in the Debian operating system is taken by Debian
for free from "upstream" projects.
For example i maintain as upstream developer libburn, lisofs, and
libisoburn with their applications cdrskin and xorriso. They are not
specific to Debian or to GNU/Linux.
I support Debian especially by preparing the Debian packages of my
upstream projects. Those get signed and uploaded by Dominique Dumont
who holds a Debian rank, unlike me. See what Debian makes out of my
upstream package libisoburn:
https://tracker.debian.org/pkg/libisoburn
I don't get paid for this. It's for fun, curiosity, and conscience.
An easy way to pay back to the world for what i take from it for free.
During the years i got some donations for hardware costs. But that's not
a significant motivation for me.
Aside from getting upstream's work for free, it is quite some work to
prepare all the Debian packages and to coordinate their dependencies (the
further software which a package needs to work). That's why several other
GNU/Linux distros take the bulk of their packages from Debian for free.
So everybody is taking advantage of everybody. Those who don't maintain
software can contribute by submitting bug reports or other feedback.
Of course, one has to be able to afford giving away ones work.
I still work in the proprietary IT industry. The customers see no
problem with paying my employer and to charge their customers.
A completely different social model.
Free software development in large parts swims on top of that model.
It is quite astounding that this coexistence works since decades.
Obviously it benefits both sides.
Have a nice day :)
You too Thomas. Very well said Thomas, clarify's it pretty well for the
newcomer trying to figure out our model of TANSTAAFL.
Take care and stay well.
I do much of my support by running the current master of linuxcnc, which
is in the process of being inducted into debian bookworm, updated from
the buildbot many times weekly, on 4 machines I rebuilt and cnc'd as a
hobby, reporting bugs or in one case, after a couple years complaining
about it, getting two things fixed recently, making it a bit easier for
newcomers to cnc to configure their machines to do the work they may do
for a living. I am in fact a retired for over 20 years, broadcast
engineer, and a CET. I fix EE's mistakes cuz the school's profs didn't
teach them well enough, passing out sheepskins that weren't always
deserved. That obviously is a different subject. And one I cannot
readily fix. So I'll shaddup now.
Thomas
.
Cheers, Gene Heskett.
--
"There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
-Ed Howdershelt (Author, 1940)
If we desire respect for the law, we must first make the law respectable.
- Louis D. Brandeis
Genes Web page <http://geneslinuxbox.net:6309/>
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