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Re: Writing for the Open Source Community

Subject: Re: Writing for the Open Source Community
From: Bruce Byfield <bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Wed, 19 Feb 2003 11:37:24 -0800


eric -dot- dunn -at- ca -dot- transport -dot- bombardier -dot- com wrote:


Call me thick, but besides creating portfolio pieces, why bother looking into
open source as a writer? Sure there are hundreds of poorly documented
open-source projects out there, but I for one would like to get paid for my time
and energy. Good Karma is NOT going to pay the mortgage.

If you want a practical reason, how about gaining some experience and some samples? If you want a personal reason, how about writng material that you can get immediate and direct feedback from, and become widely known for? If you want social reasons, how about doing some charity work?

Is there a market of people willing to pay for good documentation for open
source software? Or, is it much like the open source movement as a whole? It's
great to have 'free' and 'open' software, but there has to be a pocket book
paying for it somewhere.
There are companies with open source business models. But you're wrong about "a pocket book paying for it somewhere." The fact goes against everything you learn in business administration classes, but, all the same, there are thousands of people willing to be involved in the Open Source movement for the reasons I suggested.

And if anyone doesn't believe that, all I can do is quote Galileo's alleged recantation of his recantation: "Nonetheless, it moves."

--
Bruce Byfield bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com 604.421.7177
http://members.axion.net/~bbyfield

"Take six politicians to dig me a grave,
Take six intellectuals my soul for to save,
And six union workers, a red flag to wave
And one stupid singer to rant and to rave."
- The Men They Couldn't Hang, "Industrial Town"



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References:
Writing for the Open Source Community: From: eric . dunn

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