Hey Jonas, That is really awesome and my mindset is similar. It’s just that there are sometimes cultural pressures and such so I’m just trying to figure out a way to pursue my passions, learn what I am interested in practically while making the money I need in the mean time. Awesome to have met someone that has a similar mindset and really inspiring to hear that you have been able to make it work. How did you go about building your knowledge? I’ve just tried different things on Linux and completed An Introductory certification through the Linux foundation. I’m comfortable with the basics of how to operate Debian and other distros but want to learn more. I’m most comfortable with apt and Debian based systems at this point.
That is really helpful that you point out that you’re basically a freelancer and that you’ve been able to make it work. I wasn’t sure if that was possible and up to this point was assuming that you just had to work for a big company in order to make the money you need and then do various projects on the side. Zayd On Thu, Aug 5, 2021 at 04:03 Jonas Smedegaard <d...@jones.dk> wrote: > Quoting Zayd Ahmed (2021-08-04 22:09:47) > > Hello everyone for the responses and I appreciate the help. When I > > originally sent this message I just saw the contact information on the > > Debian website and didn’t realize that this was a chain email. I was > > just looking to speak with someone at Debian that could answer my > > question but it seems there is no actual organization at Debian like > > other enterprise Linux distros. I contacted Canonical, Red Hat, and > > SUSE and it seems they have trainings but those are more enterprise > > Linux distributions. Was just wondering if there was a path to having > > a career in Linux while focusing on Debian but you probably have to > > work with one of those enterprise organizations in order to find a > > career. > > You wanted to talk about your options for earning money with Debian, and > you contacted us at the proper place: This mailinglist _is_ where we > talk together about non-technical parts of developing Debian which > includes how we attract new developers. > > To answer your question: Yes, there are several paths to make a living > from your passion with Debian, besides taking a job with an enterprise > company and hope that they will let you spend some of "their" time to > focus on Debian. > > One approach is to become an independent self-employed contractor, > taking smaller jobs at multiple companies (which will then more often be > smaller companies that don't need you full time). That's what I have > done for the past 25 years, and I know I am not the only one. > > Freedom is simple but not easy. > > Easier (although not super easy: life is not super easy) is - as you > sort-of indicate yourself - to ask employment departments of enterprise > companies if they want to cover your living costs and tell you what to > do (and then hope that they will give you tasks related to your passions > for Debian). > > Simpler is to live out your passion, and then try find someone > appreciating that work of yours and willing to cover your living costs. > But then more complex to operate like that - e.g. how to survive periods > of having little or no income. > > Personally, my main approach to stay free to work on my passions has > been to reduce living costs: It is often cheaper (but maybe less fun, if > you want a social life in meatspace) to live in the country side than in > larger cities. If is cheaper (but less comfortable) to live in a room > than in an apartment or a house. Avoid debt: banks want their money > back, and if they cannot have that in a steady flow then they charge > extra. None of that is specific to Debian, however - sorry if I am > pointing out things already obvious to you. > > I wish you the best of luck, whichever path you choose to take - and > welcome you to ask questions here again. > > You might also discuss more casually at our various IRC channels. > > > Kind regards, > > - Jonas > > -- > * Jonas Smedegaard - idealist & Internet-arkitekt > * Tlf.: +45 40843136 Website: http://dr.jones.dk/ > > [x] quote me freely [ ] ask before reusing [ ] keep private
