Hey, I'm a little too bit too close to the ground to be an Apache philosopher, but anyway, there are many different reason we are all doing what we do, i.e spending a lot of hours working on an Apache project :
- it is funny to code, and when you get older, this is something difficult to do for money (it seems that you need to be under 23 to do valuable code in a private company ;-) - it helps when you are a light sleeper... ok, I know, I also tried Thomas Mann, Soljenitsyne, Balzac, Kant, De Lilo or Paul Auster, but when you can't sleep, it's too boring. Let's do something funny ! - you are able to work on projects that have close to zero percent chance to grow in your private company. For instance, how many companies are writing a LdapServer ? 5 ? How lucky are you to be part of their crew, being french or corean? (hi, Trustin ;) - the only pressure you feel is the one your pride put on you. It can be an heavy pressure ;) - when you are the one who has broke something, no customer while yell at you. Your pride will do... - no marketing bullsh*t !!! - nothing will be more important that deliver the best product. No more design-to-cost/cost-to-design bullsh*t. Just common-sense. - no manager to put some pressure on you and telling you "forget unit- tests ! we have customer, don't we ???" - a lot of smart people around the block to share ideas/drinks with. - no "I have a biggest salary than you, jerk", or "bet who is the boss?" - a lot of thing to learn !!! - a way to explain your girlfriend/boyfriend that having a computer in the living-room is not only to watch mellow/porn movies ..., it's also to be part of the Free World. Well, I above all agree that it's an opportunity to drink beers and good wine with good mates. Guys, this is certainly the most important thing with Open Source : it helps to Open Bottles. EL.
