Real question, just trying to understand. Who exactly is the type of person working at these open source companies? For example if you work on apache web server technology, your scope is easily multi-million dollar trajectory in Silicon Valley. Are these people like monks who reject the temptation of money to donate their entire lives in open source? Or is it more like they are working on it in a side-project capacity, donating their weekends after real job is over? I understand also that a lot of megacorps like Facebook just donate their platform technology to open source to increase their adoption agenda, which is a win-win. But still, someone needs to be maintaining them on a full-time basis, right? #apache #opensource #wikimedia #wikipedia #nonprofit #gnu
I have seen many talented folks who work passionately for the open source community projects and are rock stars. If they focus 0.1% of that time for leet code they will easily get into google, uber, facebook but they will not. They are really driven by passion for that project than anything else.
What’s the scope of the passion though. Doesn’t even Facebook and Google also have those elite frameworks to work on?
Its something they started from scratch or joined during early days and will work for betterment till the end. Stubborn passion.
Before 2015ish when tech TC and stock exploded and now every future finance bro and their mother knew how much money you could make, tech as a whole was more nerdy and altruistic. Now it’s 2021 and most people are trying to weasel in as PM’s, or grind LC like SAT’s, even if they don’t care about any of it beyond what gets their next promotion. Hence why even though most of Blind work as SDE’s here, instead of talking shop, it’s mostly TC and job hopping.
You're right. And now everyone needs to grind leetcode 😫
A lot of talented open source devs don't care about the money, they care more about making a difference, contributing to society, etc. It actually feels great working with those people since they're passionate about the code/product, unlike many corporate devs who are just there to collect a paycheck.
When I worked on some OSS projects, a lot of contributors were from Europe. I guess they’re just passionate about technology, and have better wlb
this is true. most of them are from europe
I got an offer at one of these places (wiki). Considered it bc the job was truly fascinating and unusual. They pay wasn’t too horrible, they offered me over 200 (like 220ish in a coastal city) bc they really wanted me. One of my colleagues would’ve Been a very talented Mit PhD with a zillion publications. I have similar credentials and have in the past worked in civic tech for a nonprofit for a massive paycut because my main priorities are social impact and working with non assholes Much more interesting work and huuuuuge scope compared to what my friends of similar background were doing at google, from what I could tell. I would be setting up an entire new research/eng area in a very cool field. Ended up not working out because their recruiting is incompetent trash but that’s a story for another post Also one of the very smartest people I knew in school, international Olympiad gold or silver medalist, worked at Mozilla for like 15 years just because he liked the team and mission
I work at Wikimedia Was in big tech beforehand and prefer working for non profit with work that has some purpose and integrity Took a TC cut to leave but very happy I did so
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Probably folks with morals and integrity. Don't ask me though 😂