What kind of person works at Apache, GNU, and Wikimedia, non-profit engineering?

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DJCD41

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DJCD41
Jun 9, 2021 11 Comments

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

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TOP 11 Comments
  • Google / Eng
    seacar

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    seacar
    Probably folks with morals and integrity. Don't ask me though 😂
    Jun 9, 2021 0
  • Red Hat / Eng
    Getitright

    Go to company page Red Hat Eng

    BIO
    Live for your family and friends, treat everyone including animals with respect
    Getitright
    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.
    Jun 9, 2021 2
    • Snap
      DJCD41

      Go to company page Snap

      DJCD41
      OP
      What’s the scope of the passion though. Doesn’t even Facebook and Google also have those elite frameworks to work on?
      Jun 9, 2021
    • Red Hat / Eng
      Getitright

      Go to company page Red Hat Eng

      BIO
      Live for your family and friends, treat everyone including animals with respect
      Getitright
      Its something they started from scratch or joined during early days and will work for betterment till the end. Stubborn passion.
      Jun 9, 2021
  • Amazon
    somepeeps

    Go to company page Amazon

    somepeeps
    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.
    Jun 9, 2021 1
    • New
      hmmmum

      New

      hmmmum
      You're right. And now everyone needs to grind leetcode 😫
      Jun 9, 2021
  • New
    goodJuJuSh

    New

    goodJuJuSh
    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
    Jun 9, 2021 0
  • Cisco
    kYHc78

    Go to company page Cisco

    kYHc78
    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.
    Jun 9, 2021 0