Skip site navigation (1)Skip section navigation (2)
Date:      Fri, 25 Dec 1998 06:27:50 -0500 (EST)
From:      Thomas Good <tomg@nrnet.org>
To:        Dag-Erling Smorgrav <des@flood.ping.uio.no>
Cc:        "FreeBSD-questions@FreeBSD.ORG" <freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG>
Subject:   Re: How do you get paid
Message-ID:  <Pine.LNX.3.96.981225060719.15140A-100000@mailhost.nrnet.org>
In-Reply-To: <xzpu2ylxmaj.fsf@flood.ping.uio.no>

next in thread | previous in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
On 24 Dec 1998, Dag-Erling Smorgrav wrote:

> [someone in Core may want to correct me if the following paragraph is
> incorrect]
> 
> I know of only three FreeBSD developers who get paid directly for
> their involvment in developing FreeBSD. There are many cases where
> people do FreeBSD work for their employer which they then contribute
> back to the Project, and a few cases of people getting hired as
> consultants by WC to perform specific, well-defined tasks (e.g. Kirk
> McKusick for fixing fs bugs), but the rest of us do it for free.

Hi.  

I don't have anything to do with committing code to BSD.  However,
the basic principles behind open source is what drives development in
my shop.

When I came onboard we were running PROGRESS databases on Novell UnixWare.

After explaining the ideas behind FSF/GNU and Linux to my employers I was
able to convince them that we needed to run our db apps under iBCS2
on Linux.  This we did as an interim measure.  After completing this phase
I began urging a move to an ANSI SQL compliant db that runs on Linux
or FreeBSD as native code.  We have resolved that all future development
will be for PostgreSQL databases (we now have more pg databases deployed
than PROGRESS db's.)

The language that replaced the Progress 4GL was perl (using the DBI approach)
and it was the perl artistic licence, as well as the Beserkely licence,
that enabled me to convince my employers that we need to keep our code in
the public domain.  This allows me to use donated labour (from a team of
programmers, mostly Canadians) to build our apps.  The last step is to
replace our mail server with a FreeBSD box.  When this is done we will
be a `Walnut Creek shop'.  I have an allergic reaction to any brand of
Linux other than Slackware.  (End of Partisan Comments ;-)

In as much as we are funded with public monies it is nice to say that we
are pleased to have all of our code open source.  I don't get paid to
write open source code, per se.  I am doing that (at 06:00 on 25 DEC 98)
because I *believe* in it.  While there are lots of apps available for
general medicine there isn't much for psychiatry (especially for sites
that offer a full range of services including inpatient and detox units.)

---

DES - a question if I may be permitted.  Is the version of iBCS2 a port
of the src penned by Mike Jagdis?  Or something hacked inhouse?
(Just curious here.)

Finally, I agree with Mark Ovens about the list.  (Happy Christmas,
Mark)  It is invaluable.

> DES
> -- 
> Dag-Erling Smorgrav - des@flood.ping.uio.no
> 
> To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org
> with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message
> 


 Cheers,
 Tom

    ----------- Sisters of Charity Medical Center ----------
                    Department of Psychiatry
                              ----     
 Thomas Good, System Administrator            <tomg@q8.nrnet.org>
 North Richmond CMHC/Residential Services     Phone: 718-354-5528
 75 Vanderbilt Ave, Quarters 8                Fax:   718-354-5056
 Staten Island, NY   10304                    www.panix.com/~ugd
                              ----     
 Powered by PostgreSQL 6.3.2 / Perl 5.004 / DBI-0.91::DBD-PG-0.69 



To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org
with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message



Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?Pine.LNX.3.96.981225060719.15140A-100000>