[CS-FSLUG] Kernel worth hundreds of millions

[Jon Glass]

On Fri, Oct 24, 2008 at 9:25 AM, Fred A. Miller <fmiller at lightlink.com> wrote:
> SLOCCount estimates that it would take a team of over 200 developers
> about nine and a half years to rewrite the Linux kernel from scratch.

<snip>

> In fact, thousands of programmers have contributed to developing the
> Linux kernel, over a period of more than 15 years.

Interesting stats, and interesting difference. Supposedly, a mere 200
people could have accomplished this over 9 years, instead of thousands
over 15 years. Does this not, in a manner of speaking, make open
source software a bit inefficient?

Granted, I can appreciate the de-centralization of the software code
(being Baptist), but on the other hand, an awful lot of effort is
expended to create open source software, not just the Linux kernel.
That's where my truly independent spirit comes forth--one good man is
better than a dozen so-so. ;-)

None of this takes away my appreciation of Linux, and those who have
built it. Most of them have done it for no financial remuneration,
simply out of a desire to do it (hence some of the inefficiencies--if
not most), which differentiates open source from commercial software
(though probably not most shareware or small operations). It is just
an observation I made while reading the article.

-- 
 -Jon Glass
Krakow, Poland
<jonglass at usa.net>

"I don't believe in philosophies. I believe in fundamentals." --Jack Nicklaus