What makes Linux great?

[DCT Jared]

On Tue, 23 Dec 2003 09:07:39 -0600, Hal Duston wrote:
>Actually, I am passionate about profit.  Which is indeed why I am here.

Are you sure that is why you are here? I, too, am passionate
about profit, but never so much that it overcomes my passion
for curiousity, which is why I am here.

While you may have realized that Linux knowledge is profitable
after you got involved, I do not believe that is what originally 
attracted you, nor is it your core passion.

I'm specifically addressing the fact that a person who is motivated
by profit is _unable to discern_ what motivates a person who
is motivated to the same actions by passion. And the person
who acts from his heart is genuine to the action, whereas
the person who acts from his pocketbook is a poseur to
the action (although being genuine to his pocketbook).

Important distinction to make in defining what makes Linux
great. For example, Linus Torvalds can now choose his salary and 
workplace like few on the planet, but what got him started in the 
first place was pure joy.

In short:

Wealth follows joy, but not the other way around.

-Jared

ps There are some who will say Bill Gates started with
joy also, and even say that he is still true to that original
joy, but such folks are missing the subtle distinction between
wealth accumulated by entrapping your customers, and wealth 
which is accumulated from liberated customers. Note how
Bill Gate's wealth is clearly a direct consequence of his
aggressive marketing ability, whereas Linus Torvalds' wealth
is seen as an irrelevant footnote to his geek ability.