Intangibles
Paul Querna: It is interesting to ponder the value of the Apache HTTP Server Project, but I think at some point, you can’t get caught up in silly things like that. You need to do open source for yourself first. If other people use it... thats just a bonus.
That’s certainly The Apache way. But as I post this using Ubuntu Linux, I can’t help but notice that while I like the license for FreeBSD better, Linux seems to be more actively developed. And while I like the community model for Debian better, Ubuntu produces more consistent results for me.
And SourceForge is littered with projects that people have done “for themselves first”, but which never quite attained critical mass.
I can partially rationalize my choice in operating systems this be noting that the switching costs are low. My home server currently runs Ubuntu (it previously ran Debian, and before that Redhat). Heck, I could probably even switch to Windows within a day.
But as to Paul/Tim’s point, understanding the underlying motivation of the people who are developing anything that you depend on is crucial.