There's something different about OpenSource people

It's actually kind of unfortunate that many of the folks who work on providing OpenSource software don't get the recognition, or at least the respect they deserve.

Starting with Linus and moving right down along to your local "community" distro developers, the overwhelming majority of the people involved are techs and admins and programmers who don't see what they do as just a job or a hobby.

These people see themselves as professionals not just in a technical profession, but in a helping profession.

When a tech or programmer ( both of who often learn snippets of the other along the way ) makes the decision to be that, they are entering a world of working to make others lives better.

The whole point of working in those fields is to make computers accessible and productive for other people.

The goal of an Open Source Operating System is to develop a system that is productive and accessible.

Linux is an example of that. It is designed to be open, meaning you or me or anyone can see what the underlying components and pieces are. If we are technically capable, we can take it upon ourselves to modify or "fix" something in that system without requiring certain special permission or paying a fee to do so.

Linux is also accessible. It is able to be shared, modified, built upon, adapted, etc.. in any way that one person or group might see fit to suit their needs. Again, without any special permissions or fees.

It is many a tech or programmer that makes this accessibility possible because of their involvement and participation in the work going into Linux and Open Source.

Is it self serving? Do these people do this work just to make something that suits their own need or agenda? Perhaps sometimes, on individual basis's. By and large though, these are people trying to fill the needs of users and people using systems they as techs and programmers are responsible for supporting.

You might notice when people who work in "helping" professions describe their work, what they do, they say that they do it because the work itself is 'rewarding" they fulfill a need in themselves to help other people.

I would venture to say, the same thing could be said for most every tech, admin and programmer I know of. Is the money good? Sure, if you get in the right place, it can be great. Same goes for doctors. They aren't all 'rich' but by golly some of them find a way to make indecent amounts of money while doing what they love. ( or so they say. I say there will always be the few 'bad apples' in any bunch but we shouldn't let that spoil our love of apples in general. )

The majority of techs, admins and programmers really like working with technology and seeing the people that use what they work on being productive and enjoying the service or software. It is in their primary interest to keep working to make computers and networks and programs accessible, productive and relatively easy to use.

Some days being a tech or a programmer can be excruciating. Frustrating and make you want to bang your head on every wall you see. Apps are not working, hardware is not working, users are frustrated and likely being less than polite. There are days that can make any tech or programmer want to take a month-long vacation. Now.

Same goes for doctors and nurses. They love what they do, most of them tell you. The same people will tell you there are days from Hell. Days they go to bed wondering just what the holy moly they were thinking of when they started taking classes in this field.

The media loves to portray techs and programmers as geeks and nerds. As people with lack of hygiene and social skills. If I had a nickel for every characterization of a tech or programmer as someone is is obsessed with their own little world and caring only about where to get the next "big" processor or ipod or whatever they are selfishly yearning for.

That is what is popular because it's controversial. As we all know, controversy sells, as does mean spiritedness.

The reality is that most people in a technology profession is just like you and me. Everyday people who have learned skills and a trade maybe that enables them to do the work they are interested in and able to feel like what they do makes a difference.

So, the next time you are at the doctors office, visiting with a nurse or sitting in a dentists chair, watch and see how many times that doctor or nurse or dentist stops to check a computer. More often than you might think. The doctors and health profession are relying more and more on computers that help them get their most critical work done.

You know who provided that computer or program that doctor is relying on so much?

The next time you see your cousin or niece or grandpa who is a tech or programmer, give them a high five and say "Thank you!" If nothing else, they may go to work that day or the next and give the world the next big step forward just because someone took the time to notice.