goon's Journal: tale of 2 technologists

goon in response to #10094868

'... wouldn't you agree Linus got a measly sum compared to Steve Jobs ...'

the salesman
different generation, different locale. Jobs was around at the birth of the PC revolution. He's had plenty of time to create products (hardware + software), make mistakes and sell to a large domestic then international market. I dont think Jobs has ever given away code. Jobs has a knack (and the appropriate reality distortion field ) to foster an ideas environment, root out the better ones (for good or bad: read Insanly Great and think Andy Herzfeldt (And another thing)), take a punt and back the idea to the hilt.

For that Apple, Next, Pixar have delivered big bucks.

the engineer
Compared to Jobs and Apple, Linus and Linux are babies. Linux is a product of it's time. Just like in Victorian England where amateur gentleman had the time (and money) to ponder, think, question and execute their way into the industrial revolution, Linus tucked away in his bedroom with a donated '386 and copy of GCC gave heart and life to the GNU suite of tools in the form of the Linux kernal.

This is one big block in the Information revolution that is now occuring. And while Linus maybe currently *worth less* than Jobs the potential for Linux to generate new wealth is staggering.

In Killer App, Downes and Mui argue that moore + metcalf = law of disruption + coase . Linux and the birth of the Internet has in a way directly influenced this. Anyone who can exploit these effects and sell products stand to make $$$.

• I can't help think of Frank Capras, Its a wonderful life, where instead of Jimmy Stewart it's Linus giving up his big dreams of making lots of money for the good of the (software) community. Only to have that goodwill repayed when it really counts.

Linux is a product. How Linus utilises his time, programming and creating or selling: Its up to him.

'... Beyond that, make $$$ by selling some commercial software that people are not willing to write for their own enjoyment or use. ...'

think diesel not ford
or to put in a different light ... produce software that others have yet to think of or cannot do for themselves. Not everyone want's to sit behind a keyboard and have to understand computers. But to think you can make a living the old way, ignoring mr more and metcalf and hope that distruption and coase go away is shere lunacy.

I like to think of Linux as revolutionary as the Diesel engine (which by the way was not patented and possibly led to the early death of Rudolf Diesel) and Jobs as a Ford like figure. Though the analogy would probably be better with Gates.

To me Linus has unleashed the software equivalent of the Diesel engine. I can leave it to your imagination what legacy Gates and Jobs will leave.