“It’s true that open-source software is free for the taking and
that millions of copies of open-source programs, drivers, scripts,
and extensions are downloaded over the Web with no money changing
hands. It’s also true that open source is a growing market, and
that more people are making money at it. So how do you, a
developer, go about it?”
“The simplest, easiest way is to keep on doing what you love:
writing code. There is a growing demand for people with your
open-source skills. Your chances are greater than ever of finding a
job using your expertise in Linux, sendmail, Apache, Perl,
Scriptics, or Python. You can be a regular employee or a contract
employee, moving from job to job.”
“But you’re probably reading this because you want more
independence and would like to go into business for yourself. As an
employee, you need one main thing: your expertise as an open-source
expert. As an independent developer, however, you will need not
only your open-source expertise, but also the ability to be your
own boss, marketer, salesman, and business manager (are you sure
you want two full-time jobs?). In short, you’re going to have to go
beyond being a developer.”