Why Google funds open source development?

Posted by mariuz on Nov 30, 2005 6:36 AM EDT
http://www.desdeamericaconamor.org/blog/en/node/144; By qgil's blog 		Mail this story
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This is the question I've asked to the GNOME's marketing-list this morning. 31 minutes later (midnight in Mountain View - California) we got the response from Chris DiBona, Open Source Program Manager at Google Inc. and responsible of Google's Summer of Code:

Hi.

1) We like open source.


2) We like open source people, including Gnomers (gnomites? Gnomes?)
3) We use open source.
4) We are open source people.
5) We felt open source needs a little fresh blood now and then. *
6) We felt that there were a lot of students who would work on open
source, if they didn't have to flip burgers.

Hence: Summer of Code.

Chris (Google Open Source Programs Manager)

* not that I mind running into Nat and Miguel at every damn conference


I go to. :-)

I believe Chris is right. Although like any adept of conspiracy theories related to big corporations, I believe also that there is room for a (sub)conscious 7) that has a place in Google's long term strategy. Sounds childish? I'll try to remember this answer in 5 years time. :)

Anyway, I wish all the corporations and public institutions would believe/invest in open source as Google does and would come up with very good ideas such as the Summer of Code. So thank you for this quick and concise answer, and thank you for the Summer of Code itself.

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I think this is the google's secret mariuz 6 2,860 Nov 30, 2005 2:29 PM

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