How to make money on an Open Source project if you are not Linus Torvalds?

Question

open source

I would like to immediately note that the question is rather not about money, but about freedom. Exactly. This is not about billions, not about dreams about yachts, cars, huge houses, fame and other bullshit that can never be compared with the process called programming.
I really like the idea of ​​Open Source. This, I'm not afraid of the word, philosophy, gives freedom of creativity and communication for programmers and gives the world excellent software. Fucking still will not be used. For example, I, not so hot a programmer, can look at how applications are developed "for real", I can even try to change something in the code. In short, not only can I practice, there is still a chance to become a real member of the community, a hacker in the right sense of the word. But...
How wonderful this idea, Open Source, is how terrible it is, perhaps I do not understand something. Simply, it turns out that this is unpaid work. Well, how unpaid? Red Hat sells Linux related services. But here I am. I want to publish a game or mobile application on GitHub, invite people to participate in the development. First, when everything is ready, what right will I have to sell this creation? We did everything together, but my money? Somehow it doesn't look good. Secondly, open source means that the repository can be downloaded, and the project can be built - and you're done. Why pay money for free? Thirdly, on the example of Oracle, some large corporations, to put it mildly, steal code from open source projects.
And what to do? Going to work for the rest of your life, having behind you what you just handed out? Work is always a time limit, so the less work, the more creativity. For example, I have not yet earned the status of "hacker in the correct sense of the word", so I still have nothing to claim, but how do those who simply devote their entire lives to some open source project make a living?
I understand that this question is full of amateurish demagoguery, but that's what it's about. Explain how you can make money on open source projects? What are the ways? Is there a future at all? Where will open source lead? And isn't this philosophy just a scam, a cheap way to write lines of code for those who make billions from it?
Here.

Answer 1

habrahabr.ru/post/268845

Answer 2

First, when everything is ready, what right will I have to sell this creation? We did everything together, but my money? Somehow it doesn't look good.

To get the right to use, you need either that the project's license allows it (even if the project is someone else's), or that all developers transfer property rights to the code to you.
It is impossible without this.

Secondly, open source means that the repository can be downloaded, and the project can be built - and you're done. Why pay money for free?

To get support.
This is where many open source companies make money.
But still there are companies like Centos, which collect everything themselves and give it to everyone for free.

Thirdly, on the example of Oracle, some large corporations, to put it mildly, steal code from open source projects.

Do not steal, but fully use. Because the licenses of open source projects allow such use.

Explain how you can make money on open source projects?

Support, advertising of related services.

Is there a future at all? Where will open source lead? And isn't this philosophy just a scam, a cheap way to write lines of code for those who make billions from it?

No, people do it voluntarily. I also did this, investing in pull requests in projects that were interesting to me (fixing bugs that prevented me from working).

Answer 3

Look at the nginx project. The man worked and simultaneously sawed a server for his own needs. The project advertised itself, as it was of high quality. And now Igor founded a company in which he develops commercial solutions. Money receives just for technical support At the same time, all the code is open.
There are many such stories: some people at work cut projects to fit their needs, and then, if the product turned out to be successful, money would come.
So if you want to become a part of open source - then write the code, and don't think about money. A quality product will be advertised by the seed itself.

Answer 4

How to make money on an Open Source project if you are not Linus Torvalds?

Become him.
PS There is confusion in the text of the question. FOSS is about freedom of speech, not about money.
Anyone can sell and for as much as they want.

Answer 5

You take any open source product and start selling

Answer 6

If the project is good and they will be actively used, then the main developer will not be left in the loser.
The developers of some kind of Drupal or WordPress do not live in poverty.

Answer 7

Most programmers are only able to make minor upgrades to open source
projects. But for their commercial implementation, you need a personal file store (industry 4.1).