Debian stays true to its roots (LinuxWorld)
Bdale Garbee, former Debian project leader and current HP chief technologist for Linux and open source, reflects on Debian in a LinuxWorld article. "
The Debian distribution is a fascinating social phenomenon. Imagine a voluntary group of more than 1,000 registered developers who build and distribute software that is equal or superior to any commercial operating system -- and theres no company backing them. Since Debian isnt a company, developers dont have to worry about being bought or sold, going through a hostile take-over, answering to shareholders or going bankrupt. Theres no significant money trail, because Debian is based on donated time and resources. This leaves the developers free to pursue their passion to write and use free software. Outsiders sometimes view this as an unruly group that argues a lot, but don't be fooled by the vocal minority. Debian is an amazingly tight-knit community of people who share a passion and enjoy working and playing together."