Re: Why Google funds open source development?

[David Neary <dneary free fr>]

Hi,

Quim Gil wrote:
> Sorry for the wide topic, but considering thet GNOME has got a Google's
> Summer of Code fund I think this is an appropriate list to ask.

It would perhaps have been better to ask Google... ;)

> Why Google is funding open source development? Why Google is funding
> GNOME? Just because we are so cool and smart? Just to deduce some taxes?

Google is a huge consumer of free software - Linux, Apache and Python. 
They have close ties to the Mozilla Foundation, buy advertising space in 
the interface of Firefox, and generally have lots of free software 
advocates working for them.

AFAIK, the idea is simply to "give something back". The size of the 
budget and the way that it is being executed may be unusual, but the 
idea itself of funding free software development isn't.

> Has Google given a general explanation? Has Google explained to the
> GNOME Foundation why is giving us money?
>
> All the (very few) infos I've read about the Summer of Code talk about
> free projects, young developers and money... but they don't mention why
> Google is funding them.

I might be way off base with my answer, so I'll maybe let some people 
who know more than me jump in.

Cheers,
Dave.

--
Dave Neary
bolsh gimp org
Lyon, France