> but many of those big-name 'rockstar' contributors seem to have either been lured to a competing/alternative platform
Many have been hired by companies, e.g. Nokia, and now don't want to work for free again.
Many have been hired by companies, e.g. Nokia, and now don't want to work for free again.
The typical open source developer has always been either (1) gainfully employed at a programming day job, (2) employed to actually build FOSS, or (3) in academia.
There's at least as much open source development going on now as ever before. It's just that the attention has shifted away from desktop apps.
Now if we live in a Resource Based Economy, then that is possible, but until then, money is king.
I contribute to GNOME, and that is not "working for free". It means having a fun hobby. If I'd get money for it, it would no longer be a hobby, but work. I did hear some people say that their hobby is the same as their work. IMO, work is more restricted (try doing nothing at all for 3 months with your hobby, then repeat for your work).