[yariv]

Everything you said is true by my experience being involved in open source projects.

Another reason to do open source: it gives you a better chance of being able to work on something you enjoy because it connects you with like-minded people in the industry.

I think every programmer should be involved in some open source project. In most cases, a resume doesn't tell you much about someone's coding skills and real contributions, and technical interviews have many flaws in determining someone's qualifications. Only by looking at someone's code can you actually get a sense of their abilities.

It's much more interesting to interview someone who has done open source projects. You don't need to waste time figuring out if he or she can reverse a linked list. You can dive straight into more advanced topics.

I'm not sure about finding a cofounder though. I wouldn't feel comfortable partnering with someone if I hadn't gotten to know them by working closely with them.