Why is it sad? Every time I see a piece of software that provides a lot of value and it’s not focused on money-making (ublock for example) it gives me a warm feeling.
Because there is something ironic about people (in general, including those here) dreaming about well paying jobs, but then wanting high quality products that have been worked on by people without compensation, when that time could have been invested by the worker (developer in this case) working another paid job, spending time with loved ones, and the like.
I don't think that Google, Apple or Microsoft employees are not payed. And the quality of those products just isn't there.
I mean, my employer paid 500 euros for an Iphone which maybe costs 50 euros to be produced. From those 450 euros is an Apple engineer not able to test the smalest phone with bigger fonts and to implement proper hyphenation on menu items ?