[joanofarf]

On what basis do you decide to contribute to one open-source project over another? On what basis do you decide to work for one business over another? Are your answers to those two questions the same? No? Then there's the difference.

>Also, you're wrong, because Linus's job and greatest skill is in managing people.

He doesn't manage people. He manages their contributions. Why are they contributing? Because they want to make it better.

In general, businesses don't have volunteer employees who work there solely on the basis of wanting to make the product better. Their decision to work there is also based factors like the salary, the benefits, the culture, whether they like the people they work with/for, etc., some or all of which will vary from person to person.

[danmaz74]

From my experience, managing volunteers is MUCH harder then managing employees. If Linus did what he did, he for sure is able to manage volunteers - which doesn't mean his way is the only way, or even the best way. But for sure it's a way that works.