[akerl_]

"Kernel development is not supposed to be for everyone, it's hard."

Citation?

Given you've admitted to not working on kernel code, this seems like something you've determined out of reverence for the importance of the kernel, not something grounded in fact.

It's worth noting that the entire Linux project spawned from some "casual" development work by somebody doing it as a hobbyist project.

[adrianm]

Your last point is just, ugh, oh so true. You don't get to be an expert in any field without diving head first into them at some point as an inquisitive amateur. Having a curious, naive spirit who isn't afraid to do things "the wrong way" and break a few things along the way is something we should be encouraging in our fellow hackers!

The OP's misaligned sense of responsibility honestly terrifies the child in me. I would not be where I am today were it not for the countless circuit boards I went through (nice way of saying completely destroyed) when I was 12.