Comment by friendly_chap

I can imagine that happening when the motivation is external (praise). When I write open-source it's because I have to write it out of myself.

Do I expect praise, kudos, fame, whatever? I do and that happens, I have been hired countless of times because of open-source. Even my friends (!) have been hired because of open-source stuff I wrote and they contributed to.

But the main motivation is internal - I just have to see it take shape. Like a writer who can't resist painting or a writer who can't stop writing.

Do I have regrets still? Yeah because I could have used the time for better things. But that can be said about any hobby.