Some would rather nitpick this interview than see the good in it. This is disappointing considering it covers practical and useful topics.<p>- Ted's progression from first time user to contributor. Start with small diffs in an area you're interested in, and build up if you can.<p>- Re-factoring programs with a strong emphasis on maintenance and security. Technical debt is real, and you certainly don't want it in an OS.<p>- Balancing more menial tasks (maintenance to the existing platform) with interesting additions (new security techniques).<p>The peace of mind from knowing an upgrade won't break or fail, and that security is taken seriously is refreshing. Give OpenBSD a shot, read some of the source or man 9 style (it's more informative than HN arguments).
<i>As I said before, OpenBSD prefers to move a little slow. This has saved us a lot of wasted effort chasing the latest fad, only to switch directions a year later. At the same time, in order to stay relevant and not fall too far behind, we have to guess what’s a passing fad and what’s an inevitable change.</i><p>"Slow" and "internet" don't go well together in a sentence. Can you imagine taking this "slow" approach as a startup? You'd be left behind in a jiffy! I guess a not-for-profit mentality shields you from obsolescence. That and the NSA has saved OpenBSD big time.<p>More power to them!