While this might be true, I have some doubts that for every job there are sufficient hobbyists to cover the demand voluntarily... Like very dangerous, uncomfortable, unhealthy or exhausting activities.

This is not true. Linux is well funded by Google, msft, red hat, ibm, intel, etc...

As noble as this is, and as much as I love using Linux, I'm also aware how many critical components are just maintened by like, a single dude in his late 60s with heart problems.

I sometimes worry what happens to the entire scaffolding when that one dude's time is up.

"almost entirely" is not really accurate. there are many projects with lots of volunteer labor happening but most of the big projects which are included in most distros' default installs do also have people being paid to work on them, actually.

Bro, billions is poured into Linux. You’re on crack 😂

You think Steam and wine just now started being magically usable and had nothing to do with valve coming in and fixing broken ass shit?

A lot of those volunteers also use open source in their day to day life to get work done.

It’s less like people freely giving their time and more workers making their tools freely available so people stop asking them to do things.

Or to put it in lefty terms: Here’s the means of production.

I dont trust people that aren’t passionate about a job to do great at it.

A handfull of motivated nerds can do more then an army of wage slave drones.

edit: disregard what i just said

@a404@lemmy.dbzer0.com then delete the lie. Linus created Linux for the profit of passing his bachelor's. It always was for-profit.

I won't repeat what profit means, for the educated.