This mirrors my experience. The difference is quite apparent when you compare to other comparable engineering fields. It's anecdata but every single one of my friends with a degree in mechanical/electrical engineering is incredibly passionate about the field (though I can't deny that there is a certain underlying current of resentment with how much more money on average their counterparts in IT are making).
Software dev? I'd say maybe 1 in 3 if I'm being generous. It is what it is.
> that's like saying to people heading to gold mines - leave cz we know you're here to make money. you never cared about gold.
Imagine you are a person who likes rocks. A geologist if you will. You work for passion but the field is dominated by people who just want to mine gold.
It's pointed at execs, but squarely also at everyday workers who don't actually care about technology uplifting all of mankind, mostly just themselves. The former group has no ongoing open source work to show at the corporate level, and the latter group has no ongoing open source work to show at the individual level. Both groups actively take take take from open source without giving back anything.
He's saying there is a divide between people who are passionate about tech, aka "hackers" makers etc, vs people who just pursue it because at one time it paid well.
Software dev? I'd say maybe 1 in 3 if I'm being generous. It is what it is.