Behlendorf, now 25, is a case in point. Thanks to Apache, he travels the world, addressing Internet conferences and trade shows. He is also cofounder and chief technology officer at Organic Online Inc., a fast-growing Web-development firm with a long roster of corporate clients. His Apache ties give Organic "street credibility," Behlendorf says. "People assume we know what we're talking about when it comes to technology in general, and to hosting big Web sites."
That lesson alone is worth taking to heart. Indeed, Apache's real miracle is not so much its success in the software market as its magnetic draw in the talent market. No single company could hope to hire the diverse programming team that came together to create Apache. Even more amazingly, this global collection of brainpower received no compensation for its effort. Sure, the product is free. But so is the labor.
"We're a volunteer organization, so you can't force anyone to do anything," says Behlendorf. "The way you encourage people to spend their time on something is to make sure that they see the results. If people get value from this project, they will contribute to it."
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