[LAU] How far we've come!

One of the other posts got me thinking a bit, re: all things linux audio. There are some folks here that kicked over the very first stones. The practicalities and useful application of current day (perhaps taken somewhat for granted) apps (Jack, Ardour , LADSPA... Muse and Rosegarden ... PD, timidity... Et al, were there in some form when I started in 2000, digging in the fields of realtime kernels and lower latencies (kernels 2.4 - 2.6 I think).. Trying to put old laptops and boxes that couldn't run XP to useful tasks...etc. I don't necessarily have a point to make other than to perhaps see some of where we've been, to further appreciate where Linux Audio is today! Um, we thought man would be on Mars and further when I was a boy. :) we may could have been! Money required to sustain such development is relevant! Developers o any kind can hardly afford no pay... They too have bills to pay, educations, sustenance and roof over thine heads! Many have come and gone! Some figured how to walk the crevasse of 'free' vs respective remuneration and their development efforts are rewarded with supplemental funds. I don't think any serious linux audio folk have gotten rich from Linux Audio have they? I would simply like to acknowledge the general core of devs. Without you, we'd all having nothing linux audio to bitch about!! :) I don't care to mention names. They know who they are. I met a few along the way. At San Francisco City Hall of all places!! 1 of which I still see here, 1 I do not. I personally rely heavily upon Linux and Linux audio these days. It's cost me extreme little in $$ stacked next to proprietary OS. It's powered several semi pro studio platforms, been used at various gigs over the years to record, perform, etc. A toast! :) to those who persist! Cheers! ~ Russell