I was just reading this interview with Linus Torvalds and while the questions are fairly typical of a reporter who simply does not understand Open Source software or the mentality of the Open Source developer, Linus' answers were enlightening.

I especially enjoyed reading this exchange:

Q: Don't you feel you missed the chance of a lifetime by not creating a proprietary Linux?

A: No. I'm actually perfectly well off. I live in a good-size house, with a nice yard, with deer occasionally showing up and eating the roses. My wife likes the roses more; I like the deer more, so we don't really mind. I've got three kids, and I know I can pay for their education. What more do I need?

Being a good programmer actually pays pretty well; being acknowledged as world-class pays even better. I simply didn't need to start a commercial company. And it's just about the least interesting thing I can imagine. So instead, I have a very good life, doing something that I think is really interesting and that I think actually matters for people, not just me. And that makes me feel good.

This is a guy who clearly understands what is really important.