I started to get involved with the open source community when I started my current job.
I have posted some material on SourceForge, most notably, my QuizTaker.pl script for both
Linux and Windows. I find that for myself, I take great satisfaction in developing software for
either my company or for myself, because this is the first real software development job I've done.
So for me, each day at work, I usually learn something new and interesting about programming
in general, and that makes me a better programmer in the long run.

I also feel somewhat the same way you do concerning the joining of some useful open source
project, but again, I would treat it as a learning experience. I don't do it for the money, but
for the pure enjoyment of solving a problem and providing something useful to the community as
a whole.

TStanley
In the end, there can be only one!