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Comment by flowerlad | Hacker News Reader

NFTs may be a way for open source developers to make some money off of their work. Linus Torvalds could make a few hundred millions by selling an NFT for Linux, considering a JPG file sold for $69 million [1].

[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/11/arts/design/nft-auction-c...

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The beeple NFT shouldn't be used as a basis for comparison to future expected values given that it was artificially inflated by self-dealing, you can read more here about it: https://amycastor.com/2021/03/14/metakovan-the-mystery-beepl...

Amy is wrong, as she often is. Metakovan gifting the artist some tokens as a thank you is not self-sealing. It's just a guy overpaying for an artwork, and possible having an interest in promoting an artist he already owns work from.

What is an "NFT for linux"?

Maybe selling a banana taped to a wall could be a way for people to make money, considering one of those sold for ${OUTRAGE}.

Is Linus running out of money or something?

> What is an "NFT for linux"?

What is an NFT for a JPG file? I don't know, but we know it got sold for $69 million.

> Is Linus running out of money or something?

I have no idea, but since when does someone have to run out of money in order to want to make more?

Past performance is no guarantee of future results

what is an "NFT for anything" other than an arbitrary association between a number and some sort of artifact, presumably declared by the creator of said artifact. It's so bizarre to me that people will pay so much for these things.

Sure, Linus can sell an NFT containing the word "Linux" the same way he can sell a picture of his feet or just about anything else. It is all meaningless since (1) the NFT does not grant any ownership rights or licenses and (2) Linux code is anyways available under GPLv2.

> Linux code is anyways available under GPLv2

Yes, it doesn't stop anyone from using Linux. So win-win for all.

Soo..what is this NFT then exactly? Why would someone buy a Linux NFT?

Absolutely nothing, I guess. Like most other NFTs, really.

Why would someone pay $69 million for a JPG file?

Bragging rights. That's it.

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