The best part for me about being an open source web developer is that the capital required to bootstrap yourself into working is as low as $100 or even nothing at all.<p>A few months ago, I had an idea for a side project that could lead to a lucrative business. I ordered a used Thinkpad with no operating system from eBay, and off I went, developing the same sort of website I do on a $1,500 MacBook at work. If I already had a laptop lying around, I could have just reformatted it and used it without spending a dime.<p>When I lost my job in the city and had to move back home in 2011, I didn&#x27;t have a computer except for an old Windows desktop. I pulled it out of storage, formatted the hard drive, installed Linux and Rails, put my resume on Craigslist, and within a week I had signed a contract with a company as a remote developer. I was lugging that desktop around everywhere -- on trips to visit family, to co-working sessions in hotels, to my new employer&#x27;s office -- looking just as goofy as I wanted to, but didn&#x27;t care, I was working again.<p>Edit: I see my post is gaining upvotes quickly. If any open-source project maintainers are reading this, thank you! My story would not have been possible without your time and effort.