Link: https://old.reddit.com/r/opensource/comments/1toan4m/is_there_anyone_here_who_does_independent_open/

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The original was posted on /r/opensource by /u/Proof-Bed-6928 on 2026-05-26 15:38:32+00:00.

I'm in a weird position where I'm about to graduate again with a bunch of specialised knowledge and skills that I can't really use without being hired at engineering firms (hardware engineering, like mechanical/electrical/aerospace etc).

The job market is trash right now so I need a backup plan for if I end up being unemployed long term.

Fortunately I have a stream of passive income. I'm not rich, but it's enough for me to move to a low cost of living country, rent a low cost studio in any place with an internet connection and just develop open source all day, full time, indefinitely.

Making big money, living in a big house, getting into relationships and starting a family had never mattered very much to me, but society seems to be structured around that assumption. I care more about a sense of achievement. And luckily (and I admit privilege in this), I am not financially forced to work for just survival. So if my open source project eventually gets widely adopted, I will call my life a success.

I want to know if this is a path that people have taken in the past? Do you guys exist?