help a journalist get smarter

Hi, folks. I'm working on an article for TechWeb, and I could use your 
input.

The base question is: Has open source changed the way you develop apps? 
And if so, how? Has it changed the way you design, document, write code, 
work with other programmers, etc.? What effect does it have on the craft 
of creating software?

I'm not just interested in people who are actively contributing to open 
source projects (though I'd be happy to hear from you, of course). If 
you use open source in commercial or enterprise circles -- ANY kind of 
business use -- I'm *very* interested in learning whether and how it's 
changed the development process.

Feel free to contact me privately (esther.nospam-1W0Ar4md6L5Wk0Htik3J/[email protected]), though 
I'll do my best to check in here as well. It'd be cool if I can quote 
you by name and company affiliation, but I don't mind being vague about 
"says Kim, a developer for a midwest insurance company" if that's necessary.

(Also, it's cool if you forward this message to other developers. I need 
to have input by Monday, January 26, 2004 in order to get my article 
done on time -- so don't bother answering after that date.)

Esther Schindler
writing for TechWeb.com (at the moment, anyway)