Look What I Did

Closed-source software development operations are like blockbuster movies where the credits all say "contributor" and list the names of everyone who worked on the project; the proprietary nature of the project requires that the contributions of the individuals be kept a secret.  Alternatively a vibrant open-source developer has the opportunity to display their work to a large community of peers and users.  The open-source developers can earn the title of "Director", "Producer" or "Gaffer".  This binding of performance to ego is one of the most important ingredients in the success of the open-source development mindset.  One of the greatest motivators of the human race is the desire to show off.