But anecdotally that number is consistent with my experience.
When we created the GNOME Foundation in 2000, it was in part to manage the commercial vendors and money involved (Compaq, Eazel, Helix Code, IBM, Sun Microsystems and VA Linux Systems, see the press release https://www.gnome.org/press/2000/08/red-hat-joins-industry-v...).
This was not at all unique to GNOME, same kinda stuff around all the major projects at that time.
One thing I think is new and constructive is more ways to pay maintainers without asking them to join a giant company.
To try to put a number on it, here's a random study that 50% of oss is people at their paid job: https://dirkriehle.com/2013/08/22/paid-vs-volunteer-work-in-...
But anecdotally that number is consistent with my experience.
When we created the GNOME Foundation in 2000, it was in part to manage the commercial vendors and money involved (Compaq, Eazel, Helix Code, IBM, Sun Microsystems and VA Linux Systems, see the press release https://www.gnome.org/press/2000/08/red-hat-joins-industry-v...).
This was not at all unique to GNOME, same kinda stuff around all the major projects at that time.
One thing I think is new and constructive is more ways to pay maintainers without asking them to join a giant company.