>> However, I have (so far) never been able to manage contributing to open source projects in any significant way. Sometimes I have been too busy with work projects, sometimes it has been a busy life at grad school, sometimes family,
I can take a safe bet that a lot of us here can confirm to this as well. So this is more prevalent than people care to admit/inform here.
>> and I wish I were more like them.
Not a bad wish, but if I were you, I wouldn't lose sleep over it. :)
So, just keep doing what you are doing, and the opportunities (oh, there are plenty of those around. I can assure you) that arise around those things will come to you. Good luck!
A large part of the issue is that people who contribute to OSS talk about contributing to OSS, whereas people who don't contribute typically just don't mention it.
Relax. This is what happens here on HN often-times. :) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias
>> However, I have (so far) never been able to manage contributing to open source projects in any significant way. Sometimes I have been too busy with work projects, sometimes it has been a busy life at grad school, sometimes family,
I can take a safe bet that a lot of us here can confirm to this as well. So this is more prevalent than people care to admit/inform here.
>> and I wish I were more like them.
Not a bad wish, but if I were you, I wouldn't lose sleep over it. :) So, just keep doing what you are doing, and the opportunities (oh, there are plenty of those around. I can assure you) that arise around those things will come to you. Good luck!