> I eventually realized my motivations for developing open source software were rooted in vanity.
Bingo. The hard-earned wisdom of this insight right here almost completely explains all the internal issues the OP was feeling when he wrote his rather over-the-top post.
Yeah, it sucks to realize that your just as human as the next guy and that your motives aren't always as pure as you wish they were, but there is nothing at all wrong with being proud and wanting to be noticed for abilities.
Figuring out what path works for you AFTER realizing your motives aren't pure is how one solves the open-source user issue.
Bingo. The hard-earned wisdom of this insight right here almost completely explains all the internal issues the OP was feeling when he wrote his rather over-the-top post.
Yeah, it sucks to realize that your just as human as the next guy and that your motives aren't always as pure as you wish they were, but there is nothing at all wrong with being proud and wanting to be noticed for abilities.
Figuring out what path works for you AFTER realizing your motives aren't pure is how one solves the open-source user issue.