"So, I was in conflict about it. I probably should not have run, but had trouble letting go."

New York-based SPI was established by Perens in 1997 to help organizations create and distribute open-source software and hardware. Some of its member projects include Debian, Fresco, GNUstep and PostgreSQL.

Most recently, Perens sat on the SPI board for the past three years.

He said his number-one concern was his family and watching his young son entering first grade. "That's job number one, of course," he said.

But in amongst that there have been many achievements in the past year.