Growing Open Source SeedsΒΆ

Facebook SDK for python

  • stopped getting updates
  • broke completely, bad press, for a while deleted issue tracker (now fixed)

This is not open source, it is public source

  • slap an open source license on the code and throw it over the wall
  • abandoned due to lack of interest etc

other end of spectrum

  • gittip

  • open source to the extreme - everything open

  • github issue for everything

  • major decisions voted for on github

  • interviews with journalists are live streamed

  • all formal discussions with other companies are publicly documented and shared

    “I’m not building gittip, I’m building the community that is building gittip”

call these “Shared Investment Projects”

  • shared ownership
  • extreme transparency
  • new contributors get involved by following a documented process
  • low risk - high bus-factor
  • see also: python, django, firefox, jquery ...

Requests - http for human

  • one of most installed PyPi packages
  • zero of project’s decisions made by community - all made by “me”

Dictatorship Projects

  • bdfl owns all
  • dictator responsible for all decisions
  • community feedback encouraged, but no expectation it will be followed
  • allows for quick decisions and iterations
  • bus factor, burnout risk, BDFL lose sight -> project ruined

lessons

  • be cordial or be on your way
  • open source provides opportunity for trifecta of purpose, mastery and autonomy
  • learn to do less - trusted people who help out
  • learn to say no - people will ask for crazy features
  • accept as few lines of code as possible - less code is good

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