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Why we never thank open source maintainers

windsooon.github.io

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Re: Why we never thank open source maintainers

#191

Post by notzorbo3 »

StavrosK wrote: post #104
notzorbo3 wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

All kinds really. From transitioning companies to modern CI/CD practices to security counseling to integration work to helping out with automation and such. It's about 50% low level tech stuff and %50 advisements.

Ah, I see, thank you.

You're welcome!

I think I should stress the point that people will pay more for stupid things such as lessons than they will for actually useful things. For example, you can charge twice as much for teaching people how to use Git than you can for actually implementing the frontend and backend for them.

People are really, really insecure about their own abilities. If you can position yourself in the market as someone who can help them with their insecurities, you're basically golden. It sounds a little .. dickish, but really ,you're doing everyone a favor. So many people get hung up in merely(?) having to make a decision. Making it for them it usually a big help.

Re: Why we never thank open source maintainers

#192

Post by freshhawk »

skybrian wrote: post #92
zimbatm wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah this is painful. Why do some users feel so entitled? The hard part is not to feel bullied into doing work for free and not to react in a snarky way. The best remedy I find is to know exactly where I stand. Is it something I am interested to work on? maybe, if enough users show interest. Or maybe not. And then communicate clearly to set the expectations. Want this feature? Sure, either do it yourself or hire some…

I wonder if it's due to how open source software is sometimes marketed to users? If you have a professional-looking website saying it's easy to use and better than the rest, and people try it out and it's not completely wonderful, they're going to complain, because it didn't meet expectations. Perhaps deliberately modest marketing would work better at attracting the right kind of users?

This is an important distinction to make.

If those users are mad because you won't do free work for them they are entitled jerks.

If those users are mad because your marketing made promises it doesn't keep and they wasted their time learning/installing/integrating your project based on lies, you are the jerk.

Some open source projects are aware of the number of users but focus on getting contributors, so that they can make the product better. They are sharing the workload of solving a common problem so others can stand on their shoulders.

Some focus on user numbers, because then they can be famous, or they have a connected business that will make more money.

These are groups that will work very differently and respond to users differently. They have simply chosen similar software licenses.

Re: Why we never thank open source maintainers

#194

Post by StavrosK »

notzorbo3 wrote: post #191
StavrosK wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ah, I see, thank you.

You're welcome! I think I should stress the point that people will pay more for stupid things such as lessons than they will for actually useful things. For example, you can charge twice as much for teaching people how to use Git than you can for actually implementing the frontend and backend for them. People are really, really insecure about their own abilities. If you can position yourself in the market as someone…

That's very helpful (if a bit counter-intuitive), thank you! Isn't it kind of contradictory that, on one hand, you teach people to make decisions for themselves, and on the other you make them for them?

Re: Why we never thank open source maintainers

#195

Post by tobbyb »

Open source is a huge achievement. The sheer diversity, wealth and value of the ecosystem is priceless. A true achievement of our times and Stallman and all the pioneers deserve a gigantic kudos.

Any human group has all the problems that comes with us. Some people are insensitive, self centred, selfish, entitled, immature but there are also others who are helpful, warm, polite, genuinely wonderful human beings.

There is little reason for cynicism or negativity. You get to meet and interact with all kinds which in itself opens your life up to a whole new set of experiences.

Re: Why we never thank open source maintainers

#196

Post by zenlikethat »

StavrosK wrote: post #58
zenlikethat wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Common mistake -- you might want to look into Patrick McKenzie's material about consulting. Some clients you'll even be able to say "I'm raising rates" and just start getting more money for the same work without issue.

I doubt it's going to be that easy, because some clients already balk at the current rates. It greatly depends on your niche, that's why I asked the GP what he was consulting on.

Clients always balk at rates. Fire the worst ones and keep the ones who pay up if you can. You should always be looking for better clients (i.e., doing outbound sales) if you want to charge more.

Re: Why we never thank open source maintainers

#197

Post by oldgregg »

notzorbo3 wrote: post #11
naturalgradient wrote: post #5

As the maintainer of a reasonably popular library, I actually get irritated by a lot of 'thanks', because they are in the form of this sentence: 'Hi, can you implement ? Thanks!' Usually from people who have never contributed anything. Honestly, being thanked in any shape or form does nothing for me, Id rather have users be more considerate of our time and not abuse issues and the community for supporting their lazin…

Ways I deal with this as an open source maintainer of various projects: 1. Severely restrict the scope of the project (i.e. do one thing and do it well) 2. Don't feel guilty about saying "no" 3. Realize that people have no malicious intent or are lazy when they request . It's just like a normal customer in a business: they often have no idea of the cost and difficulties in implementing things. That's okay, it's my du…

It would be nice if github made it easy for people to assign a $ bounty to every issue and when it's marked complete payouts are automatic. There are a bunch of issues in various open source projects where I would easily drop $100 on a bounty.

Re: Why we never thank open source maintainers

#198

Post by gitgud »

QittyQat wrote: post #186

I help maintain an open-source project for AWS. The only thanks I need is that you come by the booth at re:Invent and give me a big hug. I'll be the one winking at everyone assuming they remember this comment from HN.

Which project? I won't be there, but here's a cyber hug to thankyou for your efforts

＼(^o^)／

Re: Why we never thank open source maintainers

#199

Post by gitgud »

pixelbeat__ wrote: post #147

Some thanks would definitely be appreciated at least to balance out the negative minority. As a maintainer of a project¹ that many use, I've had private messages encouraging me to commit suicide etc. Not ideal. ¹ https://www.gnu.org/s/coreutils

Whoah that's messed up! Who are these people? Other developers or users?
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