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Open source projects should run office hours

simonwillison.net

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Re: Open source projects should run office hours

#111

Post by hanniabu »

thunderbong wrote: post #35

I think a lot of the comments are concluding from the title that open source maintainers should be working on the projects during office hours. That is not what the article is suggesting. From the article - >> anyone can book a 25 minute conversation with me on a Friday to talk about the project. I’m interested in talking to people who are using Datasette, or who are considering using it, or who just want to have a c…

> People might file bug reports if something breaks, but other than that it can feel like publishing software into a void.

Easy, request they have a quick 5min feedback chat with you and you'll bump their issue on the priority list.

Re: Open source projects should run office hours

#112

Post by mikl »

If you have the time to spare and the mental energy to talk to random strangers about their problems every Friday afternoon, good for you.

But get right out of here with that “should” nonsense. OSS maintainers are already donating time and effort for the common good. You’d have to be a complete jerkwad to insist they need to do more.

Re: Open source projects should run office hours

#113

Post by TeMPOraL »

haskal wrote: post #38
thunderbong wrote: post #35

I think a lot of the comments are concluding from the title that open source maintainers should be working on the projects during office hours. That is not what the article is suggesting. From the article - >> anyone can book a 25 minute conversation with me on a Friday to talk about the project. I’m interested in talking to people who are using Datasette, or who are considering using it, or who just want to have a c…

I thought "office hours" is a common term in universities?

Beyond unversities, it's also a term sometimes used by Y Combinator, which also contributes to its spread.

(That's how I learned it can mean something else than "when the workplace is open". English is not my first language.)

Re: Open source projects should run office hours

#114

Post by whizzter »

matkoniecz wrote: post #109
nxpnsv wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think this is about obligations. I feel the developer had a hugely positive experience in inviting interested strangers for 20 minute chats and wanted to spread the positivity. Seems like a nice person, with a nice project, and clearly some extra time available.

I referred specifically to the title in my comment. It is part of things personally irritating to me, and something what is biggest threat to small open source projects that I like. People are mistaken in thinking that having an open source project implies any obligation beyond lack of malice. And people tired by dealing with that are one of top reason why open source projects disappear or are never created.

The title is kinda unclear for someone non-English/US, for me office hours only means the actual hours when things are worked on (rather than any kind of availability time).

So skimming the title it quickly I read it as "Open source projects should run on office hours" since my mind filled that in, kinda implied that someone in another part of the world should adjust their life hours to contribute to OSS.

(Yes after reading the article i realized that it was wrong but this is about the title)

Re: Open source projects should run office hours

#115

Post by Aeolun »

akavel wrote: post #100
coliveira wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're completely right. However, I notice a change in behavior in developers during the last decade. They view open source as an extension of their duties as software developers, i.e., something that they have to do. Following this point of view, they consider that working on a project brings commitments as if they were in a paid job, and started projecting this belief on others. I think this is very disturbing.

You may have gotten this in reverse direction: it's rather that users of open-source software often desire support, and sometimes speak about it, and developers then tend to have hard time managing psychological boundaries with regards to answering that desire/expectation. Which is generally a nontrivial thing between people in any relation.

I have no expectations of other open-source maintainers that I don’t have of myself.

Re: Open source projects should run office hours

#116

Post by Aeolun »

TeMPOraL wrote: post #113
haskal wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I thought "office hours" is a common term in universities?

Beyond unversities, it's also a term sometimes used by Y Combinator, which also contributes to its spread. (That's how I learned it can mean something else than "when the workplace is open". English is not my first language.)

I think in this case it’s meant to be ‘hours when I’m guaranteed to be in my office’.

Mostly applicable to academia, because who the hell has their own office right now.

Re: Open source projects should run office hours

#117

Post by [deleted] »

whizzter wrote: post #114
matkoniecz wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I referred specifically to the title in my comment. It is part of things personally irritating to me, and something what is biggest threat to small open source projects that I like. People are mistaken in thinking that having an open source project implies any obligation beyond lack of malice. And people tired by dealing with that are one of top reason why open source projects disappear or are never created.

The title is kinda unclear for someone non-English/US, for me office hours only means the actual hours when things are worked on (rather than any kind of availability time). So skimming the title it quickly I read it as "Open source projects should run on office hours" since my mind filled that in, kinda implied that someone in another part of the world should adjust their life hours to contribute to OSS. (Yes after…

[deleted]

Re: Open source projects should run office hours

#118

Post by Aeolun »

cookiengineer wrote: post #15

Isn't this kind of a paradox? Most open source maintainers work in their free time on those projects, and have an additional fulltime job to cover the bills. Assuming that everybody has the luxury to have additional office hours available is a bit far from reality in my opinion. I mean, if you can offer office hours for an open source project you probably are already so popular that you are able to work on it fulltim…

Eh? You just make a little time for open-source in your day job by using the projects you want to work on :)

Re: Open source projects should run office hours

#119

Post by _0o6v »

I look forward to hearing how the mother who has kids to look after, and already has to work far beyond working hours to satisfy psychotic hiring practices focussing on algorithm knowledge and open source contributions, can then afford more time to do "office hours" with people using the software she has BUILT AND PROVIDED FOR FREE.

Alternatively: Tech Bros go ahead!

Re: Open source projects should run office hours

#120

Post by Aeolun »

jabo wrote: post #16

I've been thinking about doing office hours recently and this is just the motivation I needed to set it up! So thank you OP. Paranoid me is a little nervous about putting up a scheduling link publicly, but here goes: I work on Typesense [1], which is an open source alternative to Algolia and an easier to use alternative to ElasticSearch. If you want to talk search and/or Typesense - DMs and Office Hours open: https:/…

Did all your slots get taken, or didn’t you open any up in March?

I need to find some place/way to use this. It looks interesting.

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