![]() If you don’t have an existing open source project you’d like to work on, but would rather that your current work output is open sourced, make a case for your employer to open source some of their internal software. ![]() Maybe it makes your employer look more developer-friendly in general. Maybe your employer doesn’t use the project, but they use Python, and maintaining a popular Python project help attract new Python developers. It’s easier to make a case for open source work if your employer actually uses the project, but get creative with your pitch. The most common way to get paid for your time is to talk to your employer. Today, many people get paid to work part- or full-time on open source. You can fund your own time as a contributor, or you can find organizational funding for the project. ![]() If you’re looking for financial support, there are two paths to consider. (…) However, if the only people who can focus on it are the lucky and the obsessed, then there’s a huge untapped potential. OSS yields massive benefits to the technology industry, which, in turn, means benefits to all industries. This has ethical implications, as has described, since work that is done is biased in favor of those who already have advantages in life, who then gain additional advantages based on their volunteer contributions, while others who are not able to volunteer then don’t get later opportunities, which reinforces the current lack of diversity in the open source community. That means the world never sees contributions from talented people who can’t afford to volunteer their time. Some people cannot afford to spend unpaid time on open source projects, based on their current financial position, debt, or family or other caretaking obligations. Paid work also enables people from different walks of life to make meaningful contributions. “The Ethics of Unpaid Labor and the OSS Community” Maintaining popular projects can be a significant responsibility, taking up 10 or 20 hours per week instead of a few hours per month.Īsk any open source project maintainer, and they will tell you about the reality of the amount of work that goes into managing a project. (…) It’s important for us, in the globally connected, fast-paced world we live in, to be able to say “not now, I feel like doing something completely different”.įor others, especially when contributions are ongoing or require significant time, getting paid to contribute to open source is the only way they can participate, either because the project requires it, or for personal reasons. They get other benefits from contributing to open source, such as building their reputation or portfolio, learning a new skill, or feeling closer to a community.įinancial donations do add a feeling of responsibility, for some.They enjoy thinking of open source as a hobby or creative escape and don’t want to feel financially obligated to work on their projects.They may already have a full-time job that they love, which enables them to contribute to open source in their spare time.There are many reasons why a person would not want to be paid for their open source work. I decided to write an interpreter for the new scripting language I had been thinking about lately. (…) I had a home computer, and not much else on my hands. I was looking for a “hobby” programming project that would keep me occupied during the week around Christmas. For example, someone might come across a bug in a project they use and submit a quick fix, or they might enjoy tinkering with an open source project in their spare time. Much of the work of open source is voluntary.
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