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2013-05-30T16:01:00+00:00

Staying Motivated in Open Source

2011-12-04T19:30:00+00:00

Open source blindsided business by disrupting the idea that quality work must be tied to monetary compensation. Yet, despite this abundance of intrinsic motivation, developers still frequently get burned out. By understanding what provides for this motivation we can work to maintain both code and motivation.

A crucial component of any endeavour is to have purpose and open source is no different. Unlike many other endeavours, goals in open source can have far reaching implications on total strangers. You should take advantage of the motivation that being held publicly accountable can provide but also be respectful and properly set expectations for myself and others.

For example, with fog I had the goal of making cloud computing more accessible to all developers. On the other hand, with prototypes my goal is simply to learn (so use stuff there at your own risk). These projects have quite different goals, and I hope by being explicit I can meet my goals negatively impacting others.

Being a part of something larger than myself may have drawn me to open source initially, but learning is what keeps me coming back. Open source gives me an opportunity to practice and polish my skills on a huge range of things. I improve through my participation, which allows me to have an even greater impact.

Purpose and mastery are worthwhile goals but I know that neither matters to me when I feel out of control. In an earlier, more totalitarian part of my career, I would frequently flee to the arms of open source for the autonomy that it provided. Work is more rewarding when you have the choice to do it, as well as the freedom to decide how and with whom it will be done.

Open source provides a unique opportunity for the trifecta of purpose, mastery and autonomy. By recognizing the power of these factors, we can keep ourselves motivated and continue to increase our impact. By sharing goals and mentoring contributors while giving them room to do things their own way, open source leaders can avoid burning out and foster community.

I would love to answer any questions you might have and hear about your experiences in maintaining motivation. You can also read more in Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, which helped me to solidify many of these ideas.

Less is More

2011-11-27T14:46:00+00:00

I originally assumed that open source was simply a means of producing technology. But technology is just a lovely byproduct, the real goal is social. Not all open source projects work this way, but perhaps they should.

I stumbled upon this realization while maintaining fog as it grew and grew and grew. Leaving issues open seemed unbearable, but over time the volume far exceeded my ability to keep up. Over time I saw the promise of a better way, but my expectations of open source would need to adapt.

I learned that if running a project means fixing bugs, you may never find time for anything else. Every issue is an opportunity to share what you have learned; to explain solutions and to help others help themselves; to maintain less and mentor more; to transform consumers into community members; and ultimately, to build community.

Most developers are itching to be a part of their favorite projects. You do not scale, but by giving developers tools and getting out of their way, your project can. So please remember that when issues are reported on your open source project, you should not fix them. I hope this serves you well and would love to hear about your experiences and help any way I can.

Cloud Head

2011-11-20T13:00:00+00:00

My professional and personal life, for what seems as long as I can remember, has been dominated by all things cloud.

Over two years ago I started a project that would grow into fog. Being along for the ride as fog grew into a community has been incredibly gratifying, but communities inevitably grow beyond their founders.

I wish I had the foresight to have prepared for this all along, but it really snuck up on me. Startup life had, unfortunately, acclimated me to a rather unsustainable work schedule. Then, as I created a more sustainable work life, fog rushed in to fill the void in my “free time”.

It took literally took fog becoming my job to balance the scales again, but in the end even this could only put a thumb on the scale. I am immensely grateful that fog has grown into a community because it no longer needs a spokesman because it speaks for itself. Having the opportunity to be a part of this transformation has been fantastic, thank you.

I will continue to be vigilant and help guide things, but fog has outgrown me and the most valuable thing I can do is step aside as maintainer. I am amazed and proud to say that if you blinked you might miss this change and thank you to everyone who has come together to make this possible.

I see my role transitioning from maintainer to mentor and I hope through speaking and writing others can learn from my experiences (and have similarly amazing experiences of their own). So welcome aboard, enjoy the ride and let me know if there is anything I can do to make your journey more spectacular.