A few things that we as open source creators need to get better at if we are to improve sustainability, including supporting other developers ourselves.
@argesric @samsungnext “The plummeting server/software costs help, but it would be impossible without volunteer labor. It behooves us to support the randos.” https://mastodon.social/@ricardojmendez/17119862
@argesric @samsungnext • Maintained a few projects over the years. • Somewhat niche: autonomous agents and coherent noise generation. • Two most popular: 1200 Github stars, 300 forks. • Ran them for about 6 years. • Zero funding. • MIT-licensed. As a developer…
@argesric @samsungnext • Focused on open source and research furthering decentralization • Launched in November 2018 • Announced grantees in January 2019 • Disbursed $500,000 among 9 projects • That’s nice, but… what then? Stack Zero Grant
@argesric @samsungnext • Do we fund the same projects, do we pick new ones? • Do we keep the same focus, or change it? • Do we use the same funding amounts, or do we give more money to fewer projects? • … and what do the projects do while we figure this out? Assume eternal funding…
@argesric @samsungnext • MIT license, which asks for nothing in return; • Clearly modularized, • Well documented, • With a separate set of use examples, • All to remove adoption friction… Remember those two projects?
@argesric @samsungnext • Luis Villa, from Tidelift, delivered at Monkigras 2018 • Frictionless improves adoption… • … but frictionless also means nobody needs to think of you. • Licenses are a way of adding friction. • But that still doesn’t explain my case. Friction, Sustainability & Open Source
@argesric @samsungnext • Zooko Wilcox, Electric Coin Company • VC-funded • Dedicates 20% of Zcash’s issuance to the founding team • Started in 2016 • Only lasts four years, will stop in 2020 • Already working on it Zcash
@argesric @samsungnext “I set the shape of it, but the Zcash community breathed life into it.” “ I decided that the Founder’s Reward would be 20% of the first four years of issuance. That was 20% of nothing.” https://medium.com/@zooko_25893/a-personal-letter-about-the-possibility-of-a-new-zcash-dev-fund-f6d30df64392
@argesric @samsungnext • Who has donated their own money to an open source project? • Who has done it this year? • Who does it in a regular, predictable manner? Say, using an automated charge? Personally…
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