My FOSS Story

Posted on January 19, 2020 by Andrew Gallant: BurntSushi

I’d like to break from my normal tradition of focusing almost strictly on technical content and share a bit of my own personal relationship with Free and Open Source Software (FOSS). While everyone is different, my hope is that sharing my perspective will help build understanding, empathy and trust.

This is not meant to be a direct response to the behavior of any other maintainer. Nor should it be read as a prescription on the ideal behavior of someone in FOSS. This is meant more as a personal reflection with the hope that others will use it to reflect on their own relationship with FOSS. There is no one true path to being a good FOSS maintainer. We all have our own coping mechanisms.

This is also emphatically not meant as a call for help. This is about understanding. This is not about a plea to change the economics of FOSS. This is not about brainstorming ways to improve my mental health. This is not about bringing on more maintainers. It’s about sharing my story and attempting to increase empathy among the denizens of FOSS.

Target audience: Anyone involved in FOSS.