Hey programming enthusiasts! 👋
We all know that Free and Open-Source Software (FOSS) thrives on the strength of its community. From Linux to Apache, many FOSS projects have flourished due to the active involvement of contributors from around the world.
I’m curious to hear about your favorite FOSS software that has built a strong and active community around it. What projects do you admire for their ability to attract many contributors and sustain a vibrant ecosystem?
I’d love to start a discussion on the strategies and practices that can help in building and maintaining such thriving communities. What are some key factors that contribute to the success of FOSS projects in fostering collaboration, engagement, and growth? Share your insights, experiences, and tips on how we can create and nurture active communities around open-source software.
I personally found the concept of issue bounties through platforms like Open Collective to be a game-changer in sustaining open-source development. Now, with the recent announcement of Open Collective’s dissolution (Open Collective Official Statement - OCF Dissolution), I’m eager to learn about other ways that FOSS projects can secure funding and support from their communities.
Do you have any suggestions or experiences with different funding models or platforms that have proven effective in supporting FOSS projects? Let’s brainstorm together and share insights on how we can ensure the long-term sustainability of our favorite open-source initiatives.
Oh, wow, talk about timing.
Last week, I wrote a post asking for feedback for an idea to fund musicians. While the feedback was mostly positive, I realized that what I was proposing wasn’t necessarily restricted to musicians, and could be used as a model for all types of creative work. So I decided to take this whole thing and make a prototype for a “paid social media network where people and companies can contribute to anyone working in a creative project”
The idea of FOSS relying on a social network which isn’t itself open source doesn’t sound like a good idea. It already relies too much on github and discord.
But the social network can be open. My current idea is precisely to build this like communick (replacing Mastodon with Takahe) and make it on top of the activitypub-enabled services that can interop with other networks, except that to get accounts at the instances people need to pay the monthly subscription.