Linux Foundation

This blog originally ran on the Linux Foundation EU Newsroom. For more content like this, click here.

Linux Foundation Europe proudly hosted its first annual Member Summit! This milestone event marked its inaugural year, bringing together LF Europe participants for an unforgettable gathering. The summit served as a groundbreaking platform for fostering collaboration, open innovation, and strategic partnerships among individuals and organizations in the private and public sectors. All participants worked collectively to advance digital transformation through the lens of open collaboration. This blog recaps the key moments and must-see sessions from the 2023 Member Summit.

Opening Keynote: State of Linux Foundation Europe

The event commenced with an insightful keynote address by Gabriele Columbro, General Manager of Linux Foundation Europe and Executive Director of FINOS. He provided a comprehensive overview of LF Europe’s current state and future prospects, setting the stage for what is to come.

https://youtu.be/RcFwfh86334?feature=shared

Protecting Wildlife with OpenCollar Devices Running Zephyr RTOS

Luka Mustafa, Founder and CEO of IRNAS Institute for Development of Advanced Applied Systems, delved into the vital issue of wildlife protection. He explained how open source technology, particularly Zephyr RTOS, plays a crucial role in creating OpenCollar animal trackers and sensors. These innovative devices are designed to combat poaching and protect endangered species.

https://youtu.be/jH3Ifkaf2-s?feature=shared

Panel Discussion: Open Source as a Game Changer for Sustainable Industry Transformation in Europe & Beyond

A panel discussion featuring Rimma Perelmuter (VP of Strategic Growth of FINOS & Linux Foundation Europe), Mark Lane (Head of Software Engineering Centre of Excellence, Lloyds Banking Group), Lucian Balea (Deputy Director of R&D and Open Source Director, RTE), Philippe Ensarguet (VP of Software Engineering, Orange) and Philipp Ahmann (Product Manager, Bosch) delved into the role of open source collaboration in driving digital transformation across various industries. They discussed how open source initiatives can address common challenges and foster industrial growth and sustainability in Europe and beyond.

https://youtu.be/vA7X8RU7kuE?feature=shared

Linux Foundation Europe & Global Project Updates

Representatives from various projects, including Sylva, OpenNebula, LF Energy, OpenWallet Foundation (OWF), Agstack, Servo, and RISE, provided updates on their respective initiatives. These projects spanned a wide range of fields, from telecommunications to energy systems, agriculture, and web rendering engines, highlighting the diverse impact of open source technologies.

https://youtu.be/J4qedc-0pjs?feature=shared

Project Setup and Hosting in LF Europe

The LF Formation Team and Mirko Boehm (Senior Director, Community Development, Linux Foundation Europe) explored options for project setup and the advantages of hosting projects within Linux Foundation Europe.

https://youtu.be/aj1AXRo3zNs?feature=shared

Insights from LF Research

Hilary Carter (SVP, Research and Communications, Linux Foundation) discussed two Europe-focused research reports,, highlighting their significance to Europe in terms of sustainability, contribution, and security.

https://youtu.be/zSygqHF5q0E?feature=shared

Outcomes of Open Source Congress

Hilary Carter and Mirko Boehm  shared key outcomes from Open Source Congress which took place in Geneva in July. The talk described the origins of the gathering, the issues on the agenda, and the current state of global collaboration across open source organizations. 

https://youtu.be/-RZfkfiOxFc?feature=shared

EU Policy Update

Mirko Boehm followed with an update on European Union (EU) policies impacting open source and the technology industry. This session shed light on the evolving regulatory landscape and its implications for the open source community.

https://youtu.be/8zGekC9TIik?feature=shared

Better Together: Strategic Partnerships and The Linux Foundation

Robert Reeves (VP of Strategic Partnerships, Linux Foundation) emphasized the importance of strategic partnerships in advancing the goals of the Linux Foundation, and encouraged prospective partners to join us in supporting our mission.

https://youtu.be/KA-pu7RTy5M?feature=shared

Panel Discussion: Why Open Source AI Matters: The EU Community & Policy Perspective

A lively panel discussion tackled the significance of open source AI, its benefits, risks, and role in EU policy. The discussion was led by industry players and policymakers Justin Colannino (Director, Developer Policy and Counsel GitHub), Astor Nummelin Carlberg (Executive Director, OpenForum Europe), Ibrahim Haddad (Executive Director, LF AI & Data and PyTorch Foundation), Sachiko Muto (Chairman, Senior Researcher, OpenForum Europe, RI.SE), and Stefano Mafulli (Executive Director, Open Source Initiative)

https://youtu.be/KjUTtCM_nDU?feature=shared

Looking Ahead: The Future of LF Europe

The event concluded with Gabriele Columbro providing insights into the future of Linux Foundation Europe, setting the stage for further innovation and collaboration.

https://youtu.be/vjUSkbbCmss?feature=shared

Attendee Reception

LF Europe members were treated to an exclusive reception at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, featuring a special celebration for the Linux Foundation Europe’s 1st anniversary. The event included a cake-cutting ceremony, a sumptuous array of foods and drinks, and an opportunity for attendees to explore the museum’s exhibits.

The Linux Foundation Europe Member Summit 2023 was an informative and inspiring event that brought together leaders, innovators, and enthusiasts from the open source community. It highlighted the pivotal role of open collaboration in driving digital transformation and sustainability across various industries in Europe and beyond. We thank all who joined us, and look forward to reconvening again in the future.

For information about becoming a member of LF Europe, please get in touch with us at info@linuxfoundation.eu.

Image: Attendees at Open Source Summit North America 2023 in Vancouver.

This blog originally ran on the Linux Foundation website. For more content like this, click here.

In our latest research, we interviewed dozens of maintainers who worked on some of the most used and widely dependent software projects. The result was a new report, “Open Source Maintainers: Exploring the people, practices, and constraints facing the world’s most critical open source software projects.“

When Norbert De Langen inherited the maintainership of Storybook.js, he thought the best approach was to actively design himself out of his role. This would mean bringing in as many good contributors as possible. So he undertook heroic measures. De Langen sent a meeting scheduling link requesting to speak in person to anyone who emailed him with a suggestion or question about the project code. De Langen met with over 200 people using this method during the project’s first year. He estimates that nearly 20% of those he met with later became repeat contributors to Storybook, including many core contributors. With this effort, De Langen boosted his contributor pool and significantly reduced his coding burdens, making his maintainership more manageable. 

A broad representation of open source

Open source software (OSS) provides the foundation for much of our global technology infrastructure, from operating systems to databases to developer tools. While the whole world benefits from using OSS, a relatively small number of developers are responsible for maintaining the code and nurturing the projects that are linchpins for the complex and critical open source ecosystem. 

De Langen’s story is just one of the numerous smart tactics we learned in interviewing 32 “Super Maintainers” — people working on critical projects as identified by the Linux Foundation’s surveys of the broad open source software ecosystem. The projects in question ranged from databases like PostgreSQL to frameworks like JavaScript and Storybook to lower-level languages like Julia and Rust to ML infrastructure like PyTorch. The maintainers came from a wide variety of backgrounds. 

Most maintainers interviewed work full-time maintaining OSS projects, often as an explicit part of their job at a company that relies on the project. Maintainers tend to start as contributors, then become core contributors, and eventually, maintainers as they gain experience. Many began contributing to OSS in school or at their first job.

Maintainers derive intrinsic satisfaction from working on cutting-edge technology and being part of an open source community. As one Julia maintainer recounted, “When I first met some of the people in person in the community, I was giving everybody hugs. It was a very emotional moment because we had been so invested and committed for so many years working on things together.” Extrinsically, their OSS work helps their career by making them more attractive hires. However, most companies do not always sufficiently recognize their OSS contributions. 

Summary of the learnings of super maintainers

Every interviewee for this project had their own distinct views. They generously shared their hard-won lessons and their favorite tips and tricks for what is always a challenging balancing act. Here is a quick summary of their recommendations, which are addressed in much greater detail in the full report.

Growing contributions

Image: Shuah Khan, Linux Foundation Fellow, kernel maintainer, and founder of the LFX Mentorship program, working to cultivate a new generation of open source software maintainers.

Maintainers shared best practices to cultivate communities: personal engagement, inclusive communication, diverse channels of communication, and straightforward onboarding processes. Successful projects guide newcomers by pinpointing suitable tasks. Maintainers are advised to spot and nurture potential successors. Swift triage and team handling of submissions enhance the contributor experience.

Governance and control

All interviewees agreed on the essential nature of community governance for a project’s longevity. Early incorporation of best practices like a code of conduct, promoting civility, decentralizing power, and ensuring neutral community management are vital.

Documentation

Maintainers unanimously felt the need for better documentation. Recommended best practices include elevating the importance of documentation, hiring dedicated coordinators, and streamlining the contribution process.

Funding

While only one maintainer was primarily concerned about living expenses, many expressed frustrations over the inadequate funding of critical OSS projects. Some pursued employment at supportive organizations due to this funding gap. Independently operating maintainers voiced concerns about sustaining OSS projects without major backers.

Diversity

Most maintainers found it challenging to ensure diverse participation. While some lacked clear diversity initiatives, others actively engaged in programs like Outreachy. However, the general consensus is that OSS needs significant strides in diversity.

Preventing burnout

Maintainers recommended several strategies to avoid burnout: understanding OSS is an ongoing task, balancing personal and professional lives, limiting unpaid administrative tasks, implementing automated processes, setting clear boundaries, and taking necessary breaks. The emphasis is on self-awareness and recognizing personal boundaries.

Conclusion: Building on the shoulders of Successful maintainers

The open source movement is a vibrant and dynamic ecosystem. But building successful open source projects does illuminate common patterns and anti-patterns which may not necessarily be apparent to a first-time maintainer. Every interviewee said they viewed their time maintaining as fulfilling and worthwhile and often spoke as if they were advising a younger self. By capturing some of their wisdom, we hope to package it in a digestible format and preserve it for the next generation of maintainers. The most valuable resource any maintainer can ever attain, or share is the institutional knowledge built up in their project and their experience. This will improve the next project and enable the movement to continue to thrive.