Reading 07: The Noosphere

Okay, I’ll say it: I only contribute to open source out of obligation or because it benefits me. Is this selfish? Sure, but do we honestly believe that individuals are motivated or driven to contribute to a project if he/she is not benefitting from making the contributions that he/she makes? I’m sure there exist people who contribute to open source because they just like helping out, but I believe that the majority of individuals are motivated to contribute to open source projects because they feel obligated to or know that contributing will benefit them in some way, shape, or form. Even for our 3rd Hackers project, we chose to contribute to Tuxemon, which is a “Pokémon-inspired” game, because it benefits us. I can, now, play a ripped-off (and highly customizable) version of Pokémon instead of having to purchase the Pokémon games themselves. With that being said, I believe that we have mentioned this in class before in some capacity, but, on the whole, I have found that I write better code when I have a personal stake in the outcome of a project and when I am excited about the project; being interested in a project and being invested in a project’s success drives motivation waaaayyyy up.

Maybe I’m only speaking for myself, but people are hesitant to contribute to open source because, honestly, it’s an anxiety-inducing experience. Just the idea of your code being reviewed under a microscope by talented developers is quite terrifying. It’s a great way to become a better developer, but, still, very, very terrifying. No one really wants to hear that their code is poorly-written (even if it’s something that needs to be said) from complete strangers. No one wants their coding-style scrutinized. On top of all that, there’s the fear of getting involved in an already-established community and project. Trying to integrate yourself into an established community could go one of two ways: the community could welcome you with open arms or you could feel like an outcast because the community hasn’t done much (or anything) to engage you. It’s hard to contribute to a project if you never felt accepted or welcomed by the project’s community in the first place. In the end, it’s crucial to ensure that all members of the community are satisfied, happy, and respected in order to sustain a healthy community. When contributing to an open source project starts feeling more like actual work instead of a nice hobby or pastime is when people tend to lose interest, and the community tends to fall apart. When I contribute to open source, I want to make sure I am having fun or, at the very least, if I do find it to be torture, to know that my suffering was all worth it in the end. Open source cannot thrive without passionate people who are driven by something (even if that something is a hatred of commercial software).