Open Source Survival Guide

Abstract From navigating different incentive structures to fostering healthy collaboration, this practical session delivers hard-earned wisdom from 25+ years of open source experience. Whether you’re a newcomer curious about contributing or a seasoned maintainer, “Open Source Survival Guide” offers concrete rules that help technical professionals, community leaders, and companies work effectively in open source environments. Learn how to build trust, share knowledge, handle contributions, and avoid the pitfalls that can damage projects and careers. ...

March 26, 2025 · Chris Short

Upstream vs Downstream

I was working on things for work (as one does) when it dawned on me. Very few folks understand the difference between upstream and downstream as it relates to open source software. I used Red Hat projects as a pointer. Here is the output of that effort (which was scratching the surface). Upstream vs. Downstream Upstream vs. Downstream is confusing at times. But, for the bigger Red Hat projects this holds true: ...

June 25, 2019 · Chris Short