open source
Update On File Browser
Last year, I wrote a bit on maintaining open source projects. At the time, I was struggling with one of my most (unexpectedly) successful side projects, File Browser. Today, I want to give an update on it, since I never wrote again about it. I'm hoping that this post helps explaining the current status of the project.
The virtuous circle
The virtuous circle is the most powerful pattern in developer tooling. And it's the myth of the 10x developer that makes it hard to see.
Surviving FOSDEM '26
Last weekend was the first weekend of February, which means only one thing in the open source world: the largest open source conference on Earth took place. All of that to say that I spent my past weekend in Brussels to attend FOSDEM. Definitely chaotic as usual!
Connecting A Fresh Node
The exciting new 2D open-source image editor PixiEditor is still a bit rough around the edges, but it innovates by bringing thinking from the game development world to the traditional paint tool paradigm. It feels like the start of a trend.
How I'm funded
Being a full-time open source maintainer is a rare privilege. In the interests of transparency, let me explain a little more about how I am funded.
Maintaining Open Source Projects
Last month was Maintainer Month, a month were open source software maintainers are celebrated. A lot of the software in the world - and thus society itself - runs on open source software, which is something not known to a lot of people. During this past month, I read a few posts here and there about people sharing their journey and experience as an open source maintainer, and today I wanted to give my take on it.
Diversity, equity and inclusion
I'm in favour of diversity, equity and inclusion in open source communities, and here's why I think it matters.
Zero sum games
Open source is about mutual giving. So how does that square with commercial open source? Or building a for-profit product on top of an open source project?
Content Fighting Systems
The co-founder of WordPress steps in it, repeatedly, in a forest-for-the-trees fight with WP Engine that makes me feel sad for the open internet.
Using AI in open source
If you want to use AI to help you contribute to one of the projects I maintain, I would be delighted. But I have rules.
Keys To The Future
Thoughts on a new phone keyboard from an organization that is making a convincing case we need to rethink our discussion around FOSS and self-hosting.
Little oak
I wrote a little parable about open source, about credit, and about giving things away.
It’s Easy. But Is It Easy Enough?
Self-hosted apps are having a moment, but people are still a little freaked out by them. Could a Flatpak-style approach to self-hosting help matters?
When Stewards Go Astray
A pair of recent controversies around the tech-publishing giant Automattic raise an important question in my mind: Do we have to worry about the future of WordPress?
Surviving FOSDEM '24
This past weekend I went to Brussels for FOSDEM with Sebastiaan, who has already written a bit about it. FOSDEM, if you don't know, is the largest open source software conference in Europe - or in the world, not sure. This was not my first time attending, but it was positively chaotic as usual.
Trending File Browser
The unexpected moment when an open-source side-project was trending in GitHub in 2017.
Open Sourcering My Website
For some, it may come as a surprise that my website's source code is not open-source. That hasn't, however, always been the case. Before I fully switching to my custom CMS - named Eagle -, it did use to be open-source.
Updates on IndieWeb Go Libraries
During the past week and a half, I have been slowly, but surely, doing some cleanup of my GitHub repositories. In the process, I finally decided to tick off some of the items from my list, such as using vanity Go import URLs, improving my IndieAuth library, as well as releasing a Micropub package.
Governance and abuse
Whenever you have people working together, there's potential for great things. There's also potential for harm - and sadly that's something we need to think about too.
Contributing to Nuxt
My thoughts both about getting involved more generally in open source, and also specifically some tips on contributing to Nuxt.
Goodbye File Browser!
After 5 years of maintaining this project and failing due to my limited time, it was time to say goodbye to File Browser.
Common Android Navigation Paradigms via the FragmentManager API
I love Android fragments, come see why!
Gradle Plugins (and my first contribution to open source!)
Gradle is pretty cool