Building a business strategy is hard in general, and when open source becomes part of the equation it can get even more challenging. In the recent past there were multiple examples of companies changing the license on their open source project to something less or not at all open. This is often harmful to the companies themselves and the pattern is always harmful tot he open source ecosystem. In this episode of the My Open Source Experience podcast Gregory Kurtzer and Kelsey Hightower share their experiences to dig deeper into the challenges and solutions to building a business around open source. You will learn the following:- How to evaluate if your company is ready to get involved in an open source project or open up one of their internal ones- Why it matters who owns an open source project's trademark- Why is lock out sometimes worse than lock in- How to identify the business value when relying on open source projects- How to figure out which open source project is viable to build a business around- Empty promises don't work long term<hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

with Gregory Kurtzer and Kelsey Hightower

The Nuances to Business Success with Open Source

In this segment of the My Open Source Experience podcast, Kelsey Hightower shares his current adventures, which includes a home improvement project. As Kelsey is now advising startups, rather than working in 9-5 jobs, he highlights the importance to keep your energy and drive, no matter when you retire, and how someone can't stop sharing once they started. While Kelsey talks about his adventures to install new bidets in his house, he also drives analogies to software development and decision making. Always remember before you start refactoring something:- You need to be careful to avoid breaking things- It needs to be backwards compatible- It needs to look better than before Kelsey and Phil draw an analogy and describe engineers being somewhere between tradesmen and artists. Can you relate? But, does Kelsey have any working bidets in his house yet?<hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

with Kelsey Hightower

MOSE Shorts - 18: Bidets and Decisions

By definition, open source projects and communities are supposed to be accessible. And while the code is always openly available, the remaining parts of the ecosystem might be further out of reach than you would think In this episode of the My Open Source Experience Podcast, Michael Dexter, Ildiko and Phil explore the open source ecosystem from two perspectives: business and accessibility. Businesses rely on open source software, soemtimes unknowinlgy, all around the globe as digital infrastructure doesn't exist without it any more, and yet, making it integral part of the business strategy is a constant struggle for companies. And yet, even when companies and individuals reach the point of investing their time, money and resources into open source projects it appears to be more difficult than it is supposed to be. Michael, Ildiko and Phil are discussing these challenges and digging into how to address them. Learn more about:- The relationship between open source and business interests- The fragility of funding in the open source ecosystem- The role of open source foundations- Stages of involvement in open source projects- Maintainer shortage and how to bring people (back) into open source projects<hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

with Michael Dexter

Open doesn't Always Mean Accessible

When people get introduced to open source later in their life and career it can be a bigger adjustment that is hard to do, and that's when individuals start to struggle. When you introduce open source in a large organization, the effect multiples very quickly. This My Open Source Experience podcast episode is diving into the stories and effects of getting introduced to open source in different stages of people's lives and in various circumstances: - Samson Goddy talks about his experience with open source as a kid, and * How the Sugar Desktop environment was instrumental in him gravitating to technology and communities * Why kids need a hands-on experience with how technology works rather than access to tablets and smartphones that just work - Clare Dillon shares her work with academic institutions as well as InnerSource Commons. Learn about * Why it is crucial for university students to get in touch with open source * How universities work on adding open source to the curriculum and research activities * Methods to successful and less painful change management * The SCARF Model - Federico Gonzalez Waite talks about his experience at the Mexican government as he participated in rolling out open source, and help agencies to build their own tools and solutions. Learn about: * How to navigate change through a large organization * The impact that open source had in Mexico as well as in the Latin America region<hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

with Clare Dillon, Federico Gonzalez Waite and Samson Goddy

Start Early and Always be Prepared for Change

As humanity progresses, our dependency on digital infrastructure is growing and is now at a level where most of us cannot exist without it, it is part of our everyday life and our livelihood depends on it. Open Source is a fundamental building block, and yet, awareness and opportunities&nbsp;still seem to gravitate towards a few geographical regions. In this episode of the My Open Source Experience podcast, Ildiko and Phil are chatting with Samson Goddy. Samson got in touch with technology through a hands-on experience with the Sugar desktop environment, which turned out to be instrumental to his relationship with tech as well as Open Source communities. His motivation to work on tech has always been to solve challenges and help people who have been close to him, and over the years he transitioned into roles, like developer relations, that are focused more on the people. Throughout his career Samson had to face that job opportunities, especially to work on Open Source, were much more accessible in the US and somewhat in Europe, which is challenging if you don't want to move continents. Driven by this experience he became one of the co-founders of Open Source Community Africa (OSCA). On the podcast we talked about Samson's first open source experiences as a kid and how he has been building and navigating a career path in Open Source since, along with OSCA and its regional impact.<hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

with Samson Goddy

Open Source is Global, Opportunities are Less So

When people talk about open source and government in the same sentence, it is most often about legislations, regulations and some kind of complaint along these lines. Some governments are still learning about the concept, while others decided to just jump right in. In this My Open Source Experience podcast episode Federico Gonzalez Waite talks about his years working for the Mexican government, which included introducing open source technologies and growing the adoption of open source both within government agencies, as well as around the country. Federico highlights some of the learnings and milestones of his journey: - Open source isn't just for engineers- A contract with a vendor should never keep you from exploring other options, including open source- Legislations can be in favor of open source as opposed to limiting it- Open source software and commercial solutions can co-exist, you don't have to choose one or the other- How to approach cost calculations when considering to adopt open source, and don't be surprised when the numbers come out much cheaper- Challenges with introducing new solutions, open source or not, are usually not about technology but the people, and change management- Vendors who are deeply embedded into a customer's systems can start controling technology choices and solutions, not always in the customer's favor. Government agancies are no exception<hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

with Federico Gonzalez Waite

Proven OSS Benefits Beyond Saving Money

Getting involved and investing time and resources into upstream projects can be a complicated decision and process for individuals and companies alike. Have you experienced this already? In this episode of the MOSE podcast, Kelsey Hightower talks about his open source journey, and shares tips and tricks to ensure a successful and sustainable engagement in the ecosystem. He has a versatile background, as he's been an enterprenour, a full-time employee, and creator and contributor of open source projects. He's always been driven to learn, including new tech just as much as building fundamental knowledge, and this approach became key to be successful at his work in companies and communities. Kelsey shares some of the key findings he's had throughout his career:- Incentives to invest in upstream work, both in personl and corporate context- Temporary checkpoint concept- How to make the right decision in a given moment, and then re-evaluate it- Transparency and clear communication<hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

Why and How to Invest Time and Resources into Upstream Work

Ildiko and Phil kick off 2025 in this My Open Source Experience podcast episode! Learn more about:- The Cyber Resiliency Act (CRA), a new EU legislation affecting the open source ecosystem, that landed in 2024- The newly released 1.0 version of the Open Source AI Definition (OSAID)- Open-source-focused conferences to add to your schedule in 2025- A sneak peek into the rest of Season 2<hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

with Ildiko Vancsa and Phil Robb

What You Need to Look Out for in 2025!

In this MOSE Short Nithya Ruff, Ildiko and Phil talk about the importance of motivation, which applies to open source projects just as much as everything else that people get involved in. Many open source projects have trainings and onboarding materials to help newcomers to get involved, and stay involved. Many people stumble onto these resources and start using them, but they rarely stick around without a purpose to become part of that particular community. Get inspiration from the group to make sure you spend your time learning about projects that will bring you closer to your personal and professional goals!<hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

with Nithya Ruff

MOSE Shorts - 17: Find Your Interest, then Go for the Matching Open Source Project

In this MOSE Short segment Emily Lovell talks about her experience teaching at different academic institutions, both large and small. A small teaching school provides opportunities to be more agile and move faster to figure out what works best for students as well as the faculti, and to make it happen. Classes tend to be smaller, and students can often get a more hands on experience. Large, top-tier research-impact universities proivde an amazing platform to reach people to work with, along with publishing and making an impact with results. This often comes with the price of being more heavy on the processes, having less flexibility in programs and curriculums, and the pace may not always allow for the same experience as a school with smaller class sizes. However, there is always an opportunity to create programs that are designed to work closer with students, such as the Open Source Catalyst program that Emily is leading at University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC).<hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

with Emily Lovell

MOSE Shorts - 16: How Different Institutions Approach Open Source in Academia

If you do open source right, you get a lot of benefits, both as an individual and as a company or orgnization. On the other hand, misconceptions about open source often lead to bad decisions, where everyone in the ecosystem suffers. Hear from experienced members of the ecosystem who you need to get involved, what to look out for, and how to approach your involvement the right way! In this episode: <ul><li>Amanda Brock lists some of the biggest benefits of getting involved in open source as an individual, such as access to knowledge and new information first hand.</li><li>Wayne Starr has been working on oepn source projects as part of his job for years. He shares his experience with different configurations to allocate his time to upstream work, which has been ranging from 100% all the way down to 20%.</li><li>Clare Dillon shares a story to highlight how budget allocations can discourage teams within companies from collaborating, and how to approach this challenge when it arises.</li><li>Stephen Walli explains the challenges the open source ecosystem is facing when approaching to secure the software supply chain, and examples to efforts to address them.</li><li>Gregory Kurtzer introduces Open Enterprise Linux Association (OpenELA), and talks about the importance of having non-profit organizations to protect open source software and communities.</li></ul><hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

with Amanda Brock, Clare Dillon, Gregory Kurtzer, Stephen Walli and Wayne Starr

Reasons Why You Have to Work Upstream

Governments around the globe have been recognizing that open source code is a core dependency in every modern software solution. Whether or not it is a good thing that is still a question. But one thing is for sure, if you are involved in an open source project or selling a product or service that depends on one, this will affect you! In the commercial world, when something goes wrong with a product or service that a company provides, the company is liable for damages. So, what happens when a solution that contains open source code fails? And especially, what happens if the bug or vulnerability was introduced by the open source component? Who is liable? Is it the developer? Is it the open source community? Is it the company who used the code? Or? In this episode of the My Open Source Experience Podcast, Ildiko and Phil are chatting with Amanda Brock. Before becoming the CEO of OpenUK, Amanda used to be a lawyer. With that background, it is no surprise that she keeps a close eye on the legislations and regulations that governments have been creating around open source. The group talks about this ongoing work, and how this affects people and companies in the ecosystem. In this episode, you'll learn more about topics, such as:- CRA (Cyber Resiliency Act)- PLD (Product Liability Directive)- The challenges with some of the current regulations and what to look out for It is crucial to help government officials and regulators understand the methods, processes and dynamics of open source communities and overall ecosystem. Everyone who's part of this ecosystem plays a role in educating those who don't have the expertise and the experience, including YOU! Amanda's books: https://amandabrock.com/books/<hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

with Amanda Brock

Are Legislations Good or Bad for Open Source?

In this episode of the My Open Source Experience podcast, Gregory Kurtzer shares his experience in creating and guiding multiple open source Linux operating system projects. Have you ever wondered why there are multiple Linux distro projects in the open source ecosystem? What goes into creating a distro once you have access to the kernel? Gregory shares his experience creating multiple projects, and shares how the motivation and process were different every time. Also, have you thought about what would've happened if Linus Torvalds had went on to work for a corporate organization as opposed to the Linux Foundation? Well, for a little while he did, and that caused a big disruption in the ecosystem, open source and commercial alike. This example shows very well why you cannot leave the control in other companies' and individuals' hands, when you have hard dependencies on open source projects, and also gives you a hint why single-vendor projects are significant risk factors. Learn more about why and how community has been key to the success and longevity of the Linux kernel and operating systems to reach the popularity and significance they have today, why non-code contributions are crucial to the sustainability of the ecosystem, why your open source project needs marketing and ecosystem development, and more.<hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

with Gregory Kurtzer

Building and Maintaining Large Open Source Communities

We can establish that if you are using any (semi-)modern digital infrastructure or applications, then you are depending on open source software. Have you ever thought about that as actual dependency? Considering that you are not neglecting the building blocks of the software solutions that you are creating and selling, why do you do that with your open source dependencies? Learn more about why you have to invest in open source projects and how to decide what level of involvement you should have in each from Stephen Walli. Find out what drives companies to open source projects that started out as InnerSource, without the intention to open them up to the world later, and what happens when you don't let your developers work on open source projects anymore from Clare Dillon. Learn how to explain open source involvement to people who are fearful and sceptical about it from Wayne Starr. And listen to Wayne and Stephen to talk about how they and their companies are using SBOMs, and why you need to think more about using those for packages that you need to build, or hardware, before you apply the concept.<hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

with Clare Dillon, Stephen Walli and Wayne Starr

How to Successfully Argue for Open Source Investment

Have you ever wished your company was moving faster with developing new solutions? Or, that maintaining software wasn't such a huge burden? In this My Open Source Experience podcast episode Ildiko and Phil are talking to Wayne Starr. Wayne shares his experiences, related to open source throughout his career up until today. From discovering FOSS as a kid, through working for the U.S. Air Force to joining Defense Unicorns for the specific reason of working on open source software full time, which has been allowing him and his company to move faster, produce more reliable solutions and share knowledge more efficiently, all at the same time. Using open source software is a great first step, but to gain all the benefits, one has to invest and get involved in the projects. Wayne shares tips and tricks on- how to advocate within your company for investing in and contributing to open source projects,- what to do when you face greater resistance than what you think you can handle- how to build and advocate for an open source projectand more!<hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

with Wayne Starr

FOSS Makes a Difference, Even in the Military

Did you know that collaborative software development existed before the term 'open source'? Do you know what important role open source foundations play in the ecosystem? Do you understand the difference bewteen 'upstream project' and 'downstream product', and why it matters? In this episode of the My Open Source Experience podcast, Stephen Walli talks about how software development, and the various industries depending on it, have been evolving. Stephen shares the process of creating an open source project, and then a community around it, how open source foundations protect open source porjects as well as the ecosystem around them, and shares a collaboration example from the Eclipse ecosystem. The group also touches on the importance and challenges of culture change within industries and companies alike.<hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

with Stephen Walli

Open, Collaborative SW Development, Why and How

Did you know that you don't need to work in a public environment to practice open source methods and practices? It's called InnerSource, and your company can start practicing it today! Just like open source, InnerSource also has its rules and practices, which you will need to follow if you want to succeed. For example:- You might need a license for your InnerSource project- Just because it's internal, it doesn't mean your project doesn't need to be advertised- Building a community around your project isn't straightforward In this My Open Source Experience podcast episode, Ildiko Vancsa and Phil Robb are chatting with Clare Dillon about InnerSource, including good and bad practices, challenges and experiences. The group also discusses parallels between InnerSource and open source and highlights issues that still need solutions in both ecosystems.<hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

with Clare Dillon

The Secrets of InnerSource

This episode of the My Open Source Experience podcast kicks off Season 2! Ildiko and Phil talk about news and highlights of what happened in the open source landscape in 2024, focusing on the time period since the last episode of Season 1. They also share what topics are coming in Season 2!<hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

Introducing Season 2

Did you know that you will need to spend more time and effort doing code reviews before using AI-generated code? AI is heavily utilized in work environments already, it enhances efficiency and productivity. But, it can also be an increased risk factor in your company or open source project, if you are not careful. In this MOSE Short segment, Aeva Black, Ildiko and Phil talk about the risks that come with using AI, if people try to cut corners and trust the tool blindly. For example, have you ever merged code in a rush? You might know the person who submitted it, or it looked good at the first glance and you didn't have the time to dig deeper into it. While humans also make mistakes, when you know someone's work you have some reassurance that they will keep the quality standards that you are used to. We often trust machines the same way, as we are used to the deterministic output that most tools produce. AI, however, while it is a tool, you cannot predict the output it is creating and you also cannot trust it. Aeva describes an example where there was a security vulnerability hidden in the otherwise good looking, AI-generated code. The group also discusses further social implications of using AI to generate email responses or convincing, but fake content.<hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

With Aeva Black

MOSE Shorts - 15: Don't Make These Mistakes When Using AI

You made the decision to invest in open source and tackle working upstream. Have you figured out how to manage your team's allocation between working int he community versus on your products and services? In this MOSE Short, Allison Randal, Ildiko and Phil talk about a frequently applied model to divide people's times between the various work items and methods, to ensure that they are plugged into the open source project and keeping the company's priorities in mind at the same time. You will learn about startegies on how to structure your team, and how to listen to your people to decide who should work on what. Could this just be the silver bullet that you've been looking for? Leave a comment if you've tried this already or if you're going to and share your experience!<hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

With Allison Randal

MOSE Shorts - 14: How Much Time to Spend Upstream vs on Product?

Ildiko Vancsa, Phil Robb

The global open source ecosystem has millions of projects and observing and participating individuals, who are trying to find their ways to collaborate on activities and finding solutions to fulfill a shared mission. An ecosystem that large inevitably has challenges to remain a balanced, sustainable and welcoming environment. The My Open Source Experience Podcast collects and shares stories that describe people's experiences from their point of view. All experiences matter, the good, the bad, lessons that you've learned and challenges you still have. The hosts, Ildiko and Phil are talking to open source, veterans, newbies, their managers, and just really, anybody who is either already involved in the open source ecosystem, or would like to. This podcast is all about the individuals, their voices and their experiences and what they've been through ever since they started to think about or getting involved in open source. The podcast is under the CC BY 4.0 license.<hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

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