Open Source Summit North America 2023
Introduction
Welcome to the realm of open-source software. In today’s digital age, open source has paved the way for innovation, collaboration, and a new way of creating technology. In this article, we’ll dive into one of the most significant events that bring together the best minds in open source – the Open Source Summit North America and share the experiences of three GoDaddy attendees.
About Open Source Summit North America
The Open Source Summit is the ultimate event for open-source developers, technologists, and community leaders to collaborate, share information, solve problems, and gain knowledge. It’s the central gathering place for open-source code enthusiasts and dedicated community contributors.
But the Open Source Summit is more than just a single conference. It’s a dynamic event that encompasses multiple conferences within it. This unique approach brings together a diverse community of open-source professionals passionate about innovation. They collaborate, exchange knowledge, and address the open-source domain’s key challenges.
With its comprehensive range of events, the Summit provides an immersive platform that explores the most significant technologies and topics shaping today’s open-source community. It’s a pivotal gathering where various conferences converge, making it a must-attend event for anyone involved in open-source development and innovation.
Significance of open-source software
Open-source software forms the backbone of many technologies we use today. From operating systems like Linux to powerful databases like MySQL, open source has been at the forefront of technology. Its significance lies in the shared wisdom of the community and the ability to adapt and improve software without proprietary restrictions.
Summit experiences: from the eyes of Daniel, Rick, and Courtney
If you had a chance to attend the Summit, you probably already know the value and learnings that it offers. If you didn’t get a chance to attend, read on, as GoDaddy attendees Daniel Cousineau, Rick Markins, and Courtney Robertson share their experiences.
Daniel’s experience
Daniel focused on the OpenJS track. GoDaddy is a Gold (and founding) sponsor of the OpenJS Foundation and Daniel currently sits on the foundation’s Board of Directors as the Gold Membership Representative. As a representative he, of course, attended the in-person board meeting (which has a fully public portion). He has always found a lot of value in the “hallway track” so he focused on meeting new people and forming new connections. He met peers running similar teams and engineers tackling similar problems as GoDaddy at other companies and also met many other open source supporters and enthusiasts. He of course attended a few talks like “The Evolution of Open Source through Design” from Lise Noble and maybe helped kick off a round of powerpoint karaoke.
Rick’s experience
Rick was an active part of the Node Collaboration Summit within the OpenJS Summit. His contribution included participating in the initial discussions to standardize the package.json format. His interest and involvement led him to join the CPC Standards Working Group where he’ll be able to continue his contributions to better standardization within the open-source community long after the conference is over.
Courtney’s experience
Courtney joined CHAOSScon, a conference dedicated to understanding the health and metrics of open-source project sustainability. The CHAOSS Community focuses on key performance indicators of open-source projects, a crucial aspect of sustaining an open-source community. Assessing project health can determine the longevity of a project, help identify potential issues, and guide the decision-making process. During evaluations, contribution rates, community engagement, and code quality are carefully analyzed. This data-driven approach offers objective insight into the overall health of a project, which in turn helps stakeholders to invest their resources and efforts strategically.
Courtney also attended OSPOcon, where speakers shared their insights on Open Source Program Offices (OSPO) and how companies organize their open source divisions. An OSPO is a pivotal entity within organizations that engage in open-source development. They coordinate the company’s open-source efforts, help leverage open source to benefit the business, and ensure compliance with licenses and regulations.
Lastly, Courtney was part of the Diversity Empowerment Summit, emphasizing the importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in open source projects. DEI initiatives help create a more inclusive and diverse open-source community. They ensure everyone has equal opportunities to contribute, learn, and benefit from open source, regardless of their background.
Conclusion
The Open Source Summit North America is more than just an event; it celebrates the open-source spirit that drives innovation and collaboration. Whether you’re a developer, a business, or a tech enthusiast, the Summit offers many opportunities to learn, network, and contribute to the future of open source.
