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At the end of 2011, I switched from being a Ruby consultant to being one of the lead maintainers of the biggest OSS Ruby projects. Best part is: I get paid to do it. During that time, I've learned an awful lot about what it means to be responsible for something as massive as this project. Refactoring the code without causing tears for loyal users has been an extremely interesting problem to have. I have some rather interesting stories to tell, like the time I renamed most of the files deliberately on purpose, or that time I ripped out a component that people depended on, and everyone was still happy. There's even been times where code has been moved out of the models and into new classes, which seems to be the cool thing to do. Help us caption & translate this video! http://amara.org/v/FGbA/
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In Ryan Bigg's talk at Ruby on Ales 2013, he shares his experiences as a maintainer of Spree Commerce, a leading open-source e-commerce platform. Bigg emphasizes the importance of user happiness in open-source project management and recounts various insightful anecdotes to illustrate this theme. He begins by humorously acknowledging the audience's likely state and his desire to enjoy a drink during his talk. Key points discussed include: - **User Engagement:** Bigg's passion stems from positive feedback he receives from users, which motivates him to enhance the platform. - **Spree User Activity Trends:** He presents a graph showing user posts from 2010 to 2013, revealing seasonal fluctuations in activity and a notable spike in 2013, indicating growing popularity. - **Issue Management:** Bigg shares a learning experience with user issues, discussing how addressing user frustration promptly can prevent negativity from spreading. - **System Improvements:** He discusses significant architectural changes, such as refactoring the authentication system and enhancing the JSON API, improving usability and customization for users. - **Documentation and Contributions:** Emphasizing the need for good documentation, Bigg notes that it fosters community engagement and assists new contributors in joining the project effectively. - **Continuous Integration:** Implementing TeamCity for continuous integration has increased stability and user confidence in the platform. In conclusion, Bigg's experiences underline the significance of prioritizing user happiness and maintaining effective communication within the open-source community. He highlights that successful management in open-source projects not only relies on technical improvements but also on the community's sentiment and interactions. His talk encourages open source contributors to focus on creating positive user experiences as the foundation for project success.
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