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RubyConf AU 2015: http://www.rubyconf.org.au Open source is at the heart of the Ruby community and there's great value in contributing. I found this out after becoming a maintainer of one of the most popular Ruby gems. Open source helped me dramatically raise my coding abilities, reputation, and salary - all while meeting people from around the globe. You'll learn how to get started and maintain a high velocity open source codebase + tips for effective communication with collaborators. Whether you're new to Ruby or sitting on a quarter of a million rubygems downloads, you'll walk away with a clear path to open source success.
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In the video titled "Succeeding with Open Source," Philip Arndt discusses the importance and benefits of participating in open source projects, particularly within the Ruby community, as part of his presentation at RubyConf AU 2015. The main theme of Arndt's talk is how engaging in open source has positively impacted his career, coding skills, reputation, and professional opportunities. Key points from his presentation include: - **Introduction to Open Source**: Arndt begins by sharing his journey in open source, mentioning his experience as a maintainer of popular Ruby gems. He emphasizes that success in open source is not solely financial but can also enhance one's professional presence in the industry. - **The Evolution of M Tools to Refinery CMS**: Arndt recounts the story of an in-house content management system (CMS) named M Tools, which eventually evolved into Refinery CMS, one of the most widely used open-source CMS for Ruby today. He discusses initial hesitations about open-sourcing valuable company assets and highlights the unexpected advantages that came from it, such as visibility and new client acquisition. - **Benefits of Open Sourcing**: Arndt identifies three main benefits of open-sourcing Refinery CMS: - **Showcasing Expertise**: Open-sourcing demonstrated the company’s expertise to potential clients, helping them attract new business. - **Community Contributions**: Other developers extended the project by creating their own enhancements, thus reducing the workload on Arndt’s team and adding value to their clients. - **Validation of Quality**: By open-sourcing the CMS, the team reinforced the importance of quality software, gaining client trust and goodwill. - **Key Takeaways for Contributors and Maintainers**: Arndt stresses the significance of fostering a welcoming environment for contributors, underscoring several lessons learned: - Investment in contributors is crucial for sustained engagement. - It’s important to assume good intentions from contributors and respond with patience, especially when receiving potentially critical feedback. - Simple communication and collaboration tools can lower barriers for new contributors. Arndt mentions the frustrations that can arise with complex git processes, advocating for empathy and assistance toward newcomers. In conclusion, Arndt’s presentation offers a clear path for individuals looking to succeed in open source involvement, highlighting that the experience can lead to substantial personal and professional growth while cultivating a supportive community around software development. Overall, the video serves as both an encouragement and a practical guide for Ruby developers eager to engage with open source projects, reinforcing the notion that open source contributes not just to individual careers but also enriches the software development ecosystem as a whole.
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