Beneath the Code, the Heart

SGM's Values

Empowerment

The Commons

Connection

Openness

Bug Report #1

Expected Behavior: Communities whose values overlap with free software will use free software
Actual Behavior: Only small pockets of those communities seem to be aware of/use free software
Participants tagged in this issue: Science: Software Carpentry, scientific python (NumPy, SciPy, Pandas, Matplotlib), iPython/Jupyter, Mozilla Science Lab, Open Science Framework, Public Lab Civic Tech: Sunlight Foundation, Code for America, Knight Foundation Libraries: Koha, Evergreen, Code4Lib, Foss4Lib Usability: Jim Hall, Jan Borschadt, #opensourcedesign Privacy: OpenHumans, Tor, GPG, PrivacyBadger, CryptoCat, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Library Freedom Project, Maid Safe

“While it's important that people don't overtrust their software, and recognize that all software has the potential to be compromised, FOSS is by definition the only software that can help you resist surveillance. Since the source code is shared openly, it becomes much harder for a malicious actor, like a government intelligence agency, to insert a backdoor... I would rather put my trust in a community of relatively like-minded people who value transparency, privacy, and freedom, rather than black box software from companies that have already violated our trust and our rights.” ~ Alison Macrina, Library Freedom Project

Bug Report #2

Expected Behavior: People with interest in free software and a willingness to work hard will be able to find a place contributing to the community
Actual Behavior: Despite their interest, many people get frustrated and give up on contributing

Bug Report #2

Expected Behavior: People with interest in free software and a willingness to work hard will be able to find a place contributing to the community
Actual Behavior: Despite their interest, many people get frustrated and give up on contributing
Participants tagged in this issue: Newcomer Internships: Google Summer of Code, Outreachy, Project Ascend FOSS Workshops & Trainings: POSSE, OpenHatch, Railsbridge, Django Girls, Boston Python Workshop (& clones), Community Data Science Workshops, Software Carpentry Writing about Teaching FOSS: Mel Chua, Heidi Ellis, Igor Steinmacher, Mako Hill

"What might be "accessible" to one group might not work for another, and we aren't always thoughtful of how to make things more available to everyone. For instance, how many of our programs are screenreader friendly for the blind and low-vision community? How many times do non-native English speakers get left out of meetings, or silenced during conversations, because we don't pause for them to keep up?"
~ Mel Chua

Suggested Phrases

"Good on you for keeping at this!"

“I could link you directly to the right documentation, but I'd prefer to show you how to read our docs. Up for that? It will help you more in the long run.”

"I don't understand your question. Let's talk through your problem and figure out the best way to phrase it, so you can get answers more quickly in the future."

"This task may be hard but it will be so satisfying at the end. :)"

Bug Report #3

Expected Behavior: Everyone is able to contribute to FOSS without suffering financial hardship
Actual Behavior: The FOSS contributor base is largely one of economic privilege, and many people who contribute do so while struggling financially

Bug Report #3

Expected Behavior: Everyone is able to contribute to FOSS without suffering financial hardship
Actual Behavior: The FOSS contributor base is largely one of economic privilege, and many people who contribute do so while struggling financially
Participants tagged in this issue: Paid Internships/Fellowships: Outreachy, Google Summer of Code, Project Ascend (for many more, see http://bit.ly/FOSS-opportunities) Crowdfunding: Snowdrift.coop, Patreon, Indiegogo et al, Experiment.com Grants: Knight Foundation, Shuttleworth Foundation, Sunlight Foundation, Wikimedia Fundraising Drives: PSF, Django, and many other examples Company Sponsored: Linux Foundation, OpenSSL, Stripe Open Source Retreat Misc: Maid Safe (cryptocurrency tokens), BountySource (open source bounties)

Bug Report #4

Expected Behavior: People of all backgrounds and demographics use and contribute to free software
Actual Behavior: Free software is disproportionately white, male, financially secure, and highly educated

"The free software movement is basically [too] entrenched in white European male, academic culture to do the maximum productive outreach to non-traditional communities that are less technically inclined. The disconnect is rooted in larger societal problems around access to education and the longer term industrial shift from the blue collar to the tech worker as the new middle class. The solution is for people of color to take up the responsibility bridge these gaps where at all possible to bring the technology to new spaces."
~ Kendra Moyer

Bug Report #4

Expected Behavior: People of all backgrounds and demographics use and contribute to free software
Actual Behavior: Free software is disproportionately white, male, financially secure, and highly educated
Participants tagged in this issue: Organizations: Shanti Mission for Free Software, Project Ascend, Outreachy, Trans*H4CK, Everyone Hacks, Fund Club People: Kendra Moyer, Stephanie Morillo, Alberto Roca, Kortney Zeigler, Lukas Blakk, Ashe Dryden and many, many others Diverse Schools with FOSS Champions: Hartnell College (Katie Cunningham), Per Scholas (Jerome Dazzell), City College of San Francisco, SUNY Stony Brook A lot of tech diversity efforts and STEM diversity efforts are applicable to FOSS