CNCF Ambassador Mario Fahlandt writes that neutrality is the hardest part of open source because most contributors are paid to work on it, citing a 2023 Google Open Source Programs Office survey of more than a thousand contributors in which 82% did open source at least partly on paid time. He argues maintainers should be explicit about which role they are speaking in, keep their employer’s agenda and their own career interests out of project decisions, and assume good faith when someone else’s employer creeps into a discussion.
Which hat am I wearing right now?
CNCF Ambassador Mario Fahlandt writes that neutrality is the hardest part of open source because most contributors are paid to work on it, citing a 2023 Google Open Source Programs Office survey of more than a thousand contributors in which 82% did open source at least partly on paid time. He argues maintainers should be explicit about which role they are speaking in, keep their employer's agenda and their own career interests out of project decisions, and assume good faith when someone else's employer creeps into a discussion.
Source: CNCF