Ask HN: Does anyone here still contribute to open source projects? Why?

3 pointsposted 12 hours ago
by AbstractH24

Item id: 50035867

8 Comments

sglim

9 hours ago

I contributed a couple of fixes to a small GraphQL-over-websockets library because I needed it to work for my project at that time. Took two hours to understand it, just to change six lines.

drewbitt

12 hours ago

Yes, I use open-source projects, and as part of that, I either find bugs or want features. I don't think an agent should be recreating or forking React, for example, just for me - that's not realistic.

AbstractH24

12 hours ago

Makes sense. Sounds like you contribute in the sense of a feedback button or building things that are unique to you

patjensen

12 hours ago

> So I'd just be giving free labor.

Why don't you contribute? Are you comfortable just taking from society?

AbstractH24

12 hours ago

> Why don't you contribute? Are you comfortable just taking from society?

Since an overwhelming number of open-source projects I use these days have some effort to monetize as part of them. I no don't feel it's free.

But outside of that, I feel I contribute in other ways and lack[ed] the skills to contribute to the projects.

rekabis

12 hours ago

If I was independently wealthy, with decent chunks of free time, I absolutely would.

Problem is, I live in a capitalistic hellhole that demands I be wildly profitable to someone else, least I suffer from starvation, destitution, homelessness, or even death.

spottedmarley

11 hours ago

Not really. I used to contribute but lately I'm more of an open source leech. I clone the project that I need and improve/personalize it to my needs but I've stopped assuming that anything I add or improve A) is useful to anyone but me B) can't be added by someone else with a Claude Max plan and the time to contribute. Also, GitHub feels a lot like a social media platform to me these days and I just don't use those.