This document discusses the benefits and challenges of open source work. It notes that working openly allows sharing workloads and creating enduring projects, but also means constant feedback and adherence to best practices. While open source powers the web, companies prioritize marketing and revenue over technology. True openness requires giving work away freely and supporting the community. The document calls for celebrating small steps toward openness and focusing on education rather than confrontation.

1. THE NEW
CHALLENGE
OF OPEN
CHRIS HEILMANN (@CODEPO8), OSCAL, TIRANA, ALBANIA, MAY 2015

2. OPEN IS COOL!

3. THE BENEFITS OF
WORKING IN THE
OPEN

4. • You share the work load
• You create something that will
outlast you
• Sharing feels good
• You become part of something
bigger
THE BENEFITS OF
WORKING IN THE
OPEN

5. THE DOWNSIDES
OF WORKING IN
THE OPEN

6. • Constant surveillance
• Feedback time
• Pick your battles and triage
demands
• Adherence to best practices
and procedures
THE DOWNSIDES
OF WORKING IN
THE OPEN

7. WAIT A MOMENT…
THAT’S A LOT OF
WORK!

8. IT IS, AND OPEN
MEANS A LOT MORE
THAN GIVING
SOMETHING OUT
FOR FREE…

9. • Give it out for free
• Nurture it and support it
• Are ready to give in to
suggestions from the crowd
• Give up control for the benefit
of all involved
IF YOU OPEN
SOMETHING, YOU…

10. BROKEN THINGS.

11. • Get developers to hire
• Get some headlines
• Have people maintain our
product
• Have people organise
themselves and moderate
themselves…
ALL WE REALLY
WANT IS…

12. REMEMBER THE
MASHUP WEB?

13. WE GIVE IT TO THE COMMUNITY!

14. PLAY BY THE RULES
OF THE OPEN
COMMUNITY OR
FEEL OUR WRATH!

15. FIXING THINGS

16. • Open Source tech powers the
web.
• It is a cog in the system and
works well
• Companies are actually good
in using and giving back
IT ISN’T ABOUT
TECHNOLOGY…

17. IT IS ABOUT
MARKETING AND
SELLING THINGS!

18. • Firefox OS
• Ubuntu Phone
• Ouya
• Diaspora
• Ello
AND WE’RE NOT DOING
WELL REPLACING
CLOSED WITH OPEN…

19. WHY IS THAT?

20. “We crave for new
sensations but soon
become indifferent to them.
The wonders of yesterday
are today common
occurrences.”
― Nikola Tesla, My Inventions

21. LONGEVITY IS
DEAD - LONG LIVE
CONSUMPTION!

22. APPS ARE
CONSUMABLE
AND PERISHABLE
SOFTWARE…

23. GO WHERE THE
USERS ARE!
• Open is described as
fragmented and too hard
• Closed systems are advertised
as a better user experience
• Open technologies are
described as insufficiently
supported and thus inferior
• Build for the now, make money
now!

24. LET’S GET THEM
YOUNG AND KEEP
THEM FOR LIFE?

25. IT CAN’T LAST…

26. OUR JOB IS TO BE
THERE TO HELP
AND STAND FOR
WHAT IS OPEN.
BY BEING OPEN.

27. AMAZING THINGS
ARE HAPPENING.
LET’S CELEBRATE
WITH THOSE WHO
TRY.
• Google implementing Microsoft’s
Pointer Events
• Microsoft implementing Adobe’s
CSS blend modes code
• Visual Studio Code across platforms
• Manifold.js - create native apps from
web code with W3C manifest
• Vorlon.js - debug across all
platforms
• iOS and Android Apps on Windows
10

28. SIMPLE THINGS,
FIELDS TO GROW
THINGS IN…

29. https://github.com/davidbgk/open-source-template

30. https://github.com/davidbgk/open-source-template

31. WE’RE THE GOOD
GUYS. LET’S
SHOW PEOPLE.
• Be helpful in our feedback to
ill-advised “open” projects
• Explain the dangers of closed
systems without being
sanctimonious
• Create ways to interact with
closed systems instead of
trying to replace them

32. THANKS!
CHRIS HEILMANN
@CODEPO8
CHRISTIANHEILMANN.COM