Patterns and anti-patterns for successful open source projects
I started this chapter by ruminating on the challenge of defining what a good open source project is. The challenge with that definition is what works for one project may not work for the next one, as each project has its own people, culture, industry dynamics, and velocity. Because of this, I like to think in terms of patterns instead, and there are several patterns (and anti-patterns) I’ve seen that are good guideposts and ways to think about open source projects and how to approach and work with such a community.
Open communication (and over-communication)
The biggest challenge I see with open source projects, and often in other domains in life, is communication. As I described in my earlier story on my work in my local school district’s levy campaign, communication gaps lead to confusion, misunderstanding, and in the worst case, things being taken the wrong way. I often hear the saying that “...
