Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Open Source Pledge ⇌

Vlad-Stefan Harbuz @vlad.website · 12h

one year of paying Open Source maintainers ✨❤️ consider mentioning the Open Source Pledge to your employer, even if you don't work in software

Open Source Pledge ⇌ @opensourcepledge.com · 13h

A year ago, @sentry.io launched the Open Source Pledge, with one singular goal: get maintainers paid.

A key pillar of the Pledge is it’s not a “pledge”, like an IOU. Rather, to join the Pledge, members come with receipts. Here’s why.

🧵

Nasdaq Tower in Times Square NYC.

The tower (which is covered in LEDs) reads
NASDAQ CELEBRATES ONE YEAR OF THE OPEN SOURCE PLEDGE AND THE COMPANIES WHO PAY MAINTAINERS

Below the text are all the member logos of companies who are members. The full list of member companies can be found here: https://opensourcepledge.com/members/

1 6

Open Source Pledge ⇌ @opensourcepledge.com · 13h

So happy birthday to the Open Source Pledge and thanks to every member company proving that the key to OSS sustainability isn’t just talk, it’s action.

Here’s to another year of getting maintainers paid. 😤

4

Open Source Pledge ⇌ @opensourcepledge.com · 13h

would be a great place to work. Well, that’s why we created the Pledge jobs board.

See all the open roles at companies whose values aren’t just platitudes.
opensourcepledge.com/jobs/

Jobs | Open Source Pledge

Join the companies pioneering Open Source sustainability.

opensourcepledge.com

1 3

Open Source Pledge ⇌ @opensourcepledge.com · 13h

They each _voluntarily _ paid thousands, 10s, even 100s of thousands of dollars to maintainers. What does this say about Pledge launch cos?

It says Pledge membership is a strong signal of a company that gives a sh!t, one that talks about caring & proves it, too. That’s the type of company that…

1 1

Open Source Pledge ⇌ @opensourcepledge.com · 13h

Now some numbers: In the first year, Pledge members paid out $2.6M to maintainers. But perhaps most notable is what our launch members _didn’t_ do: churn.

Typically, donor retention benchmarks hover between 40-60%. So far, 96%(!) of Pledge launch companies have renewed.

1

Open Source Pledge ⇌ @opensourcepledge.com · 13h

We could have signed on many more members if we had a lower floor, accepted hand-wavy accounting, counted time/code contributions (valid as those are, not the point), or promises to give eventually

Yet even with that high bar, over two dozen companies(!) signed on for the launch.

1

Open Source Pledge ⇌ @opensourcepledge.com · 13h

The mastermind behind the Pledge, @cra.mr, wanted companies to join together and make a meaningful dent in the OSS sustainability crisis. Not just a promise. Not just to “raise awareness”

So we set the high bar of membership at $2k per dev—not promised, but $2k already paid.

1

Open Source Pledge ⇌ @opensourcepledge.com · 13h

A year ago, @sentry.io launched the Open Source Pledge, with one singular goal: get maintainers paid.

A key pillar of the Pledge is it’s not a “pledge”, like an IOU. Rather, to join the Pledge, members come with receipts. Here’s why.

🧵

2 7 21

Reposted by Open Source Pledge ⇌

VoidZero @voidzero.dev · 2d

The world depends on Open Source software

After joining the @opensourcepledge.com last year, we are increasing our annual commitment to $48,360 for 2025.

Take a look at our full 2025 report on which vital projects we're sponsoring and how the money is distributed.

voidzero.dev/posts/oss-pl...

VoidZero's 2025 Open Source Pledge Report

VoidZero is continuing our commitment to the Open Source Pledge and donating $48,360 or $3,454 per VoidZero developer to external open source projects

voidzero.dev

7 54

Reposted by Open Source Pledge ⇌

Open Source Pledge ⇌ @opensourcepledge.com · 28d

We talked with GitHub co-founder @scottchacon.com about how he fell in love with Open Source, how AI is changing software development, and what he’s building next with @gitbutler.com

A GitHub Co-founder's Next Commit | Open Source Pledge

GitHub co-founder Scott Chacon on what he's building next

opensourcepledge.com

5 10

Open Source Pledge ⇌ @opensourcepledge.com · 15d

and it's Open Source!

Fork first, ask questions later

At Sanity, we had a problem. Sanity Studio runs on styled-components. So does our UI library. Thousands of components, all dependent on a library whose own maintainer says not to use.
We had three choices:
Rewrite everything (months of work, we're actually doing this)
Accept degrading performance (not happening)
Fix it ourselves

2

Reposted by Open Source Pledge ⇌

Martin Woodward @martin.social · 21d

Do you have an open source project or start-up that you want to feature LIVE on the keynote stage at githubuniverse.com? I want to hear from you! Details here on how you can enter and maybe win a trip to San Francisco: gh.io/zerotomerged #ZeroToMergedContest

3 10 19

Reposted by Open Source Pledge ⇌

Josh Ghoulberg 👻 @joshuakgoldberg.com · 22d

This is an *excellent* report. I would highly recommend anybody interested -let alone involved- in open source to read it. 👏

Miranda @mirandaheath.website · 27d

I'm working on a report on the causes of burnout in open source software. If you're a part of the OSS community, I would love to hear your thoughts, either here on Bluesky, or privately via email (see post). Thanks 😊

mirandaheath.website/report-on-bu...

Report on Burnout in Open Source Software

I am currently working on a report on the causes of burnout in open source software, and am inviting the OSS community to share their thoughts!

mirandaheath.website

1 4 11

Reposted by Open Source Pledge ⇌

Vlad-Stefan Harbuz @vlad.website · 22d

If you haven't yet seen Chad's beautiful and moving video on the Open Source sustainability crisis, now's the best time to do so

Is there a crisis in Open Source software? - Open Path #3

YouTube video by Syntax

www.youtube.com

1 4

Open Source Pledge ⇌ @opensourcepledge.com · 23d

Want to get paid to talk, code, and talk about coding? Browserbase is hiring for a unique role combining programming, content creation and community building — and you could proudly work for a pioneer that financially supports the Open Source maintainers they depend on.

opensourcepledge.com/jobs/

Job of the Week: Browserbase, Developer Advocate Lead

3

Open Source Pledge ⇌ @opensourcepledge.com · 27d

oh... and another thing: @gitbutler.com just renewed their Pledge membership by posting their 2025 report:

2

Reposted by Open Source Pledge ⇌

Miranda @mirandaheath.website · 27d

I'm working on a report on the causes of burnout in open source software. If you're a part of the OSS community, I would love to hear your thoughts, either here on Bluesky, or privately via email (see post). Thanks 😊

mirandaheath.website/report-on-bu...

Report on Burnout in Open Source Software

I am currently working on a report on the causes of burnout in open source software, and am inviting the OSS community to share their thoughts!

mirandaheath.website

7 30 52

Reposted by Open Source Pledge ⇌

Chad Whitacre @chadwhitacre.com · 27d

We had a psychology researcher write a 37-page report on burnout in Open Source. Blog post soon, join our Slack to read the report now.

join.slack.com/t/opensource...

1 2 15

Open Source Pledge ⇌ @opensourcepledge.com · 28d

We talked with GitHub co-founder @scottchacon.com about how he fell in love with Open Source, how AI is changing software development, and what he’s building next with @gitbutler.com

A GitHub Co-founder's Next Commit | Open Source Pledge

GitHub co-founder Scott Chacon on what he's building next

opensourcepledge.com

5 10

Reposted by Open Source Pledge ⇌

Andrea Bell ☕️🍂 @andyharvest.bsky.social · 29d

Designed these fun postcards for @buttondown.com to have during @djangocon.us this week!

5 20

Reposted by Open Source Pledge ⇌

François Best @francoisbest.com · Sep 5

The @opensourcepledge.com is a good way to give visibility for OSS-supporting companies too.

And it’s not mutually exclusive: you’re donating to thanks.dev & @github.com sponsors? It counts towards your OSS pledge score 🙌

thanks.dev – open source funding platform

We're passionate about making open source sustainable. Scan your dependancy tree to better understand which open source projects need funding the most. Maintainers can also register their projects to ...

thanks.dev

1 4

Reposted by Open Source Pledge ⇌

Syntax @syntax.fm · Sep 4

In episode 3 of Open Path, @chadwhitacre.com wrestles with DHH's statement to Lex Fridman that “There is no crisis!” in Open Source funding. Along the way he has to confront his own doubts if he's really going to grow @opensourcepledge.com. 🍿🤠

www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTcF...

“There is no crisis!” Is DHH right about funding OSS? ❧ Open Path #3

YouTube video by Syntax

www.youtube.com

1 3 18

Open Source Pledge ⇌ @opensourcepledge.com · Sep 2

hats off to Astral on recommitting to @opensourcepledge.com and paying even more over the last year than they initially planned.

Lots of companies hem, haw, and hand-wring over the future sustainability of OSS, but companies like Astral just GSD 👏👏👏

Zanie Blue @zanieb.bsky.social · Aug 29

Exciting to reflect on the the first year of open source funding at Astral — looking forward to another year of growth :)

astral.sh/blog/astral-...

Astral OSS Fund: One Year Later

One year later: Astral donated $70,000 to open source projects and is pledging another $44,000 for year two.

astral.sh

5

Reposted by Open Source Pledge ⇌

Zanie Blue @zanieb.bsky.social · Aug 29

Exciting to reflect on the the first year of open source funding at Astral — looking forward to another year of growth :)

astral.sh/blog/astral-...

Astral OSS Fund: One Year Later

One year later: Astral donated $70,000 to open source projects and is pledging another $44,000 for year two.

astral.sh

2 5 22

Reposted by Open Source Pledge ⇌

Chad Whitacre @chadwhitacre.com · Aug 28

Maintainers can't eat code. That's why companies SHOULD (per RFC 2119) join @opensourcepledge.com and #paythemaintainers and not just contribute upstream (which they SHOULD also keep doing!).

1 2 8