Reflect on your open-source contributions in 2023 and tell us about your experiences. Why do you contribute?
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Top comments (4)
I’ve been doing open source since I was 16, and it’s been a wild ride. I’m 41 now, and open source has had a massive impact on my life.
In 2023 I have done a lot. Much of my work has been in the enterprise space, and it has been meant to help make life better and more secure at work.
It’s been a lot of fun, and I’m really excited for 2024. I’m finishing the year by taking off work to dedicate time to open source work.
I started doing it last year through Hacktoberfest and every now and them when I find a bug on a website or app and there's a public GitHub repo I jump in to take a look at the Issues. There is a nice feeling when your PR gets merged, it's like you're part of something, that's why I do it.
My open source journey began two years ago at the DevoxxUK conference, and it has been nothing short of transformative. I had the fortune of meeting Benjamin Muskalla, whose talk about the impact of great people in open source deeply inspired me. Another pivotal encounter was with Sal Kimmich, who generously mentored me and guided me through the intricacies of open source contributions.
Thanks to these experiences, I proudly became an OpenUK and Snyk Ambassador this year. My mentor, Bruno Souza, played a crucial role in helping me understand how to build a career using an open source approach. This guidance has been so impactful that I now give talks on career building through open source.
My contributions have evolved significantly over time. From initially helping fix typos in open source projects, I now share my journey at the intersection of Cybersecurity, AI, and Open Source. It's a path that continually evolves, and I'm passionate about using my experience to help close the significant gap of 3-4 million cybersecurity professionals in the job market.
This journey has taught me the power of open source not just in software development, but as a career catalyst and a platform for meaningful community contribution. I'm excited to see where this path leads and to continue making a difference in the open source community.
I always ask myself and others about the why. I guess it is because of drive (purpose, autonomy, master), but also legacy, and, for some, portfolio. I missed the most important one: belonging.