Recently, I was reflecting about the way in which I've created my side projects. After many years of try-fail-and-forget, I wondered where those projects ended up. Where were those once upon a time exciting projects? The vast majority on a private repo where dust and glory covered them.
I imagined myself locked in a room, full of enthusiasm and joy building something I think will change the world because what a good idea! However, a new idea or technology appears. It's more exciting, has newer and more powerful features, and maybe, I can focus on that one instead. So, I leave my piece of work in the desk, close the room behind me, and knock on the next door.
I discovered that many of the implementations I intended could have had a better life in other people's hands, instead of just a null instance in life. Maybe there are some golden pieces in there that someone else could take and group them together and continue. Even more, I instantly ruined the opportunity to gain community traction and even support from others, and nobody will never know about what the original idea was.
At the end, I decided not only to not throw the key anymore but to leave the door behind me opened. Why, after investing many hours do we close that door, lock it down, throw the key and knock on the next one? We are closing it after creating fine art, fantastic code that deserves its place in posterity, no matter if it's not perfect, it's our code and we invested time and passion building it. From now on, my side projects will be Open Source.
So, why not leave it open?
Pictures:
Cover image: Photo by Pedro Ramos on Unsplash
[1] Photo by Bhautik Andhariya on Unsplash
[2] Photo by Thom Milkovic on Unsplash
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