4 ms·

> You have to be OK with the thanklessness of the task, and you have to seek your rewards elsewhere. Is this really how we want the world to be? Someone who is

> You have to be OK with the thanklessness of the task, and you have to seek your rewards elsewhere. Is this really how we want the world to be? Someone who is trying to help needs to be ok with being treated badly? I can understand not being put on a pedestal, but I think a "thank you" and a bit of gratefulness is warranted by people actively being helped.

throwaway290 4y ago
The best way to do open source work is to consult or be employed and release open source stuff as part of your work. Otherwise it turns into politics, competition for money and popularity contest rather than product of passion. If you are as proficient as this guy you will find employers that do not mind open source work
- newswasboring 4y ago
  ... This guy wasn't able to find an employer like that, no?
  - throwaway290 4y ago
    Did he look though? Maybe he is not aware this is a possibility. Even if he cannot leave Russia there are likely russian companies that would pay him and be even happy if he contributes to OSS. I know Qiwi, Yandex publish and maintain packages
    - newswasboring 4y ago
      Yeah but if the statement is a guy like this could find something like this, then the answer is no. I think mostly because it's not entirely clear how to get such a job and how to do that job without handing over the reigns of your project to the company.
      - throwaway290 4y ago
        > Yeah but if the statement is a guy like this could find something like this, then the answer is no. What? Why? > I think mostly because it's not entirely clear how to get such a job Same as any other job, by looking. Even I do something like that and I am not even close to corejs maintainer level > reins If you do this while working as independent contributor (popular in Russia) then it's not even a question, the company will not have any reins on whatever you do outside the contract. If you are employed then company may have the reins, but you will publish OSS while getting money and recognition for it, which is 80% of the formula.
    - zacharycohn 4y ago
      If you read the article, you'll see he did look, extensively.
      - throwaway290 4y ago
        Not enough because how come I could do it but not him.
        nicky0 4y ago
        The part where he spent the year 2020 in a russian slave labour prison might help explain his difficulty getting a job. Plus as a russian national living in russia, FAANG is not exactly knocking at his door.
        throwaway290 4y ago
        Why do you bring up FAANG? Is that the bar now, be unemployed and beg for money or work at FAANG? I myself have left the country but I have some friends who are still there, they consult just fine and get paid. Including for foreign businesses.
        nicky0 4y ago
        I used FAANG as a shorthand for "big international tech companies that pay a lot". Glad to hear though that there are lots opportunites for tech folk in Russia to make good money.
        throwaway290 4y ago
        > I used FAANG as a shorthand for "big international tech companies that pay a lot". Uhh… Yes and that's my point? He could earn 50-100 USD per hour, which would get him a more than decent lifestyle in Russia. Why would someone pick between Lots Of Money and begging and not accept an alternative between that would allow him to keep doing OSS while feeding his family? This whole plea just doesn't compute with me. > Glad to hear though that there are lots opportunites for tech folk in Russia to make good money. It's not good money, it's just money to live okay. And it's not in Russia, it's everywhere. Internet, it did wonders.
aabbcc1241 4y ago
I am not saying either party is better than another but I do not wish to live in a world that people are order of magnitude less willing to donate to FOSS developers than people posting sexy photos online. Edit: maybe I used wrong comparison. Most of the income of the photo publishers should be from sales (to unlock paywall of exclusive content), not many will donation.

throwaway290 4y ago

The best way to do open source work is to consult or be employed and release open source stuff as part of your work. Otherwise it turns into politics, competition for money and popularity contest rather than product of passion. If you are as proficient as this guy you will find employers that do not mind open source work

newswasboring 4y ago
... This guy wasn't able to find an employer like that, no?
- throwaway290 4y ago
  Did he look though? Maybe he is not aware this is a possibility. Even if he cannot leave Russia there are likely russian companies that would pay him and be even happy if he contributes to OSS. I know Qiwi, Yandex publish and maintain packages
  - newswasboring 4y ago
    Yeah but if the statement is a guy like this could find something like this, then the answer is no. I think mostly because it's not entirely clear how to get such a job and how to do that job without handing over the reigns of your project to the company.
    - throwaway290 4y ago
      > Yeah but if the statement is a guy like this could find something like this, then the answer is no. What? Why? > I think mostly because it's not entirely clear how to get such a job Same as any other job, by looking. Even I do something like that and I am not even close to corejs maintainer level > reins If you do this while working as independent contributor (popular in Russia) then it's not even a question, the company will not have any reins on whatever you do outside the contract. If you are employed then company may have the reins, but you will publish OSS while getting money and recognition for it, which is 80% of the formula.
  - zacharycohn 4y ago
    If you read the article, you'll see he did look, extensively.
    - throwaway290 4y ago
      Not enough because how come I could do it but not him.
      - nicky0 4y ago
        The part where he spent the year 2020 in a russian slave labour prison might help explain his difficulty getting a job. Plus as a russian national living in russia, FAANG is not exactly knocking at his door.
        throwaway290 4y ago
        Why do you bring up FAANG? Is that the bar now, be unemployed and beg for money or work at FAANG? I myself have left the country but I have some friends who are still there, they consult just fine and get paid. Including for foreign businesses.
        nicky0 4y ago
        I used FAANG as a shorthand for "big international tech companies that pay a lot". Glad to hear though that there are lots opportunites for tech folk in Russia to make good money.
        throwaway290 4y ago
        > I used FAANG as a shorthand for "big international tech companies that pay a lot". Uhh… Yes and that's my point? He could earn 50-100 USD per hour, which would get him a more than decent lifestyle in Russia. Why would someone pick between Lots Of Money and begging and not accept an alternative between that would allow him to keep doing OSS while feeding his family? This whole plea just doesn't compute with me. > Glad to hear though that there are lots opportunites for tech folk in Russia to make good money. It's not good money, it's just money to live okay. And it's not in Russia, it's everywhere. Internet, it did wonders.

aabbcc1241 4y ago

I am not saying either party is better than another but I do not wish to live in a world that people are order of magnitude less willing to donate to FOSS developers than people posting sexy photos online. Edit: maybe I used wrong comparison. Most of the income of the photo publishers should be from sales (to unlock paywall of exclusive content), not many will donation.