I used to have serious problems with working on free and open source projects due to my contract at work. Even though my employers said that they would evalua

I used to have serious problems with working on free and open source projects due to my contract at work. Even though my employers said that they would evaluate things on a "case by case" basis, it was often "Write it first and we'll tell you if you can distribute it". Then if I wrote it they would always say "no". Eventually I learned that working in an environment I like is more important to me than the size of my paycheck. Every job I've worked at has always given me more than enough to live comfortably, even if it wasn't always at market rate. Like other people on this thread, I give steep discounts for compatibility with free and open source development. I am much happier as a result. But to answer your question, just request time with your manager and explain the situation pretty much exactly as you have done here. If they say that you can't distribute the code, I would abide by the decision. Make sure to explain how important it is to you, but be civil and don't make any ultimatums. This is much better than having them take legal action on you after the fact (which has happened to many unsuspecting developers). If they can't accommodate you, consider what I said at the beginning. It took me years to transition to a type of work that made me happy, but it was worth it. You don't have to do anything drastic, but it never hurts to think about your options and work towards your dreams.