What are Open-Source Happiness Packets?
People are generally much more loved than we think we are. But while it's easy for many to complain when they don't like something, we're often fairly silent when things are good. Open-source communities are no different, especially when our main communication channels are textual and virtual.
However, the feeling that you made a difference, that your work matters and has value, and that the people you work with are happy to work with you, is an awesome and important feeling. With Open-Source Happiness Packets, we're trying to spread that feeling.
How does it work?
Openly expressing appreciation, gratitude, or happiness to other people can be difficult. This is especially true when you don't know them very well. Many of us come from cultures in which people are not open by default about such feelings, and naturally feel uncomfortable or even creepy to share them.
Open-Source Happiness Packets is a very simple platform to anonymously reach out to the people that you appreciate or to whom you are thankful in your open-source community. Your message can be sent anonymously if you feel uncomfortable to share your name with the recipient. Of course, we encourage you to share your name, but it's completely optional!
Happiness Archive
If both the sender and the recipient agree, we can publish the Happiness Packet on the website. With this, we're building an archive of open-source happiness that people and communities can use to draw inspiration.
As an example, here are two random messages from our archive:
From Kevin Fenzi to Justin Flory
Thanks for showing me happiness packets long ago... and thanks for all you do in the Fedora community, especially your insight on community matters.
Anonymous message
I haven't seen you around for too long in open source, but I know when I first saw you begin contributing, you became easy to spot. I have a lot of respect for you and your motivation to contribute to open source. You are a wonderful, positive role model for many people in the open source community, especially for women and students.
Your dedication and motivation to bring more students and women into open source through your talks and FOSS Wave activities is powerful and motivating. It helps to have someone similar to ourselves to look to for a role model. We are lucky to have someone like you in the open source community, and you have done and continue to do amazing things. Keep up the amazing work – you have many fans!