freshmeat.net: A Year of Learning [Leading an Open Source project]

“…I’m the founder of the SquirrelMail project. It’s safe to
say that when we started the project over a year ago, I had no idea
what I was getting into. The above-mentioned qualities were nowhere
to be found in my arsenal. I’ve learned a lot of important lessons
over the past year, and I thought I’d take some time to share them
with you. I’m definitely not the source of all wisdom on the
subject (for that, see “The Cathedral and the Bazaar”), but one
thing I can say I know for sure is that this past year has been one
of growth and learning for me.”

“One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that when
you’re a leader of an Open Source project, personal activity and
involvement in the project is imperative. I’ve seen developer
activity wax and wane over the course of the development cycle, and
a strong correlation exists between developer activity and my
personal excitement and involvement in the project. Whenever I took
a week or two off, not much development happened. When I was
ecstatic about certain aspects of the project, developer response
and activity was quite high. It is important that your developers
see your enthusiasm so they can share your excitement.”

“Your attitude toward the project affects the way things are
accomplished. Keeping the attitude light is always a benefit.
Joking around on the lists or in an IRC room helps build
relationships in your team and makes the whole project more fun.
What fun is it if it’s all business all the time?”

Complete
Story