The Linux Foundation Member Summit

Research has shown that diversity is not just a buzzword but a critical factor that significantly impacts the effectiveness and success of open-source communities. Building an inclusive environment requires more than recognizing the importance of diversity; it demands concrete actions, tangible outcomes, and a genuine commitment to creating a welcoming space for all contributors. This talk draws from an in-depth study of the GNOME Project's diversity and inclusion strategies, examining the opportunities and challenges in fostering inclusiveness. By exploring these experiences, the aim of this talk is to provide actionable recommendations for improving diversity efforts. While some open-source projects have implemented strategies to create a diverse and inclusive environment, they often struggle to achieve impactful outcomes. How can we move beyond setting diversity and inclusion strategies to achieve measurable results? Are policies and initiatives enough to foster true inclusiveness? In this talk, I will share recommended strategies to foster contributions from diverse groups.

In the transformative era of Web3, which encompasses decentralized trust systems, blockchain, and distributed ledger technologies, the foundational principles of open source governance have never been more critical. This session aims to explore the intersection of open source governance with Web3, providing insights from leading experts. We will delve into the evolution of governance models, their applicability in decentralized contexts, and the resultant challenges and opportunities within blockchain ecosystems. As Web3 technologies continue to evolve, they challenge traditional governance models with their decentralized nature. This session will introduce the significance of adapting open source governance principles—transparency, accountability, and inclusivity—to blockchain and distributed ledger technologies. We will set the stage for a deep dive into how these principles can foster collaboration and innovation in decentralized environments. Attendees will gain a nuanced understanding of how to leverage open source governance to navigate the complexities of Web 3's decentralized systems, ensuring robust, equitable, and forward-looking frameworks for the future.

This hands-on-workshop provides tools, templates, and shares best practices that organizations can take advantage of in order to get better measurement of their investments. We provide frameworks to enable your company and organization better measure their open source investment and impact. The 2024 Open Source Funding Survey shed light on the state of funding. In particular, establishing benchmarks and baselines for various types, sizes, and geographic funding organizations. In order to help organizations and companies better institutionalize their open source investments and funding programs. Potential action items: Tracking of open source code contributions - Leaving contribution fingerprints to help OSS management Collecting information on non-code contribution - How much and what form does your organization spend on OSS support? - What kinds of OSS projects does your organization support? Placing a value on non-code contributions - Determining what forms of non-code contributions your organization can and is willing to contribute. - Establishing measurements of value and tracking to understand investment - Establishing mechanisms to measure impact from the investment

In the rapidly evolving world of open source software, effective project management is crucial for fostering innovation and collaboration. Drawing from my extensive experience with Apache Spark, Delta Lake, MLflow, and Unity Catalog, this session will explore best practices for building and maintaining vibrant open source communities. Attendees will gain insights into creating inclusive environments that attract and retain contributors, ensuring project sustainability and success.

Synopsys reports that 95% of codebases contain open source, and of those codebases, 75% of the code is open source. Viability; as a metrics model in the CHAOSS community; provides tools to inform strategic business decisions about open source use and investment. We evaluate open source at milestones such as when initial decision to use/or not use, or at points in time where investment through contribution ensures ongoing security and sustainability. Viability metrics can identify key moments when open source projects require focus and investment. Viability also provides measures for tracking impact of this focus and investment, both for OSS and for internal goals tracking. With metrics, we can make decisions about when it’s the right time to contribute back to communities that have too little support, and when to subsidize the work that our critical projects depend on. Join Dr. Dawn Foster (CHAOSS), Matt Germonprez (University of Nebraska at Omaha/CHAOSS), Emma Irwin (Microsoft), and Gary White (Verizon), as they discuss the approach, complications, failures, and successes of measuring viability and de-risking applications.