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.

Send some happiness now!

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 Cheryl Sabella to Mariatta

Hi Mariatta!

I've been wanting to send you a note to thank you for a long time. CPython was the first open source project I ever contributed to and your warm welcome on my first commit (and other commits) was a huge boost of encouragement. I'm certain that I wouldn't have been so enthusiatic about continuing to work on projects if yours hadn't been the first voice I heard. So, thank you for that.

Also, I had watched your Pycon talk online last year and wanted to let you know how inspirational you are to me. You open up about your own self-doubt and vulnerability which is exactly how I've felt working on this project. It's quite overwhelming. But knowing that you have those same demons really helps me feel like I can get through it. I'm sure others have told you this already, but thank you for talking about those things.

I don't want you to feel any pressure because I've written this. I'm not expecting anything from you, but just wanted you to know that you've been important to me and I really appreciate it. :-)

Cheryl

From Aniket Pradhan to Alberto Rodríguez Sánchez

Hola compadre/भाई

You are amazing! Thank you for your help and support in the NeuroFedora group, and the council now.

I really miss all of the team, and would definitely like to meet you all soon!

Send some happiness now!