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:
Anonymous message
I have so much love and appreciation for the SpigotMC project and all of the contributors that help make it happen. For four years, you all have run this project out of your own free time to help maintain the Minecraft multiplayer community as we know it. It's hard to imagine a world where Spigot didn't decide to keep on keeping on after the mess in 2014. But here we are now!
Thanks to all of you for the hard work you all put in (probably often thanklessly) every day for the project. Your efforts and commitment to the project and community do not go unnoticed. I have a lot of respect for the decision-making that comes out of the project leadership. As a long-time user and community member, thanks for all that you do and keep up the awesome work.
Anonymous message
You have worn many hats in open source over the years, not just as a contributor, but also as a mentor. I put a lot of high value into your thought-out opinions and insights. You have a unique and open-minded way of thinking about things, in open source and personal things alike. I'm thankful that we have people like you in open source communities to build better software and also to build better communities. We're lucky to have someone like you around. Thanks for all you have done and keep on doing amazing things.