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
Congratulations on your acceptance to State of the Map 2017 in Japan! It's exciting to keep up with all of the great things you're doing in open source and OpenStreetMap. You really deserved this opportunity and I'm happy that you are getting to travel and meet other open source contributors from around the world. It's inspiring to hear about your achievements and I know that there is only more to come for you in the future. Your contributions are important and have a big impact – keep up the amazing work that you are doing!
Anonymous message
Even when I never asked for it, you were always a great mentor for me and always not only tried to help me with a problem, but how to solve a problem. Your guidance and encouragement have always been really valuable. I'm happy and glad that we have people like you in tech / open source. Keep doing the great things you're doing.