# How to burn out developers and alienate contributors ---- ## About me: oli-obk  Note: obviously biased survivorship bias tell me where I can do better ---- ## The plan * a bit about research * a bit about open source * drawing parallels * the future Note: lots of anecdotes, starting out a bit dark ---- ## Research ---- 1. Have idea 2. Find Prof who likes idea 3. Do PhD 4. Finish PhD 5. Profit!?! ---- Not so fast ---- <span style="font-size:40px;">teaching</span> <span style="font-size:36px;">exams</span> <span style="font-size:32px;">grading</span> <span style="font-size:28px;">random PR campaigns for funding</span> <span style="font-size:24px;">find funding for yourself</span> <span style="font-size:20px;">mentor young PhDs</span> <span style="font-size:16px;">watch out for rival profs' proxy warring</span> <span style="font-size:12px;">write papers for your prof</span> <span style="font-size:8px;">figure out what you were working on a month ago</span> <span style="font-size:8px;">actually work on your topic</span> Note: don't read all that I love teaching, just not how it's often done ---- Anyone heard of burnout? Spoiler: Not in academia Note: (outside of psych) ---- # [redacted] Note: had a bunch of quotes from awful ppl here not worth repeating. be aware that science isn't the pretty ivory tower ---- Anyway... Not everyone finishes their thesis ---- ## Drop out rate (Germany) | Independent | Employed | Stipend | | -------- | -------- | -------- | | 25% | 14% | 8% | <span style="font-size:8px;"> Brandt, Gesche, and Anja Franz. "Promotionsabbrecher*innen in Deutschland." die hochschule. journal für wissenschaft und bildung: 16. </span> ---- # Never trust data you didn't falsify yourself Note: Number of unreported cases unregistered until a year or two in ---- ## Summary Research has lots of exploitation <span style="font-size:20px;">... among other problems</span> ---- ## Open Source Note: earnest OS contrib since 2016 ----  Note: dove into rustc stuck around ---- ### Quick Reminder survivorship bias ---- 1. Have idea 2. implement 3. open PR 4. get review 5. address review 6. merge ---- Not so fast ---- * reviewing costs time * 8h work per day * 6h *effective* per day [1] * why is my PR not getting reviewed? <p style="font-size:8px;"> [1] https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/nov/04/microsoft-japan-four-day-work-week-productivity </p> Note: open source after work hours already drained weekend? ---- Solution: Become a reviewer Note: save the other maintainers some time ---- ## You guessed it Not. So. Fast! ----  Note: I joke, but... actively reviewed projects attract ---- People come ... ... and go Note: Sometimes they go because of you ----  Note: subjective experience data exists, but... hard to analyze ---- ## Parallels | | Research | Open Source | | ----------------- | -------- | ----------- | | exciting | ✓ | ✓ | | rewarding | ✓ | ✓ | | not enough time | ✓ | ✓ | | waiting on others | ✓ | ✓ | | need to deliver | ✓ | ✓ | | burn out | ✓ | ✓ | ---- ## Let's fix it Note: joke: ask 10 ppl, get 12 opinions all boils down to 3 things ---- :moneybag: :hourglass_flowing_sand: :desktop_computer: Note: three components * money * time * resources no particular order ---- # Resources * Reduce compile-time/test-time * Speed up CI * Personal hardware ---- # Time * Minimize your tests * Bisect regressions * Accept maintainer priorities * Deadlines are a lie * Real vacations or sabbaticals Note: deadlines and lighthouse projects can quickly make some people throw the towel encourage ppl to really *leave* for a while to recharge ---- # Money * Sponsor your maintainers * Hire your maintainers * Pay people to become maintainers ---- # Progress in Rust * ~10 FTE on Compiler hired * Library maintainers hired * Paid on-call crates.io team * WIP: ssh dev-desktop.rust-lang.org * Sponsoring developers... Note: Many hired devs don't get 100% though No, this URL doesn't exist yet ---- # Sponsoring |  |  |  | | ------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------ | |  |  | | |  | Note: Shout out to sponsors. "no particular order", just the order I found them :face_with_rolling_eyes: looking through some Rustacean's gh sponsors Foundation members working on eliminating red tape Hiring is easier than sponsoring :rolling_on_the_floor_laughing: ---- # Personal note Note: connecting the dots of this talk with my life ---- # 2016-2020: PhD + Rust * Working 10+ hours/day * Working weekends Note: Was already planning my Rust exodus ---- # Feburary: Working at aws * BigCo trainings :upside_down_face: * Work on rustc full time :+1: * Weekends 🎉 Note: Same work as before, but paid ---- # April: Parental leave ---- # July: Part time Note: Practiced this presentation over the weekend ---- # Summary * Pay devs * Respect devs' time * Simplify devs' lives * Rust Foundation!!! Note: Foundation's mission is to support maintainers