Open source lets you create the experiences you want– whether it be with technology, community, or your lasting impact on the world. In his Open Source Story, Rich Bowen reflects on some of the ways in which open source has opened doors to meet those who have inspired him as well as how he thinks about opening doors for others.

In this conversation between Andy Piper and amanda casari, Andy talks about their work in open source communities, specifically highlighting how communities differ, have different needs, and how these needs change and evolve over time. Additionally the discussion covers the “non-glamourous” work that needs to be done, and how difficult it can be to know what sort of help to ask for as a project.

Carol Willing, a veteran programmer with a passion for making technology accessible, shares her journey from mainframe computers to the world of Python and Jupyter Notebooks. She emphasizes the importance of generalist skills, critical thinking, and building up the next generation of engineers.

In a conversation looking at multiple meanings of open source governance and project health, Shauna Gordon-McKeon shares with Open Source Stories views of how investing in project culture can build virtuous cycles of inclusion and contribution. From reducing the number of roles that a maintainer might have to fill to lowering the barriers for user participation, this conversation looks to build from crisis management in 2017 to continuing improvements into the future with the ways open source projects get done.