Why Open Source Can Be the Perfect Place for New Developers – and How to Get Started, with Deb Goodkin from the FreeBSD Foundation

The Scrimba Podcast - A podcast by Alex Booker

Categories:

Meet Deb Goodkin! Deb is the Executive Director of the FreeBSD Foundation. The Foundation supports the FreeBSD project and community. FreeBSD is a powerful open-source operating system known for its reliability and security and used by companies like Netflix to power their servers and networks.With a strong background in engineering, Deb is passionate about open-source technology, and after this episode, you might become passionate about it, too! In this episode of the Scrimba podcast, you'll learn how a complex project like FreeBSD works from an organizational standpoint, why open-source is a great place for even newer developers, what are the key differences between community-driven projects and working for a corporation, and where should you start if you're looking to get into open-source.🔗 Connect with Deb👩‍💼 LinkedIn⏰ TimestampsWhat is FreeBSD? (01:19)What is the FreeBSD Foundation? (02:49)Open-source projects vs. commercial projects (04:04)Open source is a nourishing place (07:04)Some original BSD developers are still working on the project decades later! (07:46)Open source is a community (09:35)How can contributing to open source help a newer developer advance their career? (11:25)Community break! (14:08)What skills do you need to join an open-source project? (16:23)Start with documentation! (18:42)How do you interact with others working on an open-source project? (21:20)Are people more likely to help others who help themselves? (24:05)Quick-fire questions! (27:26)How does an open-source project like FreeBSD run?If you're listening and want to get into open source, do this! (38:13)🧰 Resources mentionedFreeBSD FoundationFreeBSDJon 'maddog' Hall on Linkedin and TwitterKirk McKusick on YouTubeMichael W Lucas on Mastodon⭐️ Leave a ReviewIf you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review here and tell us who you want to see on the next podcast.You can also Tweet Alex from Scrimba at @bookercodes and tell them what lessons you learned from the episode so they can thank you personally for tuning in 🙏