Tying two threads together, Jordan's XKCD link today I agree is perfect!
https://groups.google.com/a/themaintainers.org/d/msg/information-maintainers/tsGlWW6Z_JY/RDOgUGNDBwAJ
As is Roads and Bridges. Thank you so much for that link Devon. I read it Monday evening for the first time. It's such a thorough depiction of our work.
It reminds me, that I should note that I do work professionally as an open source maintainer currently but that provider also has a commercial interest. Eghbal touches upon some of those tensions, and so I might only be able to talk indirectly about some of my work there Friday. Those interested though might be interested in
this paper colleagues and I put together for the digital preservation conference iPRES back in 2019.
Devon asks what examples of open source software have impacted your information maintenance practice. It is tempting to say that there such an intersection with my field of digital preservation and open source. At one point in time, once you have access to digital objects and their metadata there is so much we can do with the tools made available through the generosity of individuals and organisations who invest their time and skill. But there is also a lot of propriety-ness to deal with - the record management systems that support the living record - the tools used to create those records too. I can't help but feel that the amount we open-source in the field is directly to tackle the limitations of closed source in earlier stages in that life-cycle.
And I am also interested in that idea of projects that need rescuing! Almost certainly?! I have one use-case to touch upon Friday, but there must be some other great examples out there. And I am interested in asking that question too: How much are we currently creating tooling that will one day need rescuing and what can we do to prevent that?
Looking forward to seeing everyone Friday.
Ross