Title: How we built the Node.js Foundation with Open Open Source

Abstract:

Rewind to early 2013. Node.js v0.10 had just been released - this is the golden days of Node.js... and the beginning of the end. The BDFL-model and project stewardship have severely limited contribution (especially from larger corporations), and the lack of communication and transparency around decision making is making life as contributor to Node.js core intolerable. Stagnation of technical progress was unavoidable. Was Node.js doomed to fail before it could take off?

You probably know by now that Node.js did not fail, adoption and usage of Node.js has continued to grow each year. But how did this happen when the project was heading to a certain doom? In this talk I will use the backstory of how Node.js is built around the notion of openness and collaboration - known as Open Open Source - to mobilise the community (more than 450 members in the GitHub organisation) and activate more contributors! I also talk about how the Node.js Foundation is structured and how all the bits and pieces works on building Node.js - one way or another.

The Open Open Source mantra:

Individuals making significant and valuable contributions are given commit-access to the project to contribute as they see fit. This project is more like an open wiki than a standard guarded open source project.