Open source software (OSS) has become ubiquitous and has become integrated in all stages of software development. However, individuals often find themselves eager to contribute more to open source software while encountering obstacles within their companies that hinder direct support for upstream features. This talk explores alternative strategies for non-software companies to actively support open source software, despite limitations in providing direct software development assistance.

This talk explores effective strategies for supporting open source software when your organization is not a software company. It highlights three key methods of contribution: Documentation, Translations, and Hardware.

The talk emphasizes the importance of documentation and translation in open source projects, showcasing how non-software companies can leverage their in-house expertise to make valuable contributions to the OSS community.

Furthermore, the talk presents the Equinix Open Source Partner Program (OSPP) as a case study, illustrating how it has facilitated hardware support for over 50 open source projects since 2018. Notable projects like etcd, kernel.org, and Flatcar are highlighted, demonstrating how each project utilizes the provided hardware resources.

Overall, this talk aims to inspire and empower non-software companies to actively participate in the open-source movement, fostering collaboration and advancing the growth of OSS beyond traditional software development circles.

Director of Developer Advocacy @ Equinix

Steve is a Director in the Developer Relations organization at Equinix where he leads the Developer Advocacy and Community teams. Previously, worked at Shopify