Do Something Meaningful - Coding for the World(williamedwardscoder.tumblr.com)
williamedwardscoder.tumblr.com
Do Something Meaningful - Coding for the World
http://williamedwardscoder.tumblr.com/post/18917120117/coding-for-the-world
10 comments
I volunteer at a non-profit called Crossroads, in Hong Kong (http://crossroads.org.hk/). I'm a Ruby on Rails programmer.
Our software department runs a website called 'Global Hand' (http://globalhand.org/en), which is a matching service between businesses who want to donate goods, and charities who need them. We created a similar service for the UN, that matches business resources with needs from UN organisations (http://business.un.org/en).
We really do need more help. Please email [[email protected]] if you have any Ruby on Rails or design skills and would like to donate some of your time.
Our software department runs a website called 'Global Hand' (http://globalhand.org/en), which is a matching service between businesses who want to donate goods, and charities who need them. We created a similar service for the UN, that matches business resources with needs from UN organisations (http://business.un.org/en).
We really do need more help. Please email [[email protected]] if you have any Ruby on Rails or design skills and would like to donate some of your time.
[deleted]
I think it is funny that the author suggests programmers should use their hobby time to work on something actually meaningful. I feel like he discounted billing systems and ecommerce in the process.
I have no problem with programmers working on other meaningful things during their spare time if they choose. But what I struggle with is why programmers don't work on meaningful projects during their time they dedicate to their actual employment. I feel like I work on something very meaningful because I have helped literately millions of people lose literally millions of pounds of weight. More over, I think Square (a billing system) has helped thousands (millions?) of merchants gain access to a new form payments for their goods that they didn't have before. And Amazon (an ecommerce store) has brought convenience to millions of consumers seeking fair prices for products they want; not mention a new distribution channel for authors and merchants. Those seem meaningful to me.
I have no problem with programmers working on other meaningful things during their spare time if they choose. But what I struggle with is why programmers don't work on meaningful projects during their time they dedicate to their actual employment. I feel like I work on something very meaningful because I have helped literately millions of people lose literally millions of pounds of weight. More over, I think Square (a billing system) has helped thousands (millions?) of merchants gain access to a new form payments for their goods that they didn't have before. And Amazon (an ecommerce store) has brought convenience to millions of consumers seeking fair prices for products they want; not mention a new distribution channel for authors and merchants. Those seem meaningful to me.
Well, not everyone has the opportunity or desire to be employed by one of the "big guys". The programming equivalent of fixing someone's plumbing is not going to change the world, but it lets you pay the bills, have a family, enjoy your [other] hobbies, etc. Even if it is a choice, it's as much about lifestyle as anything else.
I think this post is aimed at those people.
I think this post is aimed at those people.
> The programming equivalent of fixing someone's plumbing is not going to change the world
GP's claim is that it does make a world of difference to some people. It just isn't as immediately visible.
GP's claim is that it does make a world of difference to some people. It just isn't as immediately visible.
It's not hard to find an open-source project that needs help. I don't really see the need for a centralized board for posting help requests. When it's already so easy to find them. Just pick your favorite open source app and help them out.
Unless I'm misunderstanding what the article means with "serious work".
Unless I'm misunderstanding what the article means with "serious work".
"It's not hard" is not good enough.
There are many capable coders that don't even know where to start. "Pick your favorite open-source app"? Not everyone has a favorite open-source app. Not all apps worth helping are open-source. With thousands of projects to pick from it's easy to get overwhelmed. "And help them out"? What kind of help do they need? Am I capable of helping them? Will it be interesting for me? Who do I talk to and what should I say? How do I submit my changes? How do I make sure my help is in line with their vision? Tons of questions. Yes, a smart person should be able to figure all this out, but there's a lot of friction involved - especially for something that you do for free in your spare time. There definitely is room for improving the process.
It shouldn't be "not that hard", it should be be dead simple.
There are many capable coders that don't even know where to start. "Pick your favorite open-source app"? Not everyone has a favorite open-source app. Not all apps worth helping are open-source. With thousands of projects to pick from it's easy to get overwhelmed. "And help them out"? What kind of help do they need? Am I capable of helping them? Will it be interesting for me? Who do I talk to and what should I say? How do I submit my changes? How do I make sure my help is in line with their vision? Tons of questions. Yes, a smart person should be able to figure all this out, but there's a lot of friction involved - especially for something that you do for free in your spare time. There definitely is room for improving the process.
It shouldn't be "not that hard", it should be be dead simple.
Indeed I didn't mean open-source in general; I meant programming problems that researchers and charities have.
You don't need to code to help a non-profit or a worthy cause, sometimes even just setting up a WordPress blog and keeping it updated is enough.
I've started doing it for my rugby club and for a shelter for abandoned and tortured cats, and it's much more satisfying than developing the Nth "business rule".
I've started doing it for my rugby club and for a shelter for abandoned and tortured cats, and it's much more satisfying than developing the Nth "business rule".
I would look at http://datawithoutborders.cc/ if you want a data science element or http://codeforamerica.org if you want a more development angle.
Step 1) Compel owner of givhub.com to do something meaningful with their domain.
Step 2) Humbly request the wizards of Github to port a suitable form of the site suited to this endeavor.
Step 3) Contribute!
Step 2) Humbly request the wizards of Github to port a suitable form of the site suited to this endeavor.
Step 3) Contribute!
What's wrong with just forking a project in Github instead?
Sorry, I should have clarified the reasoning for my suggestion, that being that there would be some sort of interaction/partnering with non- or semi-technical contacts in these organizations that perhaps it would be helpful if the functionality of Github had a friendlier, more approachable UI for such a use.
Certainly, the developer(s) could simply use Github, so maybe Givhub is just a glossy API wrapper rather than an independent instance?
Certainly, the developer(s) could simply use Github, so maybe Givhub is just a glossy API wrapper rather than an independent instance?
(blog author)
Spot on what I was imagining too!
Spot on what I was imagining too!
I freely offer givhub.co and/or .net to the cause. (I will maintain their registration or will gladly pass that responsibility over, need be.)
I've (302) redirected those domains to the blog post for now...
thank you kindly, I like the name
Coming at it from the other direction, how would a scientist with an interesting problem attract programmers to work on their project? Something like RHOK specifically for scientists?
... givhub?
I'm working on it
I'm working on it
I was similarly inspired, but by Steve Yegge's OSCON 2011 speech, and wrote this: http://mvz.so/blog/articles/2011-08-01-lend-a-hand-to-scienc...
I like this proposal, and would probably lend significant time to it.
I like this proposal, and would probably lend significant time to it.
I agree with doing something meaningful, but maybe engineers are better off sticking to what they know. You are more likely to make lots of money doing such things, earning lots of money, and pouring that money to solve other problems. Think Bill Gates.
So you make the money, donate it and then they use your money to hire you to solve their problem? Minus tax. Uhm.
No. You make money selling fish because that is what you are great at. Then you give the money to scientists who are great at finding cures.
Oh, also relevant is http://codeforamerica.org