Episode 116: Álvaro Trigo of fullPage.js, on making a living using OSS

Guest Álvaro Trigo Panelists Richard Littauer | Amanda Casari | Ben
Nickolls Show Notes Hello and welcome to Sustain! The podcast where
we talk about sustaining open source for the long haul. Our guest
today is Álvaro Trigo, who is an open source developer and
maintainer of fullPage.js, which is an open source package that
helps you figure out how to make a full-page website. He’s made
this into a business. Álvaro shares his story of working as a
full-stack developer, how fullPage.js came to fruition for him,
things he’s learned since starting his business, and some difficult
things he’s encountered in his job. We also learn more about some
other cool projects Álvaro has created such as fullSnap.io and
fullstats.io, how he uses different platforms to enable his
business, and why he encourages people to create open source
projects. Go ahead and download this episode now, and if you
enjoyed this podcast, please let us know! [00:02:07] Álvaro tells
us how it all started with his career, working at fullPage.js., and
what the usage stats look like on this project. [00:04:15] We learn
how Álvaro started getting paid for fullPage.js. [00:06:27] Álvaro
talks about some things he wishes he would have known before
starting his self-owned business. [00:07:30] Find out what the
reaction has been within the community on the open source side, and
if there’s been an uplift in contributions and activity within this
project in addition to the work Álvaro’s been doing in the
extensions. [00:08:26] Amanda wonders if Álvaro has any goals or
models for community contributions or onboarding additional
maintainers. [00:09:42] Richard wonders if Álvaro has ever seen
anyone take an add-on and implement it in open source and then give
it away for free. [00:15:09] Álvaro shares what’s difficult for him
right now with his job. [00:17:14] Why is it easier to monetize
other kinds of projects? [00:19:43] We hear about two other
projects Álvaro has created: fullSnap.io and fullstats.io.
[00:21:00] When Álvaro thinks about a new project he shares how
monetizing is easier. [00:22:44] Amanda explains the new General
Public License version 3. [00:23:58] We hear Álvaro’s views on
supporting the software that he’s building on. [00:26:00] Gulp.js
is one of the main dependencies that Álvaro uses at fullPage.js,
and we find out if he would be more interested in paying all the
way down the stack or giving money or time towards Gulp. [00:32:41]
Álvaro sharing some final thoughts and where you can follow him
online. Quotes [00:12:21] “At the end of the day, if I am able to
monetize it and [competitors] are not, I’m able to spend more time
on it.” [00:21:36] “The fact that you can monetize something makes
it easier for you to support and improve it.” [00:21:57] “Providing
something for free is a good way to validate a project, to see if
there is enough interest or not.” [00:29:00] “I don’t think
providing a contribution is the same as maintaining the project as
a whole.” Spotlight [00:34:18] Amanda’s spotlight is the book, Kill
It with Fire: Manage Aging Computer Systems (and Future Proof
Modern Ones) by Marianne Bellotti. [00:35:02] Ben’s spotlight is
ASTAP, the Astrometric STAcking Program, which is image stacker and
astrometric (plate) solver. [00:35:38] Richard’s spotlight is
Turf.js. [00:36:12] Álvaro’s spotlight is Handsontable.com. Links
SustainOSS (https://sustainoss.org/) SustainOSS Twitter
(https://twitter.com/SustainOSS?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor)
SustainOSS Discourse (https://discourse.sustainoss.org/) Álvaro
Trigo Twitter
(https://twitter.com/IMAC2?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor)
Álvaro Trigo Website (https://www.alvarotrigo.com/) fullPage
(https://alvarotrigo.com/fullPage/) Software Engineering Unlocked:
Make money with open source software
(https://www.software-engineering-unlocked.com/money-open-source-software/)
Switching Open Software Terms (Kyle E. Mitchell)
(https://writing.kemitchell.com/2022/03/07/Switching-Open-Software-Terms.html)
Jana Gallus (https://www.janagallus.com/) Digital Infrastructure
Podcast-Episode 5: Jana Gallus and the Power of Public: Recognition
and Reputation as Drivers of Open Source Success
(https://dif.fireside.fm/5) Gumroad (https://gumroad.com/) fullSnap
(https://fullsnap.io/) fullstats (https://fullstats.io/) GNU
General Public License version 3
(https://opensource.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.html) Gulp
(https://gulpjs.com/) Open Collective-Gulp
(https://opencollective.com/gulpjs) Masonry
(https://masonry.desandro.com/) Flickity
(https://flickity.metafizzy.co/) David DeSandro
(https://desandro.com/) [Kill It with Fire: Manage Aging Computer
Systems (and Future Proof Modern Ones) by Marianne
Bellotti](https://www.amazon.com/Kill-Fire-Manage-Computer-Systems/dp/1718501188/ref=sr11?crid=3B1MJ2PFXEKM3&keywords=kill+it+with+fire&qid=1648859266&sprefix=kill+it+with+fire%2Caps%2C78&sr=8-1)
Astrometric STAcking Program (ASTAP)
(https://www.hnsky.org/astap.htm) Turf.js (https://turfjs.org/)
Handsontable (https://handsontable.com/) Credits Produced by
Richard Littauer (https://www.burntfen.com/) Edited by Paul M. Bahr
at Peachtree Sound (https://www.peachtreesound.com/) Show notes by
DeAnn Bahr Peachtree Sound (https://www.peachtreesound.com/)
Special Guest: Alvaro Trigo.