Episode 66: Eric Holscher of Read The Docs, Write The Docs, and Ethical Ads

Panelists Eric Berry | Justin Dorfman | Alyssa Wright | Richard
Littauer Guest Eric Holscher Show Notes Hello and welcome to
Sustain! On today’s episode, our special guest is Eric Holscher,
cofounder of Read the Docs and Write the Docs. As part of his work
with Read the Docs, he created a privacy-focused ad network called
EthicalAds. Eric will tell us all about Read the Docs, Write the
Docs, how EthicalAds started, and why the Ads work. We also discuss
challenges since EthicalAds launched, how things have worked with
ethical advertising in our current economic recession, and what ad
sales look like when it’s ethical. Download this episode now to
find out more! [00:01:31] Eric tells us the history of how he
co-founded Read the Docs, who funds the company, and he tells us
about Write the Docs. [00:04:33] Eric fills us in on how he’s been
doing meetups this year and how they’ve been going. He mentions
using a tool called “Hopin” for the online events. [00:06:00] We
learn how EthicalAds started. [00:08:21] Eric tells us what the
reaction was when he introduced Ads on the platform. Also, he
explains the rules that he’s applied and what ethical advertising
is. [00:12:02] Eric explains what unethical advertising is and we
hear his thoughts on if the Ads are scalable and long-term feasible
to keep holding on to that early nineties style newspaper
advertising. He also talks about Maciej Ceglowski from Pinboard and
Doc Searls from Linux Journal. [00:17:26] Richard asks Eric if he
has an opinion on how he deals with advertising itself being
unethical. [00:19:49] Alyssa asks Eric if he thinks ethical
advertising can be particularly useful for the sustainability of
other open source work in projects. [00:21:41] Eric tells us the
biggest challenges since launching EthicalAds six months ago.
[00:23:49] With the economic recession in 2020, Alyssa wonders what
the need was and what has this work looked like for EthicalAds in
the current economics we’re living in. [00:26:29] Richard asks Eric
if any maintainers have been able to support themselves through
putting Ads on their docs. Eric mentions Material UI supporting
people. [00:29:15] Eric tells what Ad sales looks like when it’s
ethical. [00:31:32] Eric lets us know where you can find him on the
internet and follow his journey with EthicalAds and Read the Docs.
Spotlight [00:32:53] Eric Berry’s spotlight is the importance of
simplifying your life. [00:34:02] Justin’s spotlight is his new
Versa 3 watch. [00:34:22] Alyssa’s spotlight is a Twitter account
called “Cats where they shouldn’t be.” [00:35:06] Richard’s
spotlights are Read the Docs and Eric Holscher. [00:35:49] Eric
Holscher’s spotlight is Pycon and the PSF 2020 Fundraiser. Quotes
[00:06:28] “Trying to get open source maintainers to pay you money,
that’s not who we want to charge money. They’re the ones doing all
the work and not getting any money. Trying to charge them is just
kind of a non-starter.” [00:25:05] “I do believe that a lot of good
things are started in down turns because once the kind of market
turns around then you’re positioned, you’ve already built the
brand, you’re kind of ready to go and kind of ride that growth.”
[00:26:34] “I mean there are definitely projects that are
supporting multiple people with advertising, and Read the Docs is
one.” [00:29:22] “I mean, very similar, except saying no a lot.”
Links Eric Holscher- Website (https://www.ericholscher.com/) Eric
Holscher Twitter (https://twitter.com/ericholscher) Read the Docs
(https://readthedocs.org/) Write the Docs
(https://www.writethedocs.org/) EthicalAds
(https://www.ethicalads.io/) Hopin (https://hopin.com/) Maciej
Ceglowski (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maciej_Ceg%C5%82owski)
Linux Journal-Doc Searls
(https://www.linuxjournal.com/users/doc-searls) Material-UI
(https://material-ui.com/) “Simple Living Manifesto: 72 Ideas to
Simplify Your Life” (Zen Habits)
(https://zenhabits.net/simple-living-manifesto-72-ideas-to-simplify-your-life/)
fitbit Versa 3
(https://www.fitbit.com/global/us/products/smartwatches/versa3)
Cats Where They Shouldn’t Be-Twitter
(https://twitter.com/catsnoplace) Read the Docs-GitHub
(https://github.com/readthedocs/readthedocs.org/) Python Software
Foundation (PSF)
(https://www.python.org/psf/donations/2020-q42020-drive/) Pycon US
2021 (https://us.pycon.org/2021/) 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 at Peachtree Sound (https://www.peachtreesound.com/)
Special Guest: Eric Holscher.