At a Glance: Alex De Wergifosse
- Involved in open source since: 2011
- Works for: Edgeworx
- Eclipse Foundation contributor since: 2019
- Involved in: Eclipse ioFog
- Committer to: Eclipse ioFog
- Committer since: 2019
Why did you first get involved in open source software communities?
I’ve always been fortunate enough to work for companies where open source contributions are allowed and open source can be used in the product as long as you’re careful with the licensing.
So, I went looking for open source libraries that would help me in my day-to-day work. And when I was facing an issue, I would report that issue, and if I knew how to fix it, I would sometimes propose a solution.
How did that involvement lead to you becoming a committer at the Eclipse Foundation?
When I started working for Edgeworx in mid-2019, I became involved in the Eclipse ioFog project as part of my main role and responsibilities.
How would you summarize your experiences as a committer?
As an open source contributor and committer at the Eclipse Foundation, you have the opportunity to collaborate with people that you would never otherwise meet, and who work in areas you would never have a chance to work in.
Sometimes you get an excellent contribution or a question on the support forum about why you did something one way instead of another. It’s always interesting to see that the most important thing for you is not always the most important thing for the people who are going to use the software.
The biggest advantage and disadvantage of open source is that it’s open to anyone’s contribution. One of the most challenging things about being a committer is managing expectations and communicating with people who need an immediate solution. As a committer, you always have to keep the bigger picture and the broader project goals in mind and not focus on simply solving one person’s problem.
What are your next steps and goals as a committer and Eclipse Foundation community member?
The goal is to get a fully stable and enterprise-ready version of Eclipse ioFog out in the world in a bigger way than it is today. We’re getting traction, people outside of the Eclipse Foundation community are starting to use it, and we’re really close to getting there, so that’s good news. Then maybe I’ll have a chance to look around at other Eclipse Foundation projects that need our help, or that we could use to improve ioFog.
What would you say to developers who are considering getting more involved in open source software projects at the Eclipse Foundation?
If developers can spare a bit of time, or help to improve open source projects as part of their job, that’s probably where they can have the most impact. I would strongly encourage them to get involved, but I also understand that it’s a luxury to have time to work on open source.
If anyone is interested in Eclipse ioFog, or wants to get involved, we’re always looking for new minds and new ideas. All questions and contributions are welcome. Our community Slack conversation and discussion forum are available on our website.