Say no. Say thanks.
Say no
Sometimes an idea isn't bad at all, but still I have to say "no".
Because of the "open" nature of open source, people come and go. They contribute to the codebase free of charge, but they are equally not obliged to maintain their code either. In the end, it's me having the final responsibility over this project, and so sometimes I say "no" because I don't feel capable or comfortable maintaining whatever is being proposed in the long run.
Say thanks
Whether I merge or not; whether a PR is the biggest pile of crap I've ever seen or not; I make a point of always saying thanks. Think about it: people have set apart time to contribute to this project. The least I can do is to write a genuine "thank you" note.
For the same reason, I try to be quick in responding to new issues and PRs — I don't always succeed, but I try. This lets people know their effort is seen — even though it might eventually not end up being merged. I try to value the intent over the result, which again, circles back to making others thrive.
(Open source strategies, publié le 15 janvier 2026)