Speaker
Description
BlankOn Linux, one of Indonesia’s long-running Linux distributions, reached a point where its sustainability was uncertain. Before attempting to revive the project, I asked a broader question: what makes an open source project sustainable beyond the enthusiasm of its contributors?
Looking at successful open source organizations, I found that technology and contributors were only part of the answer. The GNOME Foundation offered an especially valuable example of how an open source ecosystem can be supported through sustainable funding, transparent stewardship, community governance, effective use of resources, and clear enforcement of community standards such as the Code of Conduct.
These lessons became the foundation for establishing a new organization to support Indonesia's open source movement. Rather than focusing solely on reviving BlankOn, we built an institution designed to support the wider ecosystem and open source national movement: providing legal assistance, funding, sponsorship, community support, infrastructure, and organizational help to open source initiatives and communities.
The results came faster than expected. The foundation is already supporting six external initiatives, with more expected to join in the coming year. At the same time, the work to revive and modernize local Linux distributions has gained significant momentum.
This talk shares what I learned from studying the GNOME Foundation, what we adapted for the Indonesian context, what worked, what did not, and how institutional sustainability can turn a struggling open source project into a platform for supporting an entire community.
Ultimately, this is a story about moving from “How do we save our project?” to “How do we build an ecosystem where projects can survive?”
Learn more about BlankOn Foundation here: https://blankon.id/en
Talk Description
How lessons from the GNOME Foundation helped transform the revival of BlankOn Linux into a broader effort to build a sustainable open source ecosystem in Indonesia, supporting local projects and communities through funding, legal assistance, sponsorship, and community governance.
Author(s) Bio
An active BlankOn Linux contributor since 2009 who currently leads the entire derivative Linux distribution development team. Former hacktivist for a few Linux User Groups (KPLI NTB and GLiBogor).
| Category | Community Building and Diveristy |
|---|---|
| Where are you located? | Jakarta, Indonesia |
| Do you need travel sponsorship from GNOME Foundation in order to join our event? | Yes |