How To Hire Great Open Source Developers?

An anonymous reader writes "This is the first article I've ever read specifically about hiring open source developers, and how to judge their ability not just to code but to work with others. It's reprinted over at ITMJ [part of OSDN, as this site is] from a book by Martin Fink, the General Manager for HP's Linux Systems Division. Brings up a lot of good points, including how you need to make sure your open source people are developing things (on company time) that do the company some good, not just scratching their own itches. Fun quote: 'Discover what pseudonyms your candidate uses online. Look at the archives at SlashDot and other online locales. Does your candidate hide behind secret pseudonyms to trash other individuals? Is there passion without condemnation?'"

Comments

Google search for any candidate

[akinsgre]

I can't remember where I read it; maybe JoelOnSoftware? Do a google search for any employee, not just open source developers. -greg

It really should have helped me

[DeadSea]

After I started my job, I found out that they had been using my open source GPL Java utilities for about 2 years before I started. (legally, since they depend on them for web servers, but do not distribute their code).

My boss copied them into the source tree, but claims that he never made the connection between using my code and then later hiring me.

Lame points?

[beforewisdom]

Many of us work in proprietary software setting and have met plenty of prima donna programmers ( some whose skills are not commensurate with their attitude ) programmers.

We have also met other IT people who just don't get that they are being paid to do something for the company rather then what they want to do.

In these respects proprietary programers are no different then open source programmers.

In case the author of the article hasn't heard it is an employer's market right now for programmers.

There is no reason for an employer to even go to the fraction of the trouble the article suggests.

Steve

Personal experience

[oujirou]

While this might be slightly overkill in the general case, it has helped me once to dig for info on a guy who was trying to get a position in my company. If I didn't do that, I would have hired a skilled programmer and a scientologist at the same time, a person who was totally responsible for at least one major legal conflict.

Just don't let the tin foil obstruct your line of vision. It doesn't really matter what does your applicant blog or do in his spare time as long as he is a fine fellow and a nice specialist.

My experience

[m00nun1t]

I once did this. I was interviewing a candidate for a job. He made the short list, so I googled him. Found out his pseudonym which he happened to use on /.. Some postings were consistent with some points on his CV, confirming it was him.

He also made a few posts about the technology we were chiefly hiring him to work with. The comments were rather negative (and against the broader view of the group he would be working in). I want people who can be passionate about what they do. No, I'm not just looking for "yes people" to maintain the status quo, but there is a certain base. Who is going to work harder and enjoy themselves more - someone who enjoys the technology or someone who doesn't?

While his /. profile definitely wasn't the only thing that had him eliminated from the shortlist (he probably would have been cut anyway), it was a factor.

Uh, of course there is

[Per Abrahamsen]

No, programmers are programmers, whether they program proprietary or free software. However, when they code free software, you can actually see both their code, and how they intercat with other programmers on a project. This way, you can avoid the primadonas.

Getting programmers with both good coding and people skills are what this article is about. And given how widely different the skills of programmers are, it is hard to see how any trouble in the hiring process to get the best is too much.

You seem to miss the point of the article. The point was not to "bribe" programmers to work for the company by offering them to work on free software. The idea was that if the company wanted to contribute to some free software projects fpr strategic reasons, like HP does with various Linux related technologies, how to get the people who can ensure that the contributions are accepted. These people you find in the free software communities.

Volunteering is an indication of skill and passion

[Theovon]

I tried to mention this recently in response to the article about open-source coding devaluing software development, but none of the moderators saw it.

Anyhow, as any law student knows, volunteering in the community is an absolute necessity. Many employers won't even consider you if you haven't done significant volunteer work during law school, and you're expected to do so during your career.

The computer industry should be no different. Pro bono work should be considered the NORM.