Breaking Change v44.0.2 - Mike McQuaid: If you don't like it, Quit
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Oct 17, 2025 In this conversation, Mike McQuaid, a long-time open source maintainer and Homebrew leader, dives into the recent RubyGems controversy. He discusses the importance of clear governance and funding in open source, emphasizing that treating it as a career comes with risks. The group also weighs the complex dynamics around monetization, the impact of AI on coding, and the necessity for personal joy in maintaining projects. Ultimately, Mike advocates for pursuing open source work on your own terms to avoid burnout and sustain enthusiasm.
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Governance Failure Scaled The Crisis
- The RubyGems dispute combined governance gaps, access control failures, and money to create a messy ecosystem failure.
- Centralized control of infrastructure without transparent policies amplified distrust across the community.
Root Access Triggered Emergency Response
- On September 30th an external post claimed Andre still had access which forced Ruby Central into emergency incident response.
- They reset credentials and began an investigation after evidence showed the AWS root password had been changed.
Money Raises Governance Expectations
- Money changes incentives and raises the governance bar for open source projects.
- Paid maintainers and institutional funding demand transparency, contracts, and mature nonprofit practices.