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- Did open source solve remote work years ago?
Did open source solve remote work years ago?
In 2020, companies scrambled to figure out remote work. Open source contributors had been doing it for years, on nights and weekends, with strangers. We're also exploring how MCP lets AI agents combine tools on the fly, including a Figma-to-working-website demo that takes under a minute, how lnav jumps you straight to errors instead of scrolling thousands of log entries, and four pandoc techniques for everyday document conversion.
On the podcast, benny Vasquez breaks down the loophole that lets repeat offenders slip through codes of conduct, plus the one simple tool she credits with keeping a career and a marriage intact. This is edition #73 of the We ❤️ Open Source newsletter. Made and curated by Jason & Todd.🙂
This week we'll look at...
Join us in the RTP for The State of Tech Jobs
August 5 • The Barn at Bandwidth’s RTP Campus
One year ago our meetup focused on The State of Jobs in tech and open source and the impact of AI - and interest was through the roof. This month, we'll revisit the same topic one year later as things continue to change and evolve rapidly. Programming will feature speaker Taylor Desseyn, VP of Global Community @ Randstad Digital/Torc, a panel discussion featuring Hiring Managers and Jobs experts, as well as an onsite Jobs Board with active, open jobs. The meetup is free to attend, but an RSVP is required.
Articles
 | In 2020 companies scrambled to figure out remote work. Open source contributors watched with déjà vu — they'd been doing it for years, on nights and weekends, for free, with strangers. This post names what you already know and shows you how to bring it to the day job that's still doing it wrong. WHY WE ❤️ IT: Open source figured out distributed work decades before anyone called it that. This post finally gives it a name. |
 | Remember when developers mashed up Google Maps with Craigslist and it blew everyone's minds? That same energy is back. Angie Jones walks through how MCP lets AI agents combine tools on the fly, demos three mashups using Goose, and explains the agentic loop that makes it all work under the hood. WHY WE ❤️ IT: The Figma-to-working-website demo is jaw-dropping. One natural language prompt, two MCP servers, less than a minute. |
 | Tired of scrolling through thousands of log entries? Learn Linux TV introduces lnav, a lightweight tool that jumps you directly to errors and warnings. Merge multiple logs into one timeline, filter noise with simple commands, and troubleshoot multi-service issues in minutes instead of hours. WHY WE ❤️ IT: Jay presses E once and jumps straight to the next error, eliminating tedious scrolling through thousands of irrelevant entries. |
What's in your technology toolbox?
Pandoc converts documents between dozens of formats from the command line and once you start using it daily, you won't stop finding new uses. Jim shares 4 practical techniques covering draft preparation, test file generation, format comparison, and formatting cleanup.
WHY WE ❤️ IT: Jim uses pandoc almost every day and it shows. Put these four techniques to work immediately.
From the We ❤️ Open Source Podcast
 | Why do codes of conduct keep failing the people they're meant to protect? benny Vasquez breaks down the loophole that lets repeat offenders slip through, the AlmaLinux origin story, and solid advice for anyone just getting started in open source. A must watch for community leaders. WHY WE ❤️ IT: benny reveals the one tool keeping both a career and a marriage intact, a surprisingly simple fix most people overlook. |
Featured podcast shorts
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Wrap Up
If you've made it this far (thank you!), check out everything we do, our YouTube channel with 1000's of open source talks, the many meetups we host around the southeast and NYC, the All Things AI spring event we co-host, and of course All Things Open, the largest open source tech conference on the US east coast.
We hope you learn something new this weekend!
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