May 13, 2026
Ctrl+Alt+Resist
Open Source Resistance: keep OSS alive on company time
Workers are being told to fix the internet at work — and commenters are split
TLDR: Mike McQuaid’s new manifesto says workers should spend some job time maintaining the free software their employers depend on, instead of sacrificing nights and weekends. Commenters are torn between calling it obvious, calling it risky because of legal ownership rules, and calling it flat-out absurd.
A new manifesto just lobbed a very spicy idea into the tech world: if your company relies on free shared software to make money, then fixing that software during office hours is already part of your job — whether management officially says so or not. Homebrew maintainer Mike McQuaid’s rallying cry basically says: stop begging for permission, stop donating your evenings, and stop pretending the digital plumbing of modern business magically maintains itself.
And oh, the comments came in hot. Supporters called the idea common sense dressed up as rebellion, with one of the biggest reactions being: why call it “resistance” when this is just doing necessary maintenance? Others loved the energy but immediately hit the brakes with the least glamorous villain of all: legal paperwork. Several commenters warned that your employer may own what you create on company time, turning this from righteous workplace rebellion into a possible meeting with legal.
Then came the backlash. One critic basically said, “This is what free licenses are for — companies don’t owe you extra just because they use your code,” which lit up the thread with the classic internet fight: is this fairness, survival, or entitlement? There was also some darkly relatable humor from people reminiscing about the old dream perk of “four hours a week for your own thing” — a benefit that, naturally, vanished when budgets got tight. The vibe? Half labor movement, half workplace dare, with everyone arguing over whether this is bold realism or a career speedrun.
Key Points
- •The article argues that OSS maintenance should be treated as company work because businesses depend on open source software to operate.
- •Open Source Resistance says maintainers should use work time to maintain dependency-chain OSS without waiting for formal permission, while staying within contract, confidentiality, and IP limits.
- •The manifesto distinguishes itself from initiatives such as Open Source Pledge and Open Source Friday, which encourage employers to contribute money or designated time.
- •The article frames OSS maintenance as infrastructure and technical debt work rather than volunteer labor or theft from employers.
- •The manifesto was created by Mike McQuaid, who is described as a GitHub-related OSS advocate and long-time Homebrew maintainer.