> it's as easy as keeping "no FITNESS for a PARTICULAR PURPOSE" as a mental mantra
It definitely is. Of course OSS authors and maintainers want to see people using and enjoying it, but nothing is black or white.
What you really mean is that you want people using and enjoying your software within the limits of time and abilities that you can employ on it without it affecting your mental health.
Some people are worse than others at finding out about this latter part, and as a consequence they suffer.
My point of view is that if you don't care as default state, then you put work into actually caring, when you get to your limit you'll be able to very easily see that you cannot contribute any more hours today, because you're almost depleted how much you actually care. Thus avoid crossing that thin line that is burnout and all mental health issues that come with it.
I.e., be in a defensive mental state. Ironically, it will make you work happier and over a longer period of time, which ends up being positive for the health of the project itself.
I just told you that for me, it's not. Repeating your view isn't adding anything. Restating it doesn't make it so. I understood you the first time.
> My point of view is that if you don't care as default state, then you put work into actually caring, when you get to your limit you'll be able to very easily see that you cannot contribute any more hours today, because you're almost depleted how much you actually care. Thus avoid crossing that thin line that is burnout and all mental health issues that come with it.
I completely believe that's how the mental process works for you. That's not how it works for me. If I detach myself from the project enough to not let it affect my mental state then I do zero work on that project.
I see. Not being able to detach your mental process from an overburdened project probably means that you are more prone to suffer the kind of issues discussed every time this topic is brought up. Caution is advised, I guess.
You might be able to perfectly handle your OSS projects despite of this tendency, you probably have your own complementary techniques (like limiting the number of simultaneously accepted PRs at any given time? I'd be interested if you want to share any), or if a bad wave of burden arrives one day, you might end up burning out and either throwing the towel or growing a thicker skin. Hopefully the latter!
It definitely is. Of course OSS authors and maintainers want to see people using and enjoying it, but nothing is black or white.
What you really mean is that you want people using and enjoying your software within the limits of time and abilities that you can employ on it without it affecting your mental health.
Some people are worse than others at finding out about this latter part, and as a consequence they suffer.
My point of view is that if you don't care as default state, then you put work into actually caring, when you get to your limit you'll be able to very easily see that you cannot contribute any more hours today, because you're almost depleted how much you actually care. Thus avoid crossing that thin line that is burnout and all mental health issues that come with it.
I.e., be in a defensive mental state. Ironically, it will make you work happier and over a longer period of time, which ends up being positive for the health of the project itself.