Dear Gibbon Community,
In today’s world, where a lot of software is offered “for free” by billion-dollar companies that monetize data and ad revenue, it’s easy to overlook that not all software operates in this way. Open source software, particularly, is often created by just a few dedicated individuals and is truly given away free of charge, grounded in a belief in supporting the greater good. The development process for this type of software is significantly different from the large-scale applications backed by extensive teams.
To help understand this difference, I wanted to share a small window into the Gibbon development process.
We recently completed the release of Gibbon v30 around 8 pm Hong Kong time on November 20. This release, which took approximately three hours, was carried out by one person following a detailed checklist. It was done in the evening after a full day of teaching and additional responsibilities. Currently, our core team consists of just two active developers who work at an international school and balance many roles and obligations. In the lead-up to this release, this small team poured their efforts into wrapping up features and ensuring that the new version would be stable and secure for our community. One team member dedicated an entire week to meticulously test every page and button in Gibbon, ensuring everything functioned smoothly (our full system test, performed every release).
Each release is a multi-month process focused on developing and testing new features, aimed to ensure Gibbon remains flexible and beneficial for schools worldwide. We strongly believe that schools deserve access to quality software without exorbitant fees or subscription models. This is why Gibbon was founded by Ross Parker through the open source ethos, and will always be given away freely. We also believe that school software benefits from being made in a school by the very people who use it daily, which is why Gibbon provides numerous features comparable to paid Student Information Systems at no cost.
However, since Gibbon is often compared to these paid platforms, it’s easy to forget or misunderstand that we operate quite differently. We are not backed by large teams of developers, testers, and marketers; rather, Gibbon is crafted with care and passion by a small core team.
In the 24 hours following the release of v30, we have already received several new feature requests, without acknowledging the features just added. As a human being behind this software, it can be disheartening after investing so much effort into creating and sharing our latest version with you.
This open letter aims to provide insight into what open source truly means. We are not a corporation with limitless resources; we do this work not for profit, but out of a shared belief in something greater.
Please keep in mind that Gibbon’s development is not funded by a corporation or the Gibbon Foundation. After two years, we have received only a handful of donations. Fortunately, I am proud to work for a school that supports Gibbon’s vision, allowing me to dedicate a portion of my time to its development. In the high-tech metropolis of Hong Kong, my school stands out for its small, human-centred, inclusive approach, emphasizing hands-on learning and outdoor education with minimal tech focus. Ross created Gibbon at this school over fifteen years ago, and I am honoured to continue it’s development as the maintainer, building it upon the core values of our school and the open source ethos.
As you compare Gibbon to various paid options, please remember the context shared here, and set realistic expectations for it to replicate all those solutions free of charge. While we are keen to refine and enhance Gibbon continually, we are, above all, human, with limited capacity. Nevertheless, we are excited about the future of Gibbon and have many plans for development ahead. It is inspiring to see schools share this enthusiasm, and we hope you also keep in mind the humans behind the software.
Warm regards,
Sandra
and the Gibbon community, as i read your post, i started to feel how easily one could take all your efforts for granted, and even demand for more. if it was not for for profit and your passion to give, you would not have taken Gibbon to this stage. i personally can understand this because i also volunteer for non profit organization and do not expect any return from human.