Do Something Meaningful - Coding for the World

Have you checked out Random Hacks of Kindness? (http://rhok.org) I had similar ideas with a project of mine 6 or so months ago and built a version/part of my idea at a startup weekend (https://github.com/bglusman/diffapp) before I knew about RHoK... I'd still like to do more with the idea, and am starting something hoping to help scientific research in the next few days with Mendicant University, but there are real coordination and management/leadership challenges I think... I had some ideas on how to work on them with my app, but I think it's easy to underestimate the problems.

Oh, also relevant is http://codeforamerica.org

I volunteer at a non-profit called Crossroads, in Hong Kong (http://crossroads.org.hk/). I'm a Ruby on Rails programmer.

Our software department runs a website called 'Global Hand' (http://globalhand.org/en), which is a matching service between businesses who want to donate goods, and charities who need them. We created a similar service for the UN, that matches business resources with needs from UN organisations (http://business.un.org/en).

We really do need more help. Please email [enquiries@globalhand.org] if you have any Ruby on Rails or design skills and would like to donate some of your time.

I think it is funny that the author suggests programmers should use their hobby time to work on something actually meaningful. I feel like he discounted billing systems and ecommerce in the process.

I have no problem with programmers working on other meaningful things during their spare time if they choose. But what I struggle with is why programmers don't work on meaningful projects during their time they dedicate to their actual employment. I feel like I work on something very meaningful because I have helped literately millions of people lose literally millions of pounds of weight. More over, I think Square (a billing system) has helped thousands (millions?) of merchants gain access to a new form payments for their goods that they didn't have before. And Amazon (an ecommerce store) has brought convenience to millions of consumers seeking fair prices for products they want; not mention a new distribution channel for authors and merchants. Those seem meaningful to me.

It's not hard to find an open-source project that needs help. I don't really see the need for a centralized board for posting help requests. When it's already so easy to find them. Just pick your favorite open source app and help them out.

Unless I'm misunderstanding what the article means with "serious work".

You don't need to code to help a non-profit or a worthy cause, sometimes even just setting up a WordPress blog and keeping it updated is enough.

I've started doing it for my rugby club and for a shelter for abandoned and tortured cats, and it's much more satisfying than developing the Nth "business rule".

I would look at http://datawithoutborders.cc/ if you want a data science element or http://codeforamerica.org if you want a more development angle.

Step 1) Compel owner of givhub.com to do something meaningful with their domain.

Step 2) Humbly request the wizards of Github to port a suitable form of the site suited to this endeavor.

Step 3) Contribute!

Coming at it from the other direction, how would a scientist with an interesting problem attract programmers to work on their project? Something like RHOK specifically for scientists?

I was similarly inspired, but by Steve Yegge's OSCON 2011 speech, and wrote this: http://mvz.so/blog/articles/2011-08-01-lend-a-hand-to-scienc...

I like this proposal, and would probably lend significant time to it.

I agree with doing something meaningful, but maybe engineers are better off sticking to what they know. You are more likely to make lots of money doing such things, earning lots of money, and pouring that money to solve other problems. Think Bill Gates.