A lot of platforms and tools, open source and proprietary, rely on shared resources - the "digital commons". These resources, like code repositories, open databases or other resources, and online communities, are vulnerable to overuse and depletion, a phenomenon known as the "tragedy of the commons." This talk, aimed at developers building tools and platforms using these, explores how to utilize them responsibly, ensuring their longevity and the continued success of a digital commons for all.

Talk Content:
● Understanding the Digital Commons: The session will begin by defining the digital commons within the context of resources for software development, highlighting examples such as Wikidata, a collaborative knowledge base and OpenStreetMap the project that creates and distributes free geographic data for the world.
● The Tragedy of the Digital Commons: It will then introduce the concept of the "tragedy of the commons", focusing on the modern digital realm. This will include discussing how factors like individual self-interest can lead to the depletion of digital resources.
● Strategies for Responsible Use: The core of the talk will focus on practical strategies for developers to use the digital commons responsibly. This will include:
○ Collaborative Use: Emphasizing best practices for collaboration, communication, and shared ownership within open projects.
○ Responsible Contribution: Guiding developers on how to contribute code, documentation, and expertise without overburdening or "polluting" these resources.
○ Ensuring Longevity: Discussing methods to ensure the long-term health and sustainability of digital commons, such as contributing to maintenance, promoting ethical usage, and advocating for funding models.

Relevance to Audience:
This topic is highly relevant to the audience of FOSS Backstage, a conference dedicated to the non-technical aspects of free and open-source software. The audience is all stakeholders in the open source ecosystem. Understanding how to use shared resources sustainably is crucial for the success and growth of the digital commons, and in turn, the tools using them.

Main Takeaways:
By the end of the session, attendees will:
● Gain a deeper understanding of the digital commons and the challenges it faces.
● Be equipped with practical strategies to use and contribute to open source projects responsibly.
● Be inspired to become advocates for the sustainable management of shared resources within the open source community.