Handmade Network is different from other software development communities. We promote philosophies and projects that care deeply about software craftsmanship. We criticize common dogma within the software industry that has produced a computing world that is far too sluggish, too bloated, too poorly-designed, and too unwilling to change. We stand for a better computing world.
In the past 4 years, we've done some big things with Handmade Network. The community has grown dramatically, with thousands of (active!) users on the Discord server (where a bulk of Handmade communication happens). We started a podcast. We've had multiple Handmade-themed jams. We transformed the Handmade Network website into a larger repository of Handmade projects and showcase content, to serve as a bastion of Handmade ideas, and concretely demonstrate how Handmade can improve us as builders of software.
Back in 2018, Handmade Network began a new chapter. I took over for Abner Coimbre as the lead of Handmade Network. I was joined by Ben Visness and Asaf Gartner, and together we replaced the original Handmade Network admin team. At that time, Handmade Network had established itself as a large and self sustaining community. It was the new team's job to continue to foster the community, and to take it to new places. The original team was ready to move on to bigger and better things, and they entrusted the keys to the community with myself, Ben, and Asaf.
Today, Handmade Network begins another new chapter. I have decided to step down from my role as Handmade Network lead, with Ben Visness taking my place. Ben has been a great staff member since the beginning. He led an initiative to rewrite and dramatically change the Handmade Network website into what it is today (writing blogs is a lot easier now). He and Asaf are responsible for all of the technology that allows the Handmade Network website to collect amazing showcase material from the Discord server, allowing the website to serve as both personal and project content repositories (in addition to the functionality that the website offered before). Handmade Network would simply not be what it is without Ben, and I know that moving forward, he'll do an outstanding job of leading the community.
I love being a part of Handmade Network, and I will remain a member. It has been an incredible resource to have as I've grown up. I joined Handmade Network in high school as a young and naive programmer, and the community was instrumental in transforming me into a much more capable and responsible engineer. I've decided to step down because I believe that it will be best for both myself and the community. I have found myself preoccupied with work, life, and some of my other personal projects and initiatives. For this reason, I think it will be most productive - not only for me personally, but for the computing world - for me to give undivided attention to those things, and hand the reins over to Ben to ensure that Handmade Network can be given the time and attention it deserves. Ben will be a strong force in continuing to grow, foster, and shape the community, and increasing its impact as a force for change in software.
It has been a thrill being a staff member, and I can't wait to see what the community will do next. Let's all keep going. Let's continue to build new projects, publish new educational material, do new research, and rethink old assumptions. Through all of those efforts, we can change the computing world into something a little better than what it was before.
-Ryan