November 2016 Summaries

The DigitalOcean team created their own Go packages, `go-qemu` and `go-libvirt`, to manage virtual machines on their Droplet product. These packages provide a simple interface for interacting with QEMU instances over the QMP protocol and libvirt's RPC protocol, respectively. The `go-qemu` package enables direct management of QEMU virtual machines using either the monitor socket or proxying through libvirt. In contrast, the `go-libvirt` package provides a pure Go interface to libvirt, exploiting the availability of the RPC protocol without relying on C bindings. This allows for simplified build pipelines and reduced dependency headaches. The packages are currently under active development and intended for production use, but their APIs should be treated as unstable until further notice.

The third-annual Hacktoberfest event, which took place from October 1 to October 31, brought together a community of project maintainers, contributors, and open-source beginners to give back to many great projects. This year's event saw a record number of contributors from around the world participate, exceeding expectations and confirming the power of communities in general and specifically the open-source community. The event provided opportunities for first-time open-source contributors and experienced contributors alike to push the needle forward for thousands of open-source projects. Many project maintainers added "Hacktoberfest" labels to project issues and encouraged others to join in on the fun, setting a great example for future project maintainers. The event also highlighted the collaborative aspect of open source by creating a Hacktoberfest-themed Meetup Kit with tips and tools for anyone who wanted to organize a Hacktoberfest event. As a result, more than 30 communities held 40 events in 29 cities across 12 countries, showcasing the impact of the event on the open-source community.