Ihor Radchenko is the new Org Mode maintainer. He's been acting as such for a couple of years now, and I'm really glad he's finally agreed to take on the role officially.

As a maintainer, I have probably done a few things right and certainly made many mistakes. Here are four lessons I have learned in 14 years.

The first is that maintaining Org Mode isn't just about code, it's mostly about users. Of course, some of them will never learn how to report a bug, some of them will behave like spoiled children, and most of them will expect you to work for free forever. Nevertheless, their time is as valuable as yours: whatever the request, there is always something in it that can lead to a positive outcome for Org Mode or its community.

The second lesson is that maintenance isn't just about technical decisions; it's also about predictability. Be very clear, and very loud, about what users and contributors can expect of your time, skills, and motivations. Adhere to the principle of robustness by being liberal in what you accept, and strict in what you produce.

Third, it's about learning! Let's build a culture where it's okay to ask stupid questions. No one is born knowing how to write in English, how to report a bug, or how to maintain a large piece of code. Remember that old-timers were newbies, and newbies could become maintainers: we all have a lot to learn, even if it is just how to respect each other.

Finally, as a maintainer, think about the next maintainer: who will be in your shoes next? What kind of maintainer do you want for a software you will use for decades? It's also a responsibility of the Org Mode community: how can we collectively attract a maintainer who wants to help us use and improve this wonderful little tool? How can we, as Org Mode users, help Ihor pave the way for the next maintainers?

Enough said! I'm confident Org Mode is in good hands and I'm a very happy user.

Thanks everyone for all these years of fun and learning!

Below is the video I shared during Ihor's talk at the EmacsConf 2024.

Below you can visualise the Org community at work from 2008 to 2024.