So, this has been in the works for a while, arguably most of last year.

Eugen Rochko

So, this has been in the works for a while, arguably most of last year. I intend to transfer my personal ownership of the Mastodon trademarks and assets, incl. copyright over my code, to the Mastodon non-profit, and transition to a different role at the organization.

Eugen Rochko

It is not easy, and I feel a lot of conflicting emotions writing about it, because Mastodon is so tightly intertwined with my identity and my sense of self-worth. I dedicated 8 years of my life to this cause that I care deeply about, in a role that you can never disconnect from.

Eugen Rochko

Mastodon grew beyond any of my expectations. I have always tried to push myself out of my comfort zone and grow to new challenges, but it has taken its toll over time. The past 2 years especially have been overwhelming, and my mental and physical health have taken a dip.

Eugen Rochko

I would like to focus on the things about Mastodon that I have passion for, in a new, more product-oriented role, while leaving the business side of things to a new CEO. This is not immediate and will likely occur within the next 2-3 months.

Eugen Rochko

I don't have a very high opinion of myself as a CEO, and I always imagine where Mastodon might've been today if I wasn't a massive introvert, but I'd like to think there were redeeming qualities about my run, as well.

Eugen Rochko

Overall, it's an opportunity for me to regain some work-life balance, and for Mastodon as an organization to unlock its full potential and avoid some ego- and trademark-related pitfalls that other large open-source projects have recently experienced.

Anuj Ahooja

@Gargron It's never easy to do the right thing, and I hope in the long-term you can look back and see how important this decision is. Thank you for doing this and excited for the next phase of your journey!

Amber

@[email protected] try to look at it from a different perspective - you are not giving up anything. instead what you are doing is paving the road for mastodon to continue even if you aren't there for it. I mean, in IT we have this dreadful thing called the "bus factor" which is taking into account what would happen if a sysadmin was suddenly hit by a bus or passed away. Would you rather have your project die with you or would you want to see it move on? This just ensures that it'll be able to continue to flourish without you. It'll still be your legacy.

Carl Malamud

@Gargron Nice job on the transitioning to a nonprofit.

Mastodon Migration

@Gargron

Thank you. You are an amazing person and we owe you a huge debt of gratitude for your incredible selfless work in creating and running this wonderful social media platform. You have made a very positive difference in the world. You should be very proud.

Stefan Bohacek

@puppygirlhornypost2 @Gargron Great perspective!

Veedems

@Gargron your leadership has made this place what it is and I hope that the incoming CEO will share the same values and objectives you’ve shared with us. While I know it can only grow if everyone is in the right position, I worry it’ll become a Mozilla situation where too much overhead is put in and the money becomes a larger priority.

John Francis

@Gargron I've been here full time since 2022, and I'm pretty happy with it and where it's going. Thanks for your huge contribution, I'm optimistic it will turn out well.

Em-squared

@Gargron Thanks and empathy. On a human level i'm sure it's been a lot to juggle. Much respect.

Mark Wyner :vm:

@Gargron whatever you do, please don’t transfer ownership to a billionaire.

Jason Lefkowitz

@Gargron Don't be hard on yourself. You've built something remarkable.

And in my experience, the CEOs who do have a high opinion of themselves as CEOs are generally the worst CEOs

Bloodaxe

@Gargron I am truly grateful for all the work you've done to increase the usage of the #ActivityPub protocol.

There is no arguing that without your leadership and your dedication, we would not be where we are today. As a society, I believe it is paramount that we take control of the #PublicSquare back to the people in a #Decentralized manner, and #Mastodon has been a MASSIVE push in that direction.

Thank you Eugen, I'm glad you exist and I appreciate your work

#Grateful

Evan Prodromou

@bloodaxe @Gargron hear hear

Chris Alemany🇺🇦🇨🇦🇪🇸

@Gargron well done. It is never easy to make this kind of decision. It is the right one for the platform and the Fediverse and you will personally feel better for it as well.

BeAware :fediverse:

@markwyner he has to create the billionaire first, that's what this is....

Don't be fooled by non-profit. They've always done shady shit to hide the funds and line their pockets.