Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by einpoklum 1554 days ago
> I am contacted dozens of times every week with varying requests to answer people’s questions

Occasionally happens to me. I mean, not dozens of times a week, but I've had a few weeks with more than a dozen times.

> fix bugs

"Please file an issue at http://the.issue.tracker/wherever"

> or build new features

"Please file an issue at http://the.issue.tracker/wherever"

> set up consultations

So, this one is interesting. I mean, it almost never happens to me, and certainly not w.r.t. my FOSS specifically. If I were looking for work, this would be a boon, would it not? And if I'm fully booked, then:

"I am currently not available for consultancy. You may inquire again, if relevant, in ____ months."

> or discuss business opportunities.

"I'm sorry, not interested. Good luck with your business."

Although I guess if there were dozens of these emails per week, I would create a private email box and keep the existing one only for FOSS-support-related business, attending to it every couple of weeks or so. And perhaps create an auto-reply with the above replies :-)