Welcome back to our interview series, where we chat with the passionate people behind the Collabora Online code. Collabora Online is made possible by the worldwide team, community, contributors and partners. Today, we’re sitting down with Maya Stephens, a software engineering intern whose journey began in a primary school code club and evolved into contributing to global open-source projects.

About Maya

Maya is a student and open-source contributor who balances her time between university lectures and software development. After diving deep into coding during the lockdown years, she found her way to Collabora through the local robotics community. When she isn’t refining hyperlink functionality or compiling code in the Cambridge office, you’ll likely find her masterminding a victory in a board game or playing Blood on the Clocktower with friends.

What first inspired you to get into tech? Do you remember your earliest experience?

I attended a code club at primary school in Year 5 and just continued from there. I learned a lot over lockdown, where I had access to a computer all day and found the motivation to code around my schoolwork. I really enjoyed the ability to create things while also developing new skills.

What does the philosophy of open source mean to you?

I like being able to support software that is available for anyone to use for free. There is also a great sense of personal achievement in it. I enjoy being able to look at specific features and say, “I did that!” and be proud of it.

You spent a lot of time working with us over the summer. Which feature are you most excited about right now?

Considering it was the focus of so much of my work over the summer, I feel obligated to say hyperlinks! That being said, Collabora Office for desktop is really cool; it makes it a lot easier for me to recommend the suite to other people.

How did you first hear about Collabora Online?

I heard about it through a (now) colleague talking about her work while she was volunteering at a robotics society I was part of.

What’s the best part of working at Collabora / contributing to the community?

As someone who had never worked in software before, I really appreciate the patience everyone had with me. There was a lot to learn and Collabora has been very supportive. Looking back, I realized some of the problems I encountered could have been solved even faster if I had just asked for help sooner!

What does a “day in the life” look like for you?

It changes depending on the time of year. During term time I attend lectures and spend the evenings with my friends, during the holidays I do work in the office during the day, then try to call friends in the evening, while meeting local friends in person at the weekend.

When you’re not at your desk, what are you passionate about?

I enjoy playing board games with friends as a way to spend quality time together. Recently, I’ve been playing a lot of Blood on the Clocktower!

Maya’s story shows how far a little curiosity and a supportive community can take a budding developer. She represents the next generation of developers who value accessibility, open collaboration, and the simple joy of being able to say, “I built that.” We can’t wait to see what she builds next!

The post An Interview with Maya: From Code Club Curiosity to Open-Source Contributor appeared first on Collabora Online and Collabora Office.

Welcome back to our interview series, where we chat with the passionate people behind the Collabora Online code. Collabora Online is made possible by the worldwide team, community, contributors and partners. Today, we’re sitting down with Pranam Lashkari, a developer whose journey into tech began with a DIY computer build and a desire to give users better experience and more features.

About Pranam

Pranam Lashkari is a Software Engineer at Collabora Productivity and a dedicated advocate for open-source software. As a digital nomad, Pranam balances his technical contributions to LibreOffice and Collabora Online with a life of adventure. When he isn’t streamlining C++ codebases or developing new features like “Follow Me” slideshows, he can be found surfing, paragliding, or volunteering at an astronomy observatory to spread science awareness.

What first inspired you to get into tech? Do you remember your earliest experience?

As a 10-year-old child, being able to install games on a computer without anyone’s help made me think I was good at computers! With age, this grew into a profound interest in all things tech. When I was 12, I built my first computer using an AMD Phenom II X2 555. I was very proud of that small achievement, and it motivated me to learn more.

What led you specifically toward the world of open source?

When I was in university, I wanted to write code that would be used by thousands of people. As a “fresher,” it’s hard to get hired by massive projects and see your code in production instantly, and I wasn’t patient at all! I realized the easiest way to achieve that goal was contributing to established open-source projects.

How did you first hear about Collabora Online, and what brought you to the team?

Being a long-time LibreOffice user, I heard about Collabora Online. I was originally hired by Collabora Productivity to contribute to LibreOffice, and as a byproduct, I also developed for Collabora Online.

What was your very first contribution to the project?

I started by removing the Poco C++ Library from the C++ codebase and replacing it with standard C++ libraries.

Which feature or project are you most pleased with working on recently?

I love everything I’ve worked on, but most recently, I’d say the “Follow Me” slideshow and the context toolbar. I am always excited about whatever I’m currently working on; I always want to give users a better experience.

How does this work connect to your personal values?

In a world where most big corporations are trying to steal your data, Collabora Online gives the power back to the user. I love that we provide an alternative where the user owns their data and it is kept private. It feels good to be “good” in an often “evil” tech world.

You describe yourself as a digital nomad. How has the remote work culture at Collabora changed your life?

I always dreamt of being a digital nomad, and I was finally able to achieve that by working with Collabora. It has allowed me to live that lifestyle for the most part while staying connected to the community.

Speaking of the community, you’ve attended COOL Days. What was that experience like for you?

COOL Days makes me feel like I’m not just talking to a robot on a screen, but working with real humans. My most memorable moment was the 2023 treasure hunt in Cambridge – it was the most amazing time I’ve ever had at a conference. I always look forward to the team-building activities.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start contributing but feels intimidated?

Don’t think, just do it. You don’t need to be an expert at anything to start. Open-source contribution is a starting point in tech, not the end point.

Finally, what is something about you that might surprise people?

In my free time, I volunteer at a local astronomy observatory and spread science awareness through various programs. I occasionally surf too and I’m a trained paragliding pilot!

Pranam’s story is a reminder that open source is built by passionate individuals who value freedom – both in their code and in their lives. His work ensures that as we move more of our lives online, we don’t have to trade our privacy to do so.

The post An Interview with Pranam: How Open Source Powered a Digital Nomad Dream appeared first on Collabora Online and Collabora Office.

Welcome back to our interview series, where we chat with the passionate people behind the Collabora Online code. Collabora Online is made possible by the worldwide team, community, contributors and partners. Today, we’re sitting down with Justin Luth, a developer whose journey has taken him from the early days of DOS to solving complex technical challenges for a global user base.

About Justin

Justin Luth is a dedicated open-source contributor and software specialist with a deep background in computer science. Having spent a decade working in regions with highly limited infrastructure, he developed a unique perspective on the necessity of local-first, resilient software. A passionate advocate for digital sustainability, Justin balances his professional focus on bug fixing and quality assurance, with a love for long-distance cycling and a commitment to serving the global community through open-source development.

What first inspired you to get into tech?

In grade 12, I bought an Intel 8088 computer with DOS 3.3. That led me to study computer science in college on an SCO Unix system. Early on as a freshman, I knew this was what I wanted to be doing for the rest of my life. I loved everything about computers.

You’ve been a long-time advocate for open source. What does working in this ecosystem mean to you personally?

It means everything. I prefer to avoid proprietary systems entirely. I’m happy to have my contributions available for everyone in the world to benefit from. I’ve always marveled at the passion expressed by shareware. It reminds me of the New Testament’s early church community where believers share all things in common. I too wanted to share the specific talents I have for the common good of the global community.

How did you first hear about Collabora?

I’ve used StarOffice, OpenOffice, and LibreOffice ever since my overpriced license of MS Office 2.0 was no longer usable. After a few years of voluntary contributions to LibreOffice, Collabora reached out and offered to mentor me.

Why did you decide to contribute to Collabora Online?

My contributions to Collabora Online came in the form of underlying LibreOffice bug fixes, which I made while I was working in South Sudan. This was done to encourage SIL to switch to an open-source office so that our collaboration with the local population could be more sustainable.

Speaking of contributions, do you remember your very first one? How did it feel to see it go live?

My first 2014 contribution to LibreOffice was a fix for a macro that affected the wrong spreadsheet when multiple files were opened simultaneously. It took three weeks to make that two-line patch! When it went live, I felt relieved, but also empowered. It gave me the confidence and determination to promote LibreOffice and Linux to my African colleagues.

You spent a decade working in an environment with very limited internet connectivity. How did that influence your view of technology?

Because of that experience, I avoid non-local technology whenever possible. What I appreciate about Collabora is that it is based on LibreOffice—software that can be installed locally to guarantee availability. My contributions were often driven by the need for sustainable, open-source solutions that could be maintained locally. Interoperability—the ability to read and write Microsoft formats—is, in my view, the most important feature.

Is there a specific feature or project you’re most proud of?

I implemented “Alt-X” while working for SIL. It toggles a character into its Unicode number and back. Alt-X is especially useful when Unicode combining characters are involved. I was happy to see the wider LibreOffice community get excited about it as well. More recently, I’m proud of my Quality Assurance work using mso-test to find regressions. As an end user, I get very frustrated when something that used to work no longer does. Although regression testing is very tedious, it has proved to be quite valuable as well.

What is the best part about being part of the Collabora community?

Collabora has been excellent at providing mentors to advise me and review my contributions. I am a much more confident programmer because of their backing. Even senior developers were happy to assist me when I was just starting out. Collabora’s expert developers have consistently assisted me time after time.

What is a common myth about open-source contributing that you’d like to debunk?

That you need specialized knowledge or high-end equipment. My contributions started in an environment where we only had generator power, shared satellite internet, and end-of-life laptops. You don’t need much to begin making an impact.

For someone wanting to start contributing, what advice would you give them?

The most important requirement is the desire to contribute. That assumes that they have something important to them that they want to solve, and having that personally motivating ‘thing’ is critical to persevering.

I guess the second piece of advice is to feel free to “waste time” trying to figure it out on your own. Nothing is worse than having someone ask a question whose answer is only a google-search away. But on the flip side, don’t be afraid to ask for help when you find you are completely stuck (and show in your question that you have spent time researching the problem).

Finally, when you aren’t fixing bugs or testing regressions, how do you spend your time?

I enjoy 100km bike rides as a form of exercise during the summer.

Justin’s journey highlights that open source is about more than just code—it’s about creating sustainable, reliable tools that are reliable, accessible, and high-performing for everyone. Whether he is refining interoperability or cycling across the countryside, Justin’s commitment to the community remains a cornerstone of his work.

The post An Interview with Justin: From Bug Fixes to Building Community appeared first on Collabora Online and Collabora Office.