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#SidnetDonations: Szymon for TypeORM and the Las Na Zawsze Foundation
Michał Wojciechowski November 15, 2023

In the November edition of our donations initiative, Szymon Gdula – Full-Stack Developer, who recently celebrated his first anniversary in our team – makes his debut as the selector. What projects will receive our support this month, following Szymon’s choice?

TypeORM

Szymon’s first choice is TypeORM, a programming library for working with databases in applications written in JavaScript and TypeScript. As often happens with the selections, Szymon chose software that he uses regularly, justifying his decision as follows: “It’s a backend library that makes working with databases easier and faster. I use it every day in Node.js.”

TypeORM, like many other ORM (Object-Relational Mapping) solutions, allows developers to work with data from the database in the form of objects. This technique not only increases productivity but also improves the quality of the code written and often helps to avoid errors occurring with direct access to databases.

The TypeORM project can be developed thanks to the financial support of the engaged community. Together with Szymon, we join them as part of this month’s edition of our initiative.

Forest Forever Foundation

The second organization Szymon chose to support is the Las Na Zawsze (Forest Forever) Foundation, which focuses on forest protection. „The foundation protects mature, rich forest ecosystems and plants young, biodiverse forests. I believe that in times of progressive degradation of the natural environment, the foundation’s activities are a noble and right thing,” says Szymon.

The Foundation not only plants new trees and protects existing forests from logging, but also conducts educational activities to increase society’s ecological awareness. The foundation’s employees and volunteers educate communities about forest protection, in accordance with the principle that prevention is better than cure.

As we do this month, you can support the foundation in its activities. Thanks to the joint effort, nearly 1,300,000 m² of forests all over Poland are now under the foundation’s care.

#SidnetDonations: Jakub for KeePassXC and the Warsaw Hospice for Children Foundation
Michał Wojciechowski October 16, 2023

With over a decade of experience at Sidnet, Jakub Opara, our CFO, has had many occasions to designate recipients of our monthly donations. This month, Jakub chose two initiatives for us to support financially: a practical and valuable open-source project, KeePassXC, and the Warsaw Hospice for Children, which is a foundation Jakub has been advocating for the past years.

KeePassXC

KeePassXC is a free and open-source password manager available on Windows, macOS, and Linux. It is a community-developed fork of the original KeePassX project.

What makes Jakub use KeePassXC to manage his passwords?

  • Secure password storage
  • Open-source
  • Robust encryption algorithms to protect data
  • Local storage
  • Customization
  • Password Generator
  • Browser Integration

“Supporting KeePassXC by contributing code, bug reporting, or donations helps ensure its ongoing development and improvement.”, says Jakub, adding: “It also promotes using secure and privacy-conscious password management practices, which is crucial in an era of increasing online threats and data breaches.”

Warsaw Hospice for Children Foundation

Warsaw Hospice for Children Foundation aims to improve palliative care for children with terminal illnesses by providing care in their homes. It means that young patients can stay in their own homes instead of being in the hospital all the time. Caregivers from the hospice visit them at home. 

Since 1994, the foundation has worked to improve the quality of life for these children and support their families. According to Jakub, “the foundation does not promise to extend the children’s lives or reduce their suffering. Instead, it helps them live their final moments with dignity.” The foundation aims to alleviate the physical and emotional pain of the patients. It also organizes fundraisers to provide care at home and supports grieving families.

#SidnetDonations: Małgorzata for Thunderbird and the DIOZ Association
Michał Wojciechowski September 15, 2023

September marks the end of vacation time for most of us and the start of new endeavors and obstacles. Our office manager, Małgorzata Łaszczych, is always prepared to take on any challenge, regardless of the season, while inspiring the rest of our team to do the same. 

Unsurprisingly, Małgorzata chose to support Thunderbird, an email client whose benefits she uses daily, and the Lower Silesian Animal Protection Inspectorate, which rescues animals in need—a cause she feels deeply about. Thanks to Małgorzata, we will financially support both of these projects.

Thunderbird

Thunderbird is a free and open-source e-mail client and message management application created by Mozilla Corporation. It is available on various platforms, including Windows, macOS and Linux. It is an extensive e-mail management tool that allows users to receive, send, and manage e-mail messages.

“As an office manager, I receive a lot of e-mails, and part of my communication, both with clients and accounting, takes place through this channel. Thanks to Thunderbird, I receive email notifications on an ongoing basis, regardless of the web browser chosen. I know I won’t miss anything, and I don’t have to look directly into my inbox to see if any new important message is waiting. This tool makes my work much easier, and I recommend it to every new employee during the implementation process.”—explains Gosia and adds: “I can create separate folders for messages and catalog them, or quickly mark their priority – it’s very handy.”

Thunderbird is an attractive solution for people who value open-source, flexibility, and availability on various platforms and those looking for a free alternative to other e-mail clients.

DIOZ

The DIOZ Association (Lower Silesian Animal Protection Inspectorate) operates especially in the Silesia region in Poland. It carries out dozens of interventions, rescues injured animals from pathological environments, provides them with care, and implements necessary treatment.

“With its everyday perseverance and charisma, DIOZ has already saved many animals from the hands of bestial owners. Their activities cost them a lot- they have repeatedly risked their health and lives! But the members of the Association do not give up,” says Małgorzata, adding: “There are videos of the intervention on social media, and when I watch them, I often have tears in my eyes, and uncensored words come to mind. People who harm animals cannot be called humans. They are beasts. Starving dogs, cats, and farm animals that live in their excrements reproduce without control and die in suffering. Thanks to DIOZ, they have a chance for a better life. By supporting the foundation financially, we give them such an opportunity.”

You can stay updated on the association’s activities by following them on Facebook and Instagram. Additionally, you can support them by purchasing goods from the shop or making a bank transfer.

#SidnetDonations: Emil for the Mozilla Foundation and the Legal Protection of Animals Lex Nova Foundation
Michał Wojciechowski August 15, 2023

Summer holidays are slowly coming to an end, but we continue to help. In August, it is Emil, a Python and Golang Developer who has been part of our remote team for over three years, chooses the initiatives as part of the monthly #SidnetDonations action.

What open-source and non-profit projects will we support according to our developer’s wishes?

The Mozilla Foundation

The Mozilla Foundation has been working for an open and accessible Internet for 20 years. The list of its numerous projects and ventures includes, among others, the development and maintenance of the Firefox browser, of which Emil is a faithful user. Primarily, for this reason, he chose the Foundation.

“The browser market is dominated by large corporations, especially Google with its Chrome and Apple with Safari. For me, using Firefox is not only an alternative but a choice of freedom from monopoly,” – says Emil.

“I use Firefox in both desktop and mobile versions. I especially appreciate the feature of synchronizing browsing history between devices, and the ability to easily transfer an open page to another device,” – adds our programmer.

Thanks to the organizational and financial support of the Mozilla Foundation, Firefox not only does not lag behind the rival browsers of the powerful competition but also often blazes new trails and is the first to introduce innovative features and technical solutions.

The Legal Protection of Animals Lex Nova Foundation

The Foundation was established over a decade ago in order to disseminate knowledge of the principles contained in the World Declaration of Animal Rights announced by UNESCO in Paris in 1978 and other provisions regarding the legal protection of animals in Poland.

The organization supports activities in the field of animal and environmental protection, in particular:

  • Counteracting all forms of cruelty and violence against animals
  • Activities for the humane treatment of animals, their protection, and care
  • Shaping pro–ecological attitudes in society through educational activities
  • Taking action to build and strengthen a civic control system in the field of animal and environmental protection.

Emil adds that “the goal of the foundation is also educational activity in the direction of counteracting the phenomena of violence and aggression, also directed at people”.

#SidnetDonations: Marcin for Django and the Pomagaj Pomagać Różaland Association
Katarzyna Bownik July 17, 2023

Even during the summer holidays, we remain committed to providing financial support for chosen open-source and non-profit initiatives. As part of our ongoing campaign, Marcin Tabaka, an experienced lead developer, has selected two ventures to receive our assistance this July. 

Marcin chose Django, a framework that simplifies web application development using pre-built components. At Marcin’s request, we also support Feliks, a lovable four-legged companion at the Pomagaj Pomagać Różaland Association.

Django 

Django is a powerful tool that helps you build web applications. It’s like a set of ready-to-use components that makes web development more accessible and efficient.

‘In recent years, I have been participating mainly in projects based on this framework, so it was my first choice of an open-source project that we can support.’ – says Marcin.

Using Django, developers can create different parts of a website, such as feature modules and databases, in a tidy and organized way. It provides support for functions such as:

– Storing and retrieving data from the database

– Managing user accounts and permissions

– Displaying dynamic content on pages.

Django also allows you to equip a website or application with an admin panel easily. It acts as the website’s control center, allowing the website owner to effectively manage content and make changes without writing any code.

Overall, Django simplifies web development by providing a structured approach and out-of-the-box components, making it easier for developers to create robust and functional websites without having to start from scratch.

The Pomagaj Pomagać Różaland Association

Feliks, a charming mongrel, found himself under the care of The Pomagaj Pomagać Różaland Association after wandering through one of the Łódź communes for several months. When volunteers found him, he was severely malnourished and suffered a pelvic injury.

While the precise details of Felix’s past remain unknown, it is easy to surmise that his journey was far from easy. However, despite his challenging circumstances, he exudes cheerful and puppy joy. There is a pressing need for financial support to provide Feliks with proper nourishment, medications, and essential vitamins.

Marcin has chosen to support this specific fundraiser because ‘it is a chance for real help in saving an animal.’

#SidnetDonations: Michał for Prettier and Compassion in World Farming
Katarzyna Bownik June 14, 2023

Technology and empathy can intersect, as proven by the choices of our full-stack developer, Michał Zbytniewski. This month he singled out the open-source and charity projects that will receive our financial support. Prettier, a code formatting tool, and Compassion in World Farming, an animal protection organization, may seem unrelated, but both slightly improve the world.

Let’s examine how Prettier’s approach to code formatting and Compassion in World Farming’s efforts are making a difference in their respective fields.

Prettier

Prettier is a popular and widely used code formatting tool. It helps developers maintain consistent and clean code styles across their projects. It formats code automatically, regardless of the programmer’s preferences or personal coding style. 

It supports various programming languages, including JavaScript, TypeScript, CSS, HTML, and many others, making it versatile for different project needs.

When using Prettier, developers can spend less time manually formatting their code. Instead, Prettier analyzes the code and automatically applies predefined rules to format it consistently.

‘We use it in many front-end projects. Literally, with the click of a button, every developer on the team, regardless of experience level and the editor used, can boast professional-looking, readable, and stylistically consistent code’, Michał adds.

Prettier improves code readability and minimizes potential errors by enforcing a consistent style. Overall, Prettier simplifies the code formatting process, saves time, and helps maintain a clean and professional code base.

Compassion in World Farming

Compassion in World Farming is a global non-profit organization dedicated to improving the welfare and treatment of animals in the agricultural industry. Founded in 1967, it advocates for ethical and sustainable farming practices, putting animal welfare, the environment, and human health first. The organization works for a world where people treat farmed animals with compassion and respect.

CIWF aims to end factory farming and promote humane and sustainable farming systems. The organization conducts research, investigations, and campaigns to raise awareness about issues related to intensive farming practices and their harmful effects. CIWF works closely with governments, companies, and consumers to encourage policy changes, legislative reforms, and industry standards that support animal welfare.

CIWF also provides guidance and resources to farmers to help them transition to more humane and sustainable farming practices. 
‘I’m counting on the organization’s work on publicizing the problems of industrial animal agriculture, education, and introducing appropriate regulations to reduce the negative environmental impact of animal agriculture,’ Michał concludes.