This short piece by Jim Nielsen resonated with me (much like Manu’s post resonated with Jim). He says:

I like this idea of beginning to notice and bring attention to people or creative works that intentionally bring closure, even when you’re left wanting a little more.

When it comes to open source software, people often see a lack of activity and proclaim that a project is unmaintained. Sometimes that’s true, but sometimes the project is merely finished, and that’s okay. In fact, it’s better than okay. It’s downright successful.

There’s a big difference between quitting and finishing. Quitting is in the realm of failure, but finishing is in the realm of success. The key is to define what finished means before you get there, lest you feel like you’re merely quitting.

The art of knowing when to quit? Sure. But how about the art of knowing how to finish?