libexpat now funded by the City of Munich for up to 6 months
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City of Munich funds libexpat maintainer Sebastian Pipping for up to six months.
Starting August 1, 2026, libexpat maintainer Sebastian Pipping is being paid by the City of Munich's Open Source Sabbatical program to work on the XML parser full-time for up to six months. He is employed remotely by digitial@M with a regular contract. Top priorities include fixing five known unfixed vulnerabilities, adding XML 1.0r5 support, and improving robustness. Pipping notes the program is open to external developers, not just city employees.
What commenters are saying
Commenters largely praised the program and congratulated Sebastian. One comment highlighted that the sabbatical is open to external developers, which sparked debate: some saw it as a unique, positive initiative, while one commenter accused it of favoritism, asking why an XML parser would be a priority. Others defended the selection, citing Munich's LiMux history and the city's explanation for choosing libexpat. A longer thread discussed Munich's past Linux migration, its reversal under a previous mayor, and hopes for renewed open-source focus under new mayor Dominik Krause.