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robert.matear
April 24th, 2010, 09:52 PM
Hello everyone,

As you can probably tell from my lack of beans, I'm new to these forums and i would very much appreciate some help. My name is rob and I am a first year university student studying computer science. I have recently learned the C programming language and discovered a love of programming, which is what brought me here.

Out of interest and in preparation for a future career in software development, I would like to contribute to the development of Ubuntu. The problem is i haven't got a clue where to start, I'm not even sure that i possess the skills to actually be of any help at all. I have created a small drawing application using C with the SDL library but that is as far as my experience goes :-(

Any indication of where to start or where i may be needed, in relation to contributing to the development of Ubuntu, would be a great help. Also does anyone know any good reads on the technical workings of an operating system?

Thanks in advanced for any help :-)

p.s Sorry if I've posted this in the wrong forum.

ugm6hr
April 24th, 2010, 10:05 PM
This has some good "stickies" about how to get started: http://ubuntuforums.org/forumdisplay.php?f=39

There are likely to be some people in that forum who have an idea of what projects your C knowledge might be useful for.

Good luck.

tgalati4
April 24th, 2010, 11:19 PM
Spend an hour a day reading the forums. You will quickly get up to speed. You will have to give up:

1 hour of TV

or

1 hour of video games

or

1 hour with your girlfriend

(But probably not the last one.)

Welcome aboard.

madjr
April 24th, 2010, 11:34 PM
Hello everyone,

As you can probably tell from my lack of beans, I'm new to these forums and i would very much appreciate some help. My name is rob and I am a first year university student studying computer science. I have recently learned the C programming language and discovered a love of programming, which is what brought me here.

Out of interest and in preparation for a future career in software development, I would like to contribute to the development of Ubuntu. The problem is i haven't got a clue where to start, I'm not even sure that i possess the skills to actually be of any help at all. I have created a small drawing application using C with the SDL library but that is as far as my experience goes :-(

Any indication of where to start or where i may be needed, in relation to contributing to the development of Ubuntu, would be a great help. Also does anyone know any good reads on the technical workings of an operating system?

Thanks in advanced for any help :-)

p.s Sorry if I've posted this in the wrong forum.

take it slow and have some fun

rss sub to
http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/
http://www.jonobacon.org/ (community manager)


you may want to learn some python too (lots of projects use it)

check out full circle magazine for tutorials and learning about the community
http://fullcirclemagazine.org/
http://www.jonobacon.org/2010/04/08/making-programming-easier-for-kids-with-pyjunior


welcome aboard :)

tgalati4
April 25th, 2010, 12:36 AM
After you have swallowed the red pill and tumbled down the rabbit hole, read some of psychocat's tutorials.

http://psychocats.net/ubuntu/index.php

Take note of things that interest you as you read then make a list of those areas and post them here. Once you narrow down your interests, it's easy to point you to the right place for development.

The nice thing about linux is that the stuff you learn today will still be relevant 30 years from now.

I started using computers in college in the early 80's using the "X" window system (one better than the "W" Window system).

We're still using X-Windows today (in the form of xorg).

FTP, TCP/IP, the file system structure, basic unix/linux commands all have not changed in 30 years.

robert.matear
April 25th, 2010, 11:55 AM
Thanks for the help everyone :-) I feel a little less overwhelmed now but there is still a lot to get to grips with. Well uni is over in two weeks then I've got months to get up to scratch with Ubuntu dev stuff :-).

Is C still widely used in the world of Ubuntu programming or is it going the way of the dinosaur? I did find it strange that the University taught C as an introductory language considering its use is mainly with low level tasks and operations. Wouldn't Java or C++ been more appropriate as an introductory language?

NightwishFan
April 25th, 2010, 12:00 PM
I have hard C++ is easy, though I only program in Python myself. I like python and try to use apps written using it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Python_%28programming_language%29

You can make graphical interfaces on Ubuntu written in C as well as using GTK+ toolkit.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gtk%2B
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pygtk

Also, for cross platform you could try playing around with C++ and QT.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qt_%28framework%29

Or

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wxwidgets

iponeverything
April 25th, 2010, 12:06 PM
Thanks for the help everyone :-) I feel a little less overwhelmed now but there is still a lot to get to grips with. Well uni is over in two weeks then I've got months to get up to scratch with Ubuntu dev stuff :-).

Is C still widely used in the world of Ubuntu programming or is it going the way of the dinosaur? I did find it strange that the University taught C as an introductory language considering its use is mainly with low level tasks and operations. Wouldn't Java or C++ been more appropriate as an introductory language?

Basic programing concepts and good practises can taught in many different languages and are easily transferable.

robert.matear
April 25th, 2010, 12:38 PM
Basic programing concepts and good practises can taught in many different languages and are easily transferable.

Very true i can safely that what I've learned using C can easily be transferred to other languages. However surely an object orientated paradigm would be more suited to an introduction programming module, nowadays that is.

I mean it seems that procedural type programming is becoming 'old'. Most new languages follow the object orientated paradigm. Basically i wanna know if knowing a procedural type language such as C is still useful nowadays. I'd hate to think i've learned a language il never use again :-(.

HermanAB
April 25th, 2010, 12:48 PM
Howdy,

Start by installing VMware or Virtualbox. Create a VM and install the latest development version of Ubuntu in that. You don`t want to mess up your regular desktop system!

Then, join Launchpad and test and file bug reports. Eventually, after some months, you`ll know the system well enough to fix some bugs yourself.

Rainulf
April 25th, 2010, 03:53 PM
Very true i can safely that what I've learned using C can easily be transferred to other languages. However surely an object orientated paradigm would be more suited to an introduction programming module, nowadays that is.

I mean it seems that procedural type programming is becoming 'old'. Most new languages follow the object orientated paradigm. Basically i wanna know if knowing a procedural type language such as C is still useful nowadays. I'd hate to think i've learned a language il never use again :-(.
The C language is the basis for C++ - it is part of it. You cannot write objects, which from one point view are collections of related subroutines, until you can write subroutines, and you cannot write subroutines until you know basic syntax of logic control and data manipulation. My college taught me C in first semester, and C++ in second semester, I think your college will teach you C++ at some point. :) But then again, I don't know how your college works.

steveneddy
April 25th, 2010, 04:50 PM
Read the links in my sig to help you get a grasp of what Ubuntu can do and how you do things in Ubuntu.

Reading these help sites may possibly give you some direction when you find or see something that interests you.

robert.matear
April 26th, 2010, 04:07 PM
I'd like to thank everyone for their help and warm welcomes. Your all amazing people :-D

madjr
April 26th, 2010, 04:54 PM
I'd like to thank everyone for their help and warm welcomes. Your all amazing people :-D

glad to have you here :)

eshriek
April 26th, 2010, 07:39 PM
Heh, I've been using linux since redhat 6 or 7 (12 years?) and I still feel overwhelmed.

I think contributing to Ubuntu dev is really ambitious. I've never done it, but it I did I'd give myself a lifetime achievement award. I'd say start small. It doesn't hurt to track Ubu dev, but you may make more progress on another, smaller project.

My 2 cents:
1. Get an account on github and get familiar with git.
2. Post your own helloworld project there.
3. Follow other coders on git, fork somebody's project, and play.

alexfish
April 26th, 2010, 07:58 PM
Hi

from reading your post then have a look at QT it is an excellent visual programming language , a bit like visual basic , but with the benefits of c

there are plenty of examples and code snippets to look at to get you started and develop

welcome aboard

alexfish