View Full Version : Roadblocks to Participating in Open Source Communities
firefly2442
August 11th, 2011, 10:08 PM
Hello all,
I'm trying to do some brainstorming as to what roadblocks or problems that exist that prevent people from participating in Open Source communities. For example having to read and understand a codebase before contributing code or needing to navigate difficult websites or logins before posting on a forum. I'm trying to consider both developers and users.
For those of you that participate in Open Source communities, how did you join? Was it an easy process? Hard? Was the community accepting of your suggestions? What suggestions would you have for people wanting to join an Open Source community? Do you think there are major differences between Open Source communities versus other organisations or groups online?
The reason I ask is I'm trying to put together some material for an academic proposal.
Thanks in advance. :)
Thewhistlingwind
August 11th, 2011, 10:12 PM
I joined here to vote in a poll telling forum staff not to remove the archives/ give input.
Eventually I realized that if you want help for open source software, without a contract, you go to the community forums/IRC/etc.
I feel that the community here isn't too different from whats available in other communities online. I'm very impressed with the quality of conversation here particularly, if that helps.
Dave_L
August 11th, 2011, 10:19 PM
I read this several years ago and thought it was an excellent resource:
Producing Open Source Software
How to Run a Successful Free Software Project
by Karl Fogel
http://producingoss.com/
Paqman
August 11th, 2011, 10:45 PM
Canonical's Community Manager Jono Bacon also wrote a book about starting Open Source communities a while ago, it's called The Art of Community.
XubuRoxMySox
August 11th, 2011, 11:01 PM
I joined these and a couple of other forums, and I write a blog about Linux stuff, can't really contribute in any other way, being just a casual, non-technical fanboy.
I tried a few times to become an Ubuntu Member, but one of the first steps in doing so is to digitally sign the Code of Conduct here. Signing it is a convoluted process that turns into into such a hassle that I didn't bother to take it any further. I still find ways to contribue, such as participating in the Ubuntu Brainstorm site (I even proposed an idea (http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/28315/) there about changing one way that Ubuntu is marketed).
I'm on the Xubuntu-users mailing list and that is another way I can learn and maybe on occasion give back in my small way.
-Robin
firefly2442
August 11th, 2011, 11:33 PM
Yeah, that piece by Karl Fogel is quite good. Lots of interesting tidbits.
I've read Mr. Bacon's book and I think it was OK. It certainly was tailored more to the Open Source crowd. Many of the topics were also discussed on Lugradio (now defunct).
Another interesting presentation at Google about how to deal with people in online communities:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSFDm3UYkeE
XubuRoxMySox
August 12th, 2011, 02:10 PM
Another roadblock, at least for the thin-skinned, is inappropriate hostility towards people who just need to be educated (maybe they're new, or unfamiliar with Linux/FOSS "philosophy," or just too exuberant about their favorite distro, desktop environment, applications, etc). I know "fanboyism" can be irritating sometimes, but educating them is far better than ridiculing them.
When ridicule goes too far (http://robinsrantsandraves.wordpress.com/2011/08/10/crossing-the-line-a-public-service-announcement/), nobody wins. You may rid the community of an irritating fanboy, but your own credibility is also completely lost.
How far is too far? That's a harder question to answer. A self-confessed fanboy myself, I sometimes don't see the line until I've crossed it. But I never ridule, insult, or mock others. As long as respect is maintained, I appreciate being educated so that my enthusiasm and energy can be directed into useful, constructive contribution.
When critics resort to mockery or worse (http://robinsrantsandraves.wordpress.com/2011/08/10/crossing-the-line-a-public-service-announcement/) to correct a fanboy, they do more damage to their own cause.
-Robin
Nytram
August 12th, 2011, 03:15 PM
I've developed several applications that I'd like to be included in the Ubuntu repo's or upstream in Debian's... but the packaging/deployment process is a PITA. After all the time and hard work coding an app, the last thing a programmer needs is a headache just distributing the software.
1clue
August 12th, 2011, 03:33 PM
I'm on the groovy/grails lists. I've contributed a couple patches but am not "on" any projects.
On the grails lists, in every case I've seen the "hostility" is spawned by somebody getting frustrated and losing it, with apologies coming soon after.
Joining with grails is remarkably easy. First you fill out the web form to get an account and sign up for the dev and user mailing lists. Then when you have something you want to contribute you can ask on the dev list for the ability to either create your plugin or contribute to something else. If your request is rational (meaning you're a real developer rather than a spammer) then it will almost certainly be approved.
The one thing that I think Open Source needs in general is documentation that is simple, easy to find and makes sense. There are some good examples but as a general rule I think this is the most widely needed thing.
Ubuntu docs are simple and make sense, but they aren't pervasively referenced externally so they're not easy to find so much. For example, I would expect the forum site to have a prominent link to the documentation in the header of every screen, including the search and the posting editor. Preferably a menu with a link to the official docs, the community wiki and a google search for other sites.
1clue
August 12th, 2011, 03:40 PM
Sorry, but there's another thing.
Some Open Source projects are just a small group of developers (maybe less than 6) that have an idea and want to pursue it. They don't want to mess with a mailing list or a forum or a web site or documentation other than API docs.
IMO a great contribution from a non-developer would be to offer to set up or fund a tool to do some of that.
I for one wish that grails would get off of a mailing list and use a forum. I don't know if that was a conscious decision on their part or just lack of resources but searching a mailing list is a PITA.
For that matter if all you have is money, paying somebody to set that sort of thing up would be a huge help.
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