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View Full Version : Getting an open source project off the ground



Stex
March 31st, 2007, 10:45 PM
Hey everyone, I was hoping for some advice from you all here. I've just finished a php system for publishing webcomics and have hit a problem with getting people to try it out. I'm not expecting people here to be able to try it (artists aren't generally known for their love of linux) but was wondering if anyone knows the best ways to get it heard.

I've tried to ask for help in the most active webcomic forum I could find but that gave no replies. I can't find any other forums out there and am now entirely lost. Are there any ways you people know of that you could share? Would be nice to get this code out of my hands :p

boredandblogging.com
April 2nd, 2007, 04:19 AM
Have you put it on something like soureforge? Maybe put the site link in your signature?

DoctorMO
April 2nd, 2007, 04:43 AM
It's hard, getting my dohickey project off the ground is a really battle. both in terms of getting people to see the real vision of what I'm trying to do and what it can do for them when they use it (or will use it when it's finished) I'd rather not finish it first as that would lead to many broken bugs on other systems being unfound.

Zuph
April 2nd, 2007, 02:38 PM
Unfortunately, no one wants to use an unfinished product. Unless your software is notably more innovative, or has a highly demanded feature that isn't offered by other solutions, no one is going to try a half-finished piece of software. You have to finish it first.

And because of how many open source projects there are out there, you HAVE to offer something notably better than the other possible solutions. You also have to one-up all the free but not open solutions. The majority of web users out there don't give a damn if the source is open or not, they just want it to work. If you cater only to the open source crusaders out there, you're not going to get a whole lot of support.

ssam
April 2nd, 2007, 02:52 PM
announce it on freshmeat.net

DoctorMO
April 2nd, 2007, 05:14 PM
And because of how many open source projects there are out there, you HAVE to offer something notably better than the other possible solutions. You also have to one-up all the free but not open solutions. The majority of web users out there don't give a damn if the source is open or not, they just want it to work. If you cater only to the open source crusaders out there, you're not going to get a whole lot of support.

Good job I don't ask normal users for help or i'd be in trouble wouldn't I. I think people are willing to help more that you let on. they will try things out even if they're in alpha and will produce good feedback and things the developer may not have thought of. this in it's self allows the development to be reshaped to account for potential problems.

Although I admit people are less receptive the less done your project is, snake biting it's own head kind of thing.

Stex
April 2nd, 2007, 06:05 PM
Hmm, well I've worked on big projects before so I know not to release until what wants to be done is done. I just always had testers lined up beforehand. I have everything, including installer, finished and working. Just need to know that it works for everyone else and I have a list of possible features that I need to know if people would want or not.

No need to worry about the features, I made sure I had a target audience before I started: this doesn't require mysql, has plugins, usergroups, completely customisable template system and all that juicy stuff.

Should I just make a proper website to promote it and upgrade it from alpha to beta or something? Seems a but unethical as it's not been tested first. And I'd still have the problem of rounding up users even then.

DoctorMO
April 2nd, 2007, 06:51 PM
If it's open source then the testers are also users and most people accept this as long as your product is in alpha/beta.