Comments on: What can Debian learn from Fedora about recruiting new people? http://liorkaplan.wordpress.com/2008/05/22/what-can-debian-learn-from-fedora-about-recruiting-new-people/ The experience of a free software community member Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:03:42 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Shachar Or http://liorkaplan.wordpress.com/2008/05/22/what-can-debian-learn-from-fedora-about-recruiting-new-people/#comment-344 Shachar Or Fri, 23 May 2008 12:30:35 +0000 http://liorkaplan.wordpress.com/?p=58#comment-344 There is something about Debian's slow rythm of development and growth that keeps it the way it is - stable. I suppose some Debian users would say that they don't care about having a more attractive website. I'd like to see changes happen in Debian to make it more attractive in general, without compromising it's integrity, it's stability. There is something about Debian’s slow rythm of development and growth that keeps it the way it is – stable. I suppose some Debian users would say that they don’t care about having a more attractive website.

I’d like to see changes happen in Debian to make it more attractive in general, without compromising it’s integrity, it’s stability.

]]> By: cmot http://liorkaplan.wordpress.com/2008/05/22/what-can-debian-learn-from-fedora-about-recruiting-new-people/#comment-343 cmot Fri, 23 May 2008 09:37:25 +0000 http://liorkaplan.wordpress.com/?p=58#comment-343 Anton: Bug triage is probably one of the most underrated activities anybody can do: pick a package you use which has many bugs on registered on bugs.debian.org. Start with the oldest ones, verify if they still apply in current versions, check if they're registrered in upstream bug tracker (if any), ... Speak with the package maintainers about what you should do (just comment on the bug or really act on your findings.) In fact, probably you should announce to package maintainers that you intend to do bug triage, perhaps someobdy else is already doing it. Not only can you do all this without being a DD, you can also doing most of it without being a coder and without knowing about Debian's packaging internals. If you put enough effort into bug triage, you'll quickly learn a lot about the package in question, Debian's packaging system and even the internals of the package you're working on (once you go beyond mere triage on to trying to fix the bugs.) Lior: "Getting Involved" sounds definitiely better than "Help Debian". I'm against "Join Debian" because Debian doesn't have a useful dividing border between people belonging to Debian and people not belonging to it (there's DD vs. non-DD but that's not useful for this purpose): belonging to Debian is gradual, from occasional-bug-submitter to managing-a-few-packages to hanging-out-on-irc-most-of-the-time to have-been-dpl-three-times ;-) Anton: Bug triage is probably one of the most underrated activities anybody can do: pick a package you use which has many bugs on registered on bugs.debian.org. Start with the oldest ones, verify if they still apply in current versions, check if they’re registrered in upstream bug tracker (if any), … Speak with the package maintainers about what you should do (just comment on the bug or really act on your findings.) In fact, probably you should announce to package maintainers that you intend to do bug triage, perhaps someobdy else is already doing it.

Not only can you do all this without being a DD, you can also doing most of it without being a coder and without knowing about Debian’s packaging internals. If you put enough effort into bug triage, you’ll quickly learn a lot about the package in question, Debian’s packaging system and even the internals of the package you’re working on (once you go beyond mere triage on to trying to fix the bugs.)

Lior: “Getting Involved” sounds definitiely better than “Help Debian”. I’m against “Join Debian” because Debian doesn’t have a useful dividing border between people belonging to Debian and people not belonging to it (there’s DD vs. non-DD but that’s not useful for this purpose): belonging to Debian is gradual, from occasional-bug-submitter to managing-a-few-packages to hanging-out-on-irc-most-of-the-time to have-been-dpl-three-times ;-)

]]> By: Lior Kaplan http://liorkaplan.wordpress.com/2008/05/22/what-can-debian-learn-from-fedora-about-recruiting-new-people/#comment-337 Lior Kaplan Fri, 23 May 2008 07:14:04 +0000 http://liorkaplan.wordpress.com/?p=58#comment-337 Anton, you can join a team which does package maintenance. Even as a non-DD you could help. The DDs will sponsor the upload at the end, or you can become a debian maintainer (upload rights without becoming a DD). You can still write documentaton, help users, do QA tasks like reporting bugs or triaging them, help with the website and I'm sure I forgot a few roles. We'd be happy to get help from you in any of these issues. Anton, you can join a team which does package maintenance. Even as a non-DD you could help. The DDs will sponsor the upload at the end, or you can become a debian maintainer (upload rights without becoming a DD).

You can still write documentaton, help users, do QA tasks like reporting bugs or triaging them, help with the website and I’m sure I forgot a few roles.

We’d be happy to get help from you in any of these issues.

]]> By: Anton Piatek http://liorkaplan.wordpress.com/2008/05/22/what-can-debian-learn-from-fedora-about-recruiting-new-people/#comment-336 Anton Piatek Fri, 23 May 2008 07:00:33 +0000 http://liorkaplan.wordpress.com/?p=58#comment-336 I think the other thing we could do is try and make it easier for non-DD's to help out. I would love to help out in Debian, but haven't currently got the time to pick up a package and maintain it as a non-DD, I don't speak any other languages well enough to translate, so am stuck as to how else I can help out I think the other thing we could do is try and make it easier for non-DD’s to help out.
I would love to help out in Debian, but haven’t currently got the time to pick up a package and maintain it as a non-DD, I don’t speak any other languages well enough to translate, so am stuck as to how else I can help out

]]> By: Andre Felipe Machado http://liorkaplan.wordpress.com/2008/05/22/what-can-debian-learn-from-fedora-about-recruiting-new-people/#comment-335 Andre Felipe Machado Fri, 23 May 2008 01:24:25 +0000 http://liorkaplan.wordpress.com/?p=58#comment-335 Hello, At least, we have some wiki pages that could bring valuable information: http://wiki.debian.org/WhyDebianForDevelopers http://wiki.debian.org/DebianForNonCoderContributors I have been spreading the word about them and using them at talks, for around a year and good interest arise. Please, use them also. Regards. Andre Felipe Hello,
At least, we have some wiki pages that could bring valuable information:
http://wiki.debian.org/WhyDebianForDevelopers
http://wiki.debian.org/DebianForNonCoderContributors
I have been spreading the word about them and using them at talks, for around a year and good interest arise.
Please, use them also.
Regards.
Andre Felipe

]]> By: erich http://liorkaplan.wordpress.com/2008/05/22/what-can-debian-learn-from-fedora-about-recruiting-new-people/#comment-334 erich Thu, 22 May 2008 20:35:17 +0000 http://liorkaplan.wordpress.com/?p=58#comment-334 I have long thought that the Debian website needs an overhaul, along these lines. I would have volunteered to do so a while ago except for the part where I don't have even a little design-fu. I know this post is specifically about the "help debian section", I just think you're being either modest or not ambitious enough :). +1 from me. I have long thought that the Debian website needs an overhaul, along these lines. I would have volunteered to do so a while ago except for the part where I don’t have even a little design-fu. I know this post is specifically about the “help debian section”, I just think you’re being either modest or not ambitious enough :) . +1 from me.

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