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Date: Wed, 28 Mar 2012 15:11:59 -0400
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Subject: Re: After AOO 3.4, attracting new contributors
From: Rob Weir <robweir@apache.org>
To: ooo-dev@incubator.apache.org
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On Wed, Mar 28, 2012 at 12:05 PM, <qa@imsoftwaresystems.com> wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I am sorry i am new to this dev mailing list. What is the real requiremen=
t.
> In what areas we need people for the next 1 year. What is the exact skill
> set needed. Let me see if i can help you in anyway.
>
>
Hi Ram,

As you can probably tell, from reading the ooo-dev list posts, we're just
finishing up the OpenOffice 3.4 release. So it probably appears chaotic
right now, but this is just a sign of the high activity level as we
complete the remaining tasks for this release.

We have not had a community discussion about "the next 1 year", so what
follows expresses my personal view only.

Areas where we especially need help:

- C/C++ programmers to work on the core OpenOffice code on feature
development and bug fixing.

- There is some interest in developing some test automation based on a Java
testing framework that IBM said they would contribute.  So someone with
skills in QA and Java could help with this.

- There is plenty of work to do with manual testing, especially with test
case definition.  It might make sense to start with defining the test cases
and execute them manually at first, but overtime migrate to test automation=
.

- We have had some discussion about making a more intelligent install
program, so it can bring down a small core program and then download
additional modules, like spell checkers, language packs, etc., when needed,
over the internet.

I would also return the question and ask, what kind of things do you want
to do?  The project works best, I think, when people are working on things
that they find interesting.

Regards,

-Rob


> Thanks & Regards,
> Ram,
> Im Software Systems
>
>
>
> On Wed, 28 Mar 2012 08:47:30 +0100, Ian Lynch <ianrlynch@gmail.com> wrote=
:
> > On 28 March 2012 02:38, Kevin Grignon <kevingrignon.oo@gmail.com> wrote=
:
> >
> >> Many great thoughts here.
> >>
> >> In addition to supporting the open source movement, perhaps we could
> >> market participation as a way to learn and develop skills.
> >>
> >
> > Maybe a certificate for AOO development professional? Work out the key
> > skills needed to contribute to development and write a set of indicativ=
e
> > assessment criteria. Get a mentor to verify the candidate's evidence th=
at
> > they can meet the criteria. If there was interest in it we have the
> >  facilities to support it including secure on-line testing facilities a=
nd
> a
> > Drupal system for managing coursework evidence which we would do as a
> free
> > contribution to the project. We'd just need help defining the criteria
> from
> > the most experienced developers.
> >
> >
> >> As a newbie, it appears that much our message is around what we need -
> >> which is essential to understand, however we may want to focus on why
> >> someone may want to join and help them realize their goals.
> >>
> >> For example, if someone is looking to demonstrate their skills and
> >> develop
> >> portfolio work products, then AOO offers a sandbox of opportunity.
> >>
> >
> > And a potential certification of skills.
> >
> >>
> >> Some thoughts.
> >>
> >> Regards,
> >> Kevin
> >>
> >>
> >> On Mar 27, 2012, at 10:47 PM, Rob Weir <robweir@apache.org> wrote:
> >>
> >> > On Mon, Mar 26, 2012 at 9:39 PM, Louis Su=C3=A1rez-Potts <luispo@gma=
il.com
> >> >wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> Hi,
> >> >> On 2012-03-19, at 08:41 , Rob Weir wrote:
> >> >>
> >> >>> Any ideas and the best ways how we can improve in this area after
> AOO
> >> >>> 3.4 releases?
> >> >>
> >> >> Lots, and these would complement the rather good ideas already
> >> >> proposed.
> >> >> What we did at OOo actually worked--to attract developers and
> >> contributors
> >> >> of all sorts. What worked against us I do not think I need spell ou=
t,
> >> but
> >> >> the cussedness of the code was not really the determining factor.
> >> >>
> >> >> What really would help, besides giving would-bes a clean entry, is =
to
> >> have
> >> >> mentors, more or less do-able tasks that are identified as such. (W=
e
> >> tried
> >> >> getting to this many times, and I strongly urged my erstwhile
> >> colleagues in
> >> >> this area for, uhm, years. Finally happened, and we got our to-dos
> but
> >> >> still not clearly identified according to level of difficulty. I ca=
n
> >> >> conceive of several  here whose work would assist in the
> >> >> identification
> >> of
> >> >> tasks newbies could approach--and even post-newbies-and perhaps eve=
n
> >> >> in
> >> >> mentoring.)
> >> >>
> >> >> Also, what helps tremendously is what we are doing already:
> presenting
> >> >> a
> >> >> community that is open, friendly, and generally has a good attitude
> >> about
> >> >> what it is doing and where it is going. There are millions using OO=
o
> >> >> as
> >> >> their primary ODF implementation, and those mostly include those wh=
o
> >> have
> >> >> come to it via the national or sub-national government agency. I
> think
> >> it's
> >> >> about time that they are looking to AOO for the next step.
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> > I think the idea of a new contributor mentor is essential.   This is
> >> > true
> >> > for coders, but also website, translation, documentation, test, UI,
> >> > etc.
> >> > What we have today is very much a "swim or sink" and "drink from the
> >> > fire
> >> > hose" approach.  If someone is highly motivated, highly skilled and
> >> > persistent, and is able to withstand the apparent chaos of the ooo-d=
ev
> >> > list, and penetrates the noise and asks questions, and repeats their
> >> > questions until answered, then they might have a 50/50 chance of
> >> > contributing.
> >> >
> >> > But let's be honest with ourselves -- there are a range of projects
> >> someone
> >> > can contribute to.  For would-be volunteers it is a buyer's market.
> If
> >> we
> >> > make it too hard to get involved and contribute, technically,
> >> procedurally,
> >> > socially, then we lose.
> >> >
> >> > But getting new volunteers on board requires effort.  If someone is
> >> > spending 100% of their time on their own features, then they have no
> >> > time
> >> > to help new volunteers become productive.
> >> >
> >> > One approach might be to define "essential skills" or "essential
> >> knowledge"
> >> > that a new volunteer needs to master in order to become productive,
> and
> >> > then a list of project members who are willing to help mentor new
> >> > volunteers to acquire those skills.
> >> >
> >> > For example, for the website, the essential skills might be:
> >> >
> >> > 1) Assume HTML/CSS, we're not here to teach that
> >> > 2) Help them get started with Markdown Text
> >> > 3) Help them use the CMS to generate patches
> >> > 4) Help them build website locally via the scripts
> >> > 5) Understanding the larger site design, including recurring page
> >> elements,
> >> > footers, etc.
> >> > 6) In parallel with above, understanding Apache, roles, decision
> >> > making,
> >> > lazy consensus, CTR versus RTC, what Infra does versus what the
> project
> >> is
> >> > responsible for, etc.
> >> > 7) Help them establish a record of contributions to become a committ=
er
> >> >
> >> > Anyone who has done the above can do 95% of what is needed to become=
 a
> >> > master of our website.
> >> >
> >> > It would be wonderful if we had something like that, a check list ev=
en
> >> > a
> >> > curriculum, for other common functions, as well as volunteers able t=
o
> >> take
> >> > on new project volunteers willing to help.
> >> >
> >> > This is all an investment in the future success of the project.  We
> >> > grow
> >> by
> >> > attracting new volunteers.  But the investment is time spent on
> >> mentoring.
> >> > This would all be over-kill for the average Apache PMC of 8-12 peopl=
e.
> >>  But
> >> > with 10 million lines of code, a PMC nearing 100 members, and the
> >> > largest
> >> > project at Apache, we need an approach to training new volunteers th=
at
> >> > works to scale.  I think something like the above helps get us close=
r.
> >> >
> >> > -Rob
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > And I can think of at least two, and probably more, national bodies =
so
> >> >> interested.
> >> >>
> >> >> Do these give us developers straight away? I don't know. The proble=
m
> >> with
> >> >> OOo was, as [not] said ultimately political, not codical (comical?)=
.
> >> >> Engaging these longtime users, as well as new ones, with the
> >> possibilities
> >> >> represented by this community, which is open and unencumbered--ough=
t
> >> >> to
> >> be
> >> >> easier.
> >> >>
> >> >> My own approach is to focus on ODF and on the benefits offered not
> >> >> only
> >> by
> >> >> the AOO implementation but by its community.
> >> >>
> >> >> -louis
> >>
>

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