Staffing needs - or ideas to contribute

Unne · l33t Joined: 21 Jul 2003 Posts: 616

Firstly: One recurring theme here is "we don't have enough developers". I think one thing that would be useful is if we had more of an idea of what areas developers are needed in.

We have http://www.gentoo.org/proj/en/devrel/staffing-needs/ but the list is seemingly ancient. There are 6 postings from 2006, the rest are a year old or older. Or is this list really all the help Gentoo needs?

http://www.gentoo.org/proj/en/devrel/handbook/handbook.xml says staffing needs are to be listed in the GWN, but just checked each GWN back to the beginning of September and the only thing I saw was a request for GWN writers (unless I've missed something). That page also mentions checking #gentoo-bugs, which I have not done.

Where else can we get an idea of what kinds of developers are needed?

Secondly: Aside from developers hacking away at Portage, I would imagine there is a need for a lot of "grunt work" that can be done by people with less of a skill level. Putting together documentation, or who knows what. Again I see http://www.gentoo.org/proj/en/gdp/roadmap.xml but it appears to be quite old and limited in scope. Is there a need for people to do this kind of grunt work, and if so do we have any place where such low-level tasks are listed? If not I think it would be helpful.

I often see a "How can I help?" thread popping up on the forums. For everyone thread that appears, I imagine many other people want to help but wander off after a while having no idea where to start. There are a lot of people on the forums (299 browsing as I write this) and I'd guess at least a few of them are willing and able to contribute.

I think making it EASY to contribute (or to know where/what to start contributing) will make it more likely that people will, and more likely that effort will not be spent needlessly in areas where we already have enough help. I don't know what exactly that might be. An Announcments section on the forums similar to the Latest Site News at the top of the forums, where "developer help wanted" postings can be made (or even discussed), maybe? At the very least, keeping the links I mentioned above updated?
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kopp · Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2006 10:45 pm Post subject:

One place where they always need staff is ebuild maintenance. The easiest way to start contributing is to help correction bugs in ebuilds and making/updating ebuilds that are not maintened yet.
I know it's not the problem you're pointing out, but I thought it might be useful to say it.
Concerning your problem, I remember seeing some article in the GWN about some projects laking developpers over the last year but I don't remember actual examples and I'm going to go through forty GWN or so to find it. What we often see is asking for people helping the GWN or translation effort.
The fact is that they also lack recruiters, it's been discussed recently in gentoo-dev, about the need to increase recruitements. But it looks like there are people watching contributors and picking up those who seems to stand up to Gentoo needs, a bit like Intelligence agencies does, at least in books and movies

The infrastructure need to be improved and the page in your first link should be kept up-to-date. I don't any explanations on why it looks so old and not updated. Either there is no need for such specifics job, or nobody took the responsability to add things on that list. Maybe we should ask devrel about it.

ryker · Guru Joined: 28 May 2003 Posts: 412 Location: Portage, IN

I've often thought and looked for how I can help Gentoo, and noticed the same things that kopp mentioned.

My suggestion would be to put a "Contribute" link in the top menu. Something like this.

That would link to a page that would have information about contributing to Gentoo in any way. From development to donating money.
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kopp · Posted: Sat Oct 21, 2006 7:54 pm Post subject:

Ok, I've sent an email to devrel, and Seemant answered me on really short notice. Here is his answer:

Unne · l33t Joined: 21 Jul 2003 Posts: 616

That is very helpful and makes sense. Thanks. Bugzilla here we come.
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shazam75 · Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 4:47 am Post subject:

so what happens when a newer version of an application is available - how is it brought on line into the portage tree as ok to be installed?

Regards
Shelton.

blu3bird · Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 10:44 pm Post subject:

Adding new applications to the portage tree doesn't really work that great...

If you find an application that should be in the portage tree you fill a "new package/ebuild" bug and a dev adds it to the portage.
Okay but right now there are 3458 "new package/ebuild" bugs and only 349 have been added to the tree. (Some have been denied but ~2200 are still open)
Do we need more devs to maintain the tree?

beandog · Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 10:48 pm Post subject: Re: Staffing needs

IRQsRFun

I am looking for Ideas on how to contribute to Gento or Linux.

I am an Electrical Engineer with a BSEE that has some low level programming experience with C, and lesser experience with assembly. I am looking for a project that could use my skills. I do not want my primary role to be a documenter, although I do fully understand the importance of this role. I do not think I have enough breath of knowledge in Linux to be much help to anyone but a true newbe in the forums. My hope is that applying myself to a focused project, I would be forced to learn more linux or gentoo fundamentals.

I do have some interest in the kernel, porting linux to different achitectures (low level stuff), and the periphials like lm_sensors, but from what I have seen the competition is severe for these groups.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

mark_alec · Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 11:15 am Post subject:

Glad to see that you want to help out with an open-source project. There are many paths that you can take to contribute, but if you prefer the development side, I suggest you read Gentoo Development Guide to gain a familiarity with ebuilds. Then hang out at a Bugday (held on the first Saturday of the month in #gentoo-bugs) so that you can gain a solid feel of what it is like to 'fix bugs' and see where your strengths/interests lie.

Alternatively you could see if you would be apt for any of the positions on Gentoo Linux Staffing Needs.

Finally, helping people on the forums or IRC is also a way many people contribute towards Gentoo/opensource.
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Samoth · Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 11:53 am Post subject:

Another great way to get your hands dirty is to become a AT(Arch Tester), in which you test new versions of programs, and can report on their stability. Great stepping stone towards becoming a dev. It also can help you learn where your strengths are.
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0x001A4 · Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 7:00 pm Post subject: Getting Involved

Well, this thread answered my questions. Thanks!

nixnut · Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 7:21 pm Post subject:

Merged some threads here.
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GoldenMouse · Tux's lil' helper Joined: 29 Sep 2005 Posts: 112

I have been using Gentoo for a while now and am very pleased with it. But, I've heard that Gentoo is suffering a slight manpower shortage, so I thought that I could maybe give back to the community a bit by trying my hand at maintaining a package. I just can't find any resources to guide a newbie to package maintenance, don't know how much of a commitment it is to maintain ebuilds (I am starting grad school in a month

), and don't know who to talk to about getting involved. So... I'm feeling things out.

nixnut · Posted: Thu May 03, 2007 5:18 pm Post subject:

Merged above post here.
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GoldenMouse · Tux's lil' helper Joined: 29 Sep 2005 Posts: 112

mark_alec · Posted: Fri May 04, 2007 5:51 am Post subject: Re: Staffing needs

Letharion · Veteran Joined: 13 Jun 2005 Posts: 1344 Location: Sweden

Hi.

I'd like to help Gentoo.

I have twice tried to "be of service", first time as an arch tester for x86 and the second time I think KDE needed help with loads of bugs.
Both times however I was only pointed in the general direction of RTFM-and-see-if-you-can-fix-some-bugs.
I perfectly understand that if you have your gentoo responsibility and your job/school, wife/kids/whatever, health, other interest and whatnot to care about, I won't be given high priority.

However, IF a developer/other competent person felt like taking the time to mentor me a bit I believe I could contribute to gentoo

I've been running Linux in general for say 2 years, most of that time only gentoo. I have some basic coding skills, mostly PHP/MYSQL but
also a bit of C++.

I'm not sure where to begin, but I have filed some ebuild related bugs, and with some assistance I might be able to fix them myself

Comments?

nixnut · Posted: Thu May 24, 2007 3:59 pm Post subject:

merged above post here.
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Letharion · Veteran Joined: 13 Jun 2005 Posts: 1344 Location: Sweden

Ah, nice. Thanks nixnut.