Contribute! Matthew Weier O'Phinney Project Lead, Zend Framework

Who are you? Lead an open source project? Contributed code to an OSS project? Written or translated documentation for an OSS project? Answered questions on an OSS mailing list, forum, or IRC channel? Blogged solutions or tutorials regarding an OSS project?

Lead an open source project?

Contributed code to an OSS project?

Written or translated documentation for an OSS project?

Answered questions on an OSS mailing list, forum, or IRC channel?

Blogged solutions or tutorials regarding an OSS project?

Why contribute? You've identified bugs using an OSS project and want them fixed upstream You've created a feature you think fits an OSS project's goals An OSS project has made your life easier, and you want to contribute back Fame, fortune, glory! It's fun!

You've identified bugs using an OSS project and want them fixed upstream

You've created a feature you think fits an OSS project's goals

An OSS project has made your life easier, and you want to contribute back

Fame, fortune, glory!

It's fun!

You need karma

OSS is a meritocracy Contributions earn you karma Well, good contributions...

OSS is a meritocracy

Contributions earn you karma

Well, good contributions...

The Golden Rule...

Communication is the key to any good OSS project

Communication Channels Mailing lists IRC Forums Twitter Issue trackers Wikis Blogs

Mailing lists

IRC

Forums

Twitter

Issue trackers

Wikis

Blogs

Mailing lists and forums Ask questions Don't be vague; the more detail the better Don't abuse the list; try things first Don't abuse those who take the time to help you Answer questions Don't denigrate those asking questions Blog questions you answer often BE NICE!

Ask questions

Don't be vague; the more detail the better

Don't abuse the list; try things first

Don't abuse those who take the time to help you

Answer questions

Don't denigrate those asking questions

Blog questions you answer often

BE NICE!

IRC Freenode, Efnet, etc Most projects have channels Don't ask questions on channels marked for developers/contributors only Don't paste large amounts of code in the channel; use pastebins Don't be pushy

Freenode, Efnet, etc

Most projects have channels

Don't ask questions on channels marked for developers/contributors only

Don't paste large amounts of code in the channel; use pastebins

Don't be pushy

Twitter Ask questions Don't do it often Don't expect an answer Keep it simple Answer questions Don't batch responses Don't be afraid to link to other sources Be nice!

Ask questions

Don't do it often

Don't expect an answer

Keep it simple

Answer questions

Don't batch responses

Don't be afraid to link to other sources

Be nice!

Issue Reporting The secret to good reporting: Document your expected results Document your actual results Provide the minimum code necessary to reproduce the results you report

The secret to good reporting:

Document your expected results

Document your actual results

Provide the minimum code necessary to reproduce the results you report

Issue Reporting Always pull from the active development branch before reporting Verify the bug still exists Check with developers Verify that the issue isn't actually by design or a misunderstanding on your part If you reproduce case is greater than 20 statements... see if you can reproduce it in less

Always pull from the active development branch before reporting

Verify the bug still exists

Check with developers

Verify that the issue isn't actually by design or a misunderstanding on your part

If you reproduce case is greater than 20 statements... see if you can reproduce it in less

Creating a patch Always create the patch from the root of the branch Typically from your checkout of trunk or the release branch you are using Use the diff tool from the VCS system used by the project svn diff > /tmp/my_patch.diff git log -p <r>..<r> > /tmp/my_patch.diff

Always create the patch from the root of the branch

Typically from your checkout of trunk or the release branch you are using

Use the diff tool from the VCS system used by the project

svn diff > /tmp/my_patch.diff

git log -p <r>..<r> > /tmp/my_patch.diff

Testing a patch Help out by testing patches uploaded by others Typically from the branch root: patch -p0 < my_patch.diff

Help out by testing patches uploaded by others

Typically from the branch root:

patch -p0 < my_patch.diff

Write Documentation Blog – write tutorials, or blog solutions to problems you've encountered. Wiki – if the project uses a wiki for documentation, write documentation directly. Learn Docbook – many large projects use it. Just learn it. Documentation isn't in your language? Translate it!

Blog – write tutorials, or blog solutions to problems you've encountered.

Wiki – if the project uses a wiki for documentation, write documentation directly.

Learn Docbook – many large projects use it. Just learn it.

Documentation isn't in your language? Translate it!

Other activities Join your local user group Share your knowledge Learn from others Collaborate Bug hunts / test fest Attend or speak at conferences Travel and learn from others Evangelize the projects you use

Join your local user group

Share your knowledge

Learn from others

Collaborate

Bug hunts / test fest

Attend or speak at conferences

Travel and learn from others

Evangelize the projects you use

What are you waiting for? Feedback: http://joind.in/593 http://twitter.com/weierophinney