New Document: "How to Start Contributing to or Using Open Source Software"

[Gabor Szabo]

On Mon, Dec 27, 2010 at 8:37 PM, Shlomi Fish <shlomif at iglu.org.il> wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I recently finished working on a new document titled "How to Start
> Contributing to or Using Open Source Software" intended to get more people
> involved in the world of free and open source software (FOSS). You can find it
> here:
>
> http://teachingopensource.org/index.php/How_to_start_contributing_to_or_using_Open_Source_Software
>
> Short link: http://bit.ly/gkeXn5
>
> Any comments, corrections or suggestions would be welcome.

Nice.

I just wanted to embark on another mission to get more people to contribute to
open source in general and Perl is specific. I think you article might help in
that though after I reached the <<Some Mental Preparation >> part I am
a bit worried.

See my comments:


In the <<What is "shrinkwrap" software?>> section it sounds as
if "open source software" was not "commercial".
IMHO there is an overlap and between the two.


The in <<What is open source software? >> you are saying that
"open source does not stand against commercialism" which is of course
right but now sounds a bit contradicting the previous section.


<<Why open source software?>> Starts by the "free beer" approach.
I am not sure it is good to put that as the first item and thereby emphasize it
but if you do it you might want to add something like "legally" to
make that part clear.



<<Some Mental Preparation >>
Wow, you start by turning people off? I understand you want to be as honest as
possible but you just lost everyone at that point. Everyone except the
fighters maybe.
Is the situation really that bad? I don't think so.

I'd write the opposite way, something like this:

"While most open source projects are very welcoming to the newcomers
there too might
be bad apples who might sound offending. In most of the cases this is
just due to lack
of communication. So if you ever feel offended, either talk
(privately!) to the project leader
or look for another project."

And even this might be a bit too much on the negative side.

OTOH the Lessing quote was very good and moving.


regards
   Gabor
   http://szabgab.com/