Re: [gentoo-dev] Re: Training points for users interested in helping out with ebuild development

[Markos Chandras]

On Monday 04 May 2009 23:47:08 George Prowse wrote:
> Thomas Sachau wrote:
> > Mario Fetka schrieb:
> >> On Monday, 4. May 2009 19:06:12 George Prowse wrote:
> >>> Peter Faraday Weller wrote:
> >>>> Hi....
> >>>>
> >>>> Thanks,
> >>>> welp
> >>>
> >>> Sad to hear it mate.
> >>>
> >>> As the person who did your first install for you (i think) I think you
> >>> will be missed.
> >>>
> >>> I am quite surprised about what you said about the state of things
> >>> because i've got the distinct impression from others that Gentoo has
> >>> been improving in the past 12 months.
> >>>
> >>> About the lack of the developers, something I proposed about 3 years
> >>> ago might be applicable: has Gentoo ever thought about doing a "Dev
> >>> Day" in much the same way as the "Bug Days"? Advertise a day where
> >>> people can come and have a chat with developers and get coached because
> >>> there is a vast amount of people and knowledge out there and I never
> >>> see anything about Gentoo wanting people.
> >>>
> >>> If you book them, they will come.
> >>>
> >>> G
> >>
> >> and I would be the first to come
> >>
> >> Mario
> >
> > For those, who can work with IRC and are interested in working with
> > ebuilds, there is already an option:
> >
> > Join #gentoo-dev-help or even better #gentoo-sunrise and read the
> > documentation from the topic. The Sunrise Overlay (with the
> > #gentoo-sunrise IRC channel) is open for everyone willing to learn and
> > contribute to it. Even normal users can get access, learn how to create
> > ebuilds, how to improve them and how to maintain them.
> > As a starting point, this is a central overlay, where ebuilds are
> > maintained, that dont get a developer as maintainer because of missing
> > manpower. Additionally, all contributors learn the ebuild development
> > work themselves.
> >
> > And if you are willing to learn and do continuously good work, there is a
> > good chance that you may level up to a developer yourself someday. You
> > want an example? This was my way to become a full Gentoo developer. ;-)
> >
> > So at least for ebuild maintainence, there are good starting points
> > (probably other projects also have training grounds like the java or kde
> > herds), the bigger problem may be the communication between potential new
> > developers and the current developer base and our options to become a new
> > developer.
>
> I think you are missing the point. If you sit and wait for them to join
> you will always be understaffed.
>
> Go on a big dev drive! Announce it all over all the Gentoo's normal
> communication channels and other generic linux places! Email some linux
> magazines, talk to distrowatch, message some large LUGs. Get people
> talking about it. Whatever happens, dont just sit on your hands. Tell
> the users that Gentoo needs them and that they can make a difference!
>
> If you make it a big and special occasion which is planned correctly
> with a sufficient number of current developers who are willing to walk
> people through how and what it means to be a Gentoo Developer then the
> influx could create a new backbone of new developers who will hopefully
> be here for years to come.
All those things are PR related. Unfortunately Gentoo does not have any PR 
activity ( ok we have some via Gentoo Planet/Universe ) . We used to have GMN 
but that died a long time ago. Establishing a proper and active PR team is 
something that we should consider as a high priority as well :/
-- 
Markos Chandras (hwoarang)
Gentoo Linux Developer [KDE/Qt/Sound/Sunrise]
Web: http://hwoarang.silverarrow.org