== Open Week -- How to contribute to Ubuntu - Mohamed Amine IL Idrissi - devildante -- Mon, Oct 11 == {{{#!IRC [18:01] Logs for this session will be available at http://irclogs.ubuntu.com/2010/10/11/%23ubuntu-classroom.html following the conclusion of the session. [18:01] hello everyone :) [18:01] hope you had a nice maverick day yesterday :) [18:02] Let's begin! [18:02] you installed Ubuntu, and you're all loving it [18:02] and now, you want to give back [18:03] but you don't know where to start [18:03] Don't worry! We'll guide you through contributing to your favorite project :) [18:04] And you'll soon see that coding isn't the only way to contribute - in fact, even the tiniest of contributions can be a great help to the Ubuntu project and community [18:05] there is a whole lot of contributions you can make [18:06] for example, you can spread the word about Ubuntu [18:06] There is a lot of people that don't know there is another OS apart from Windows [18:07] So, for example, you can order CDs from Shipit (over at shipit.ubuntu.com), and them distribute them everywhere [18:07] you can give a talk about Ubuntu in your school/place of work/etc... [18:08] or you can convert your friends [18:08] there are some simple "instructions" at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ConvertFriends [18:10] cazo asked: So, to "get involved" isn't so easy like it appears... the interesting should be a kind of "sponsor" to get start... but I thing it not possible... is it? [18:10] it depends [18:10] For spreading the word like above, you don't need a sponsor IMO [18:11] If you want to do bug triage (which we will discuss later), you have the option of having a mentor [18:11] daker asked: present your self pls! [18:12] well, okay :p [18:12] my name is Mohamed Amine IL Idrissi, I'm 17 years old and I'm part of Ubuntu Bug Control [18:13] I already contributed with code, and I hope to be someday a "high-class" Ubuntu dev :) [18:13] That was the small presentation :p [18:14] okay, let's get to the next topic [18:15] which is donating! you can donate a small, medium, or big amount of money to the Ubuntu community [18:15] You can donate here: http://www.ubuntu.com/community/donations [18:16] let's continue [18:17] you can do translations! whether it's translating applications, or documentation, you're always welcome :) [18:18] Translating Ubuntu applications, you can do it here: https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+translations [18:19] If you have any questions about translating, you can ask on the Ubuntu Translations mailing list here: https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-translators [18:19] any questions until now? [18:21] okay, let's continue :) [18:22] cazo asked: AbhiJit, back to get involved. I thing I should start getting involveved, doing the joining, but, after that, what premisses? ask to somebody? What directions? [18:22] There is always someone you can ask questions to [18:23] For translations, I mentioned the mailing list at https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-translators [18:24] For other activities, we'll cover it later [18:24] Let's continue, we're a little late, I think [18:25] You can also help others with Ubuntu [18:25] There is a lot of unanswered questions on the Ubuntu Users mailing list: https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-users [18:26] or the #ubuntu channel on IRC [18:26] or the ubuntu forums at http://ubuntuforums.org [18:26] or the launchpad support tracker at https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+tickets [18:27] or the recently created Ubuntu Stack Exchange site at http://askubuntu.com [18:28] I am confident you all have enough experience to answer at least some questions :) [18:28] BigWhale asked: What do to when you can't reach members of a certain project. For example, a program that needs fixing, you create a patch and none of the developers answer your hails, calls, pleas to include or at least review your patch. Who is next in the chain of command? :) [18:29] If for example you submit a patch to KDE and they don't respond, you can propose it for inclusion in (K)Ubuntu [18:30] we don't usually do that, though. we want to stay in sync with the original projects as much as possible [18:30] okay, let's continue [18:31] You can write documentation [18:32] for example, if your monitor isn't working properly and you found a workaround, you can write a community help page to help others that have the same problem [18:34] to do that, read the DocumentationTeam wiki page: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DocumentationTeam [18:35] it will surely guide you :) [18:35] you can also ask on #ubuntu-doc [18:35] drcooper asked: If I know gtk and wants to contribute, but is not familiar with the code or organization of gnome, where do you suggest I start ? [18:37] Start by something you're interested in [18:37] and contact the developers to help you, either directly or on their mailing list (the latter is preferable) [18:38] daker asked: is there a specific format for writing a documentation? i mean Software documentation [18:38] If it's for Ubuntu, there isn't a specific one, just follow the general wiki guidelines [18:39] If it's on another project documentation/wiki, that depends, each one has its style [18:39] any other questions? [18:40] okay, let's continue :) [18:41] Chell asked: Can you tell a bit about the Karma system. Why is it important? === yoroy_piepers is now known as yoroy [18:41] It's not *that* important, it just measures your contributions [18:42] It also decays over time, so to let newcomers have a chance against veterans [18:42] Let's continue [18:42] You can create artwork for Ubuntu [18:43] I don't know much on the subject, I'll just let you visit those two links: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Artwork [18:43] And the mailing list: https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-art [18:44] You can also see the currently approved projects at https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-art/+specs and start there [18:46] Next, we have bug triaging [18:46] There is a lot of bugs filed in Launchpad, and the list is growing steadily over time [18:47] so there is a group of bug triagers that examines these bugs, verify if they are valid, send them to the original projects, etc... [18:48] This group is called the Ubuntu Bug Squad team, more infos at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/BugSquad [18:48] To see how to help with bugs, see: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/HelpingWithBugs [18:49] You can also ask for a mentor to guide you through triaging bugs, you can see how to apply here: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/BugSquad/Mentors [18:50] You can also test your systems, more info at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing [18:50] (I'll speed up a little) [18:50] There are 10 minutes remaining in the current session. [18:51] xuacu asked: how can we, non technical users, help with bugs? [18:51] A common misconception is that bug triaging is essentially bug fixing [18:51] it is not [18:52] you just verify the bug applies to you, ask for more information relevant to the bug, send it upstream, etc... all things to make the bug ready for the developer to fix [18:52] Let's continue [18:53] If you have an idea that can improve Ubuntu, you can propose it to the Ubuntu developers [18:53] all this is happening at http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/ [18:54] The final way to contribute is, of course, programming! [18:55] I won't talk much about it, here's a link for the avid readers: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuDevelopment [18:55] There are 5 minutes remaining in the current session. [18:56] There is also a session specially for Ubuntu Developement, by Bilal Akhtar at Wednesday 15:00 UTC [18:57] Also, for those who want to help with translating, there is David Planella's session, tomorrow at 14:00 UTC [18:57] Chell asked: what skill level is required to help triage bugs? What happens you one screws up? [18:58] already answered, but we'll answer it again for logs :p [18:58] You don't need a high skill level to triage bugs [18:59] If you're not sure of something, you can always ask fellow triagers on #ubuntu-bugs [18:59] any other question? (quick, quick!) }}}