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Well, standing on the outside, looking in... what I see is an
overwhelming scattered web of impossible options to figure out. It
seems like if I want to know anything, there is no direct link to
anything. I have to weed through countless links and end up in a
mess of opened tabs. None of which gives me an answer.<br>
<br>
So the first option of thinning out the web of stuff to do and join
and give a simple clear pathway to what needs to happen, what I need
to know and what I need to click on would be most helpful. The
guided tour isn't really what I'm looking for. I don't want to feel
like I'm bothering someone. If this takes off like you hope it
does, then the tour guides will be overwhelmed.<br>
<br>
A simple web site, with an easy to follow pathway. You are here
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o you are now here. Something like the mozilla
site, but with less rabbit trails. A menu of options categorized
like this:<br>
<br>
What do you want to do?<br>
<br>
-Build a Software Package<br>
-Contribute Financially<br>
-Tester<br>
-Other Options<br>
<br>
Then under those specific headings, have a dropdown of a clear
pathway of steps.<br>
<br>
-Build a Software Package<br>
--(Step One) Write your program<br>
--(Step Two) Install the RPM thingy<br>
--(Step Three) Compile the program with the RPM thingy <br>
<br>
At least if you make it this simple, you can have a clear path to an
organized plan. Right now, I it feels like there is no
organization.<br>
<br>
Here is a slightly detailed version of what I did to get here.<br>
<br>
-I started being interested in Linux in early 2000<br>
-Read countless articles (back then) about which distro to use in a
production environment<br>
-Chose CentOS because my boss wouldn't pay for anything, including
Windows licenses<br>
-Practised doing as much as I could with walkthoughs to install
servers and admin stuff.<br>
-Fell in love with Linux because it allowed me to feel in control
and free from Windows stupidity<br>
<br>
That's when I really wanted more...<br>
<br>
-I started researching all the options and variants of Linux.<br>
-Found Fedora and loved the outlook and dedication to freedom<br>
-Followed Linux daily on news sites and such<br>
-Started using Fedora full time at F12<br>
-Started trying to do more with the command line<br>
-Got really excited about all the bleeding edge updates<br>
-Started evangelizing Linux to my friends and family<br>
-Wrote some walkthroughs and website for helping people get Fedora
installed and tweaking things to make their lives easier<br>
-Started going to college so I could learn to be a programmer and
learn more so I could do more.<br>
<br>
So over the past few years, I have been commenting on Linux blogs
and articles. I read and follow news feeds.<br>
<br>
I am passionate about all this...<br>
<br>
But when I try to figure out how to help Fedora, or learn how to
contribute in any way, there is no doorway. There is no Welcome mat
that says, "Here is where you come in". It honestly feels like
unless I live near Red Hat, and walk into the building, there will
never be a welcome. At least until I read the article posted on
lxer that was on fedoramagazine, about "Join Fedora". That was such
an exciting find for me. I read through the entire irc post, just
so I could know what you guys were planning to do.<br>
<br>
For someone like me that is going to school, specifically so I can
dedicate the rest of my life to building a better open source world
and hopefully contribute to Fedora. (I'll probably have to find a
job somewhere to support my open source contributing addiction) I
am willing to learn, but there is no easy pathway to get what I need
to know. It sure won't be in my school books, and my teachers
wouldn't know the first thing about it. So I've had no resources to
rely on.<br>
<br>
I hope this helps,<br>
<br>
-Cory <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 04/23/2014 04:51 PM, Sarup Banskota
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote class=" cite"
id="mid_CABfbgvv_8eJfHsHbQwmjMkGYCnuHYF9gTa_heyXuwy_KW_i70A_mail_gmail_com"
cite="mid:CABfbgvv-8eJfHsHbQwmjMkGYCnuHYF9gTa=heyXuwy=KW-i70A@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">
<div dir="ltr">
<div class="gmail_extra">
<div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, Apr 24, 2014 at 2:08 AM, Cory
Hilliard <span dir="ltr"><<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:coryhilliard@gmail.com" target="_blank">coryhilliard@gmail.com</a>></span>
wrote:<br>
<blockquote id="Cite_1647943" class="gmail_quote cite"
style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid
rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
<div bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000"> Hello there,<br>
<br>
I think this group is exactly what I've been looking
for. I've been a computer admin/web programmer for many
years. Around 2003 I became interested and started
using Linux. Through all that I fell in love with Open
Source and Linux and am now half-way finished a 3 year
CS program. I did this because I want my whole future
to be wrapped up in contributing to Linux and Open
Source. (Specifically Fedora).<br>
</div>
</blockquote>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Hi Cory! Welcome to the Fedora Project! <br>
<br>
</div>
<blockquote id="Cite_2961646" class="gmail_quote cite"
style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid
rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
<div bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000"> <br>
There never seemed to be a visible entry door for people
like me. You all seemed like a tight-knit group of
"geeks" that had a secret knock or passageway to get
in... and unless you knew them, you weren't invited.<br>
<br>
Entry is almost overwhelming. I don't know anything it
seems. I've wanted to learn how to write an RPM, how to
contribute, how to test... but the methods to do so are
so confusing and so obscure, unless someone either
explains it or you read a manual that is thicker than a
New York phone book, you'll never know how.<br>
<br>
I read the irc chat you guys had. If you want an
understanding from the viewpoint of an outsider. Please
ask me. I'll tell you how huge the castle wall looks
like.<br>
<br>
</div>
</blockquote>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>I can totally understand. I'm very glad you've appeared
on the mailing list. I'm not sure if I should ask a
newcomer about ways to improve his experience, but I have
a quick question for you: would you rather ask for a less
intensive join procedure (less forms to fill, less groups
to join, just a take-me-to-where-I-do-stuff) or would you
rather ask for a guided approach where someone tells you
the stuff (ok, go to this page and fill out these points,
next fill out this form introducing yourself)?<br>
<br>
</div>
<div>It's probably a difficult question to answer, but what
was the first thing you tried to do when you decided you
want to contribute to Fedora? What were your first
hurdles? How did you reach here?<br>
<br>
</div>
<div>I'm hoping to devote some time this summer trying to
work out an easier way for folk to involve with Fedora, I
think your answers will come handy! <br>
<br>
</div>
<div>Thanks, hope to hear from you and help you onboard!<br>
<br>
</div>
<div>Sarup<br>
</div>
<div>(banas)<br>
</div>
</div>
<br>
</div>
</div>
<br>
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fedora-join mailing list
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<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://admin.fedoraproject.org/mailman/listinfo/fedora-join">https://admin.fedoraproject.org/mailman/listinfo/fedora-join</a>
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