3:10 p.m.
Hello. Probably FranciscoD already know what I think.
Anyway I want to share some more thoughts.
I agree with the people-centric view.
On Sun, 2019-09-22 at 17:55 +0100, ankursinha wrote:
Sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn't. It's a passive,
task
oriented model. Some tasks require newcomers to learn quite a few
tools
and skills. While newcomers do meet other Fedora contributors, the
focus
here is on using the task to become a part of Fedora.
Another point is that a community needs people in order to stay alive
and vibrant. People that talk (I mean, write) and that interact with
each other. People that is interested and curious to know how things
works, and people that is happy to explain things and to share
knowledge.
Sometimes this doesn't happen: people doesn't know how and where to
contribute. And doesn't interact: for fear? Afraid of being teased?
They think that it is all too difficult? Lack of involvement? Lack of
time? They don't feel welcomed?
Maybe there is a potential in a person, but nobody (neither himself)
know that.
And many times it is objectively difficult to contribute: the engine is
already running, where can I be useful? Maybe the project doesn't need
my work.
But! I think that in a community it is also important, as I said, in
order to keep it active, it is important to "speak" (to write, in this
case).
Well, let's make another example on the other hand: a veteran
contributor that write an announcement, that write a news, and nobody
that answer. Or someone that write an idea, and nobody give any
feedback. This could be frustrating after a while. Leading to a silent
mailing list, a silent forum, etc.
And: it is not important to find something to do as soon as I join the
community. The important thing is to stay around. Read various mailing
lists, read the community blog, the magazine. Look around in the
various pagure projects.
Maybe after a month, maybe after a year, something happens and suddenly
I find my place in the community.
The important thing is to stay in the loop, and to keep people in the
loop.
Fedora is not the OS. Fedora is the people. The OS and all the cool
deliverables we produce are merely means to achieve our goal---
promoting
Free and Open Source Software.
I agree.
As I said many times, too many people, I mean, too many users (of any
FLOSS project) consider themselves merely "users". I use this product,
I pretend something from the developers. I'm not satisfied, I rant
somewhere, if I can I choose another "product".
(At the same time I don't like the answer: if you don't give back
anything to the community, you should shut up.)
The point is: it is not mandatory to be an assembler developer, a
sysadmin hero, or the greatest engineer in the world in order to
contribute. Sometimes it's simpler than we think.
Also writing about our own experiences is a way to contribute. I
achieved such goal using that software; I installed Fedora on my
daughter notebook and she doesn't noticed that she is able to do her
daily jobs without any trouble.
So yes, participation is the key.
Ciao,
A.