MentoringProgramming confluence page

[Benson Margulies <bi...@gmail.com>]

I just submitted my first set of edits here. I adopted a fairly
high-handed attitude of rewriting to improve clarity -- according to
my ideas of clarity. If you all find it to be a train wreck just roll
it back and tell me what you don't like, and I'll try again.

I did have some questions that came up where I'm not sure what was
intended, either in document structure or in program(me) structure.

Question 0: Program or Programme? I made it consistently Programme,
though I wonder about using the British form in this one place in the
entire ASF.

Question 1: "How does the Mentor Programme work?" is an 'h1' with only
a single 'h2' under it. Also, much of the content above it is, in
fact, a quick summary of how the program works, and the 'Draft: the
ASF Mentoring Programme' below it is the detailed description. Should
this h1 be eliminated and the content below it all be promoted?

Question 2: I am confused about the intended bootstrapping process. A
would-be contributor shows up. To get started, that person needs to
design a proposed project. That design process requires a mentor
interaction. If the person already has a particular ASF project in
mind, he or she could ask one of the identified mentors from that
project for assistance. If the person does not have a particular ASF
project in mind, then what?

It seemed to me that there has to be some initial engagement between
some generic mentor from the programme to help the new person navigate
to the point of making contact with a specific project community. If
that's the intention, I can write it to state that more clearly.

Question 3: I don't understand the intention of "The mentee is
expected to document guidance provided by the mentee within the
appropriate documentation." What documentation would that be?

Question 4: Not all projects like incremental submissions. Some prefer
proposed changes to mature for in a patch until complete. (e.g.
Lucene).

Question 5: The word 'project' is a big ambiguity problem. The entire
ASF is organized as projects. So it is very hard to write this up to
as to keep straight mentee projects and ASF projects without a lot of
verbiage. If someone had another idea for what to call the mentee
activities (activity? task? quest?) it would help.

Question 6: Should the formal education material be on it's own page?
Long confluence pages are hard to work with.

Re: MentoringProgramming confluence page

[Ross Gardler <ro...@googlemail.com>]

2009/12/8 Benson Margulies <bi...@gmail.com>:
> I did another big round of edits based on your responses to my questions.

And you've made quite a difference to the quality of what little we
have, thank you very much.

Ross

Re: MentoringProgramming confluence page

[Benson Margulies <bi...@gmail.com>]

Ross,

I did another big round of edits based on your responses to my questions.

--benson


On Tue, Dec 8, 2009 at 9:26 AM, Ross Gardler
<ro...@googlemail.com> wrote:
> 2009/12/8 Benson Margulies <bi...@gmail.com>:
>> I just submitted my first set of edits here. I adopted a fairly
>> high-handed attitude of rewriting to improve clarity -- according to
>> my ideas of clarity. If you all find it to be a train wreck just roll
>> it back and tell me what you don't like, and I'll try again.
>
> Thank you. "High handed" is good at this stage. I'll review your changes soon.
>
>> I did have some questions that came up where I'm not sure what was
>> intended, either in document structure or in program(me) structure.
>>
>> Question 0: Program or Programme? I made it consistently Programme,
>> though I wonder about using the British form in this one place in the
>> entire ASF.
>
> I'm British, it would be nice to have something that's spelled right ;-)
>
> (honestly I don't have an opinion on this one).
>
>> Question 1: "How does the Mentor Programme work?" is an 'h1' with only
>> a single 'h2' under it. Also, much of the content above it is, in
>> fact, a quick summary of how the program works, and the 'Draft: the
>> ASF Mentoring Programme' below it is the detailed description. Should
>> this h1 be eliminated and the content below it all be promoted?
>
> +1
>
>> Question 2: I am confused about the intended bootstrapping process. A
>> would-be contributor shows up. To get started, that person needs to
>> design a proposed project. That design process requires a mentor
>> interaction. If the person already has a particular ASF project in
>> mind, he or she could ask one of the identified mentors from that
>> project for assistance. If the person does not have a particular ASF
>> project in mind, then what?
>
> We will help them find their way? In reality we'd work with them to
> find a suitable project to work on and hand hold them in their first
> steps into that community. I see it as arranging to meet a shy friend
> at the door to the party so they don't have to go in alone.
>
>> It seemed to me that there has to be some initial engagement between
>> some generic mentor from the programme to help the new person navigate
>> to the point of making contact with a specific project community. If
>> that's the intention, I can write it to state that more clearly.
>
> I think tat's what I have in mind, so clarity there would be good.
>
>> Question 3: I don't understand the intention of "The mentee is
>> expected to document guidance provided by the mentee within the
>> appropriate documentation." What documentation would that be?
>
> Not sure (I'm reading out of context), but I think this is saying the
> mentee has to help us write documentation for those who come later.
> That is they help us write the mentor/mentee docs.
>
>> Question 4: Not all projects like incremental submissions. Some prefer
>> proposed changes to mature for in a patch until complete. (e.g.
>> Lucene).
>
> OK, we need to accommodate that then.
>
>> Question 5: The word 'project' is a big ambiguity problem. The entire
>> ASF is organized as projects. So it is very hard to write this up to
>> as to keep straight mentee projects and ASF projects without a lot of
>> verbiage. If someone had another idea for what to call the mentee
>> activities (activity? task? quest?) it would help.
>
> Yes, this has come up in GSoC and in conversation with a prospective
> mentee over on the Wookie list. Activity and task is probably too fine
> grained. Quest kind of works because it's a well known training
> technique in the academic sector, is it so well known outside of that
> sector? I'm afraid I have no other suggestions.
>
>> Question 6: Should the formal education material be on it's own page?
>> Long confluence pages are hard to work with.
>
> +1, formal education part does not apply to all mentees.
>
> Ross
>
>
> --
> Ross Gardler
>
> OSS Watch - supporting open source in education and research
> http://www.oss-watch.ac.uk
>

Re: MentoringProgramming confluence page

[Ross Gardler <ro...@googlemail.com>]

2009/12/8 Benson Margulies <bi...@gmail.com>:
> I just submitted my first set of edits here. I adopted a fairly
> high-handed attitude of rewriting to improve clarity -- according to
> my ideas of clarity. If you all find it to be a train wreck just roll
> it back and tell me what you don't like, and I'll try again.

Thank you. "High handed" is good at this stage. I'll review your changes soon.

> I did have some questions that came up where I'm not sure what was
> intended, either in document structure or in program(me) structure.
>
> Question 0: Program or Programme? I made it consistently Programme,
> though I wonder about using the British form in this one place in the
> entire ASF.

I'm British, it would be nice to have something that's spelled right ;-)

(honestly I don't have an opinion on this one).

> Question 1: "How does the Mentor Programme work?" is an 'h1' with only
> a single 'h2' under it. Also, much of the content above it is, in
> fact, a quick summary of how the program works, and the 'Draft: the
> ASF Mentoring Programme' below it is the detailed description. Should
> this h1 be eliminated and the content below it all be promoted?

+1

> Question 2: I am confused about the intended bootstrapping process. A
> would-be contributor shows up. To get started, that person needs to
> design a proposed project. That design process requires a mentor
> interaction. If the person already has a particular ASF project in
> mind, he or she could ask one of the identified mentors from that
> project for assistance. If the person does not have a particular ASF
> project in mind, then what?

We will help them find their way? In reality we'd work with them to
find a suitable project to work on and hand hold them in their first
steps into that community. I see it as arranging to meet a shy friend
at the door to the party so they don't have to go in alone.

> It seemed to me that there has to be some initial engagement between
> some generic mentor from the programme to help the new person navigate
> to the point of making contact with a specific project community. If
> that's the intention, I can write it to state that more clearly.

I think tat's what I have in mind, so clarity there would be good.

> Question 3: I don't understand the intention of "The mentee is
> expected to document guidance provided by the mentee within the
> appropriate documentation." What documentation would that be?

Not sure (I'm reading out of context), but I think this is saying the
mentee has to help us write documentation for those who come later.
That is they help us write the mentor/mentee docs.

> Question 4: Not all projects like incremental submissions. Some prefer
> proposed changes to mature for in a patch until complete. (e.g.
> Lucene).

OK, we need to accommodate that then.

> Question 5: The word 'project' is a big ambiguity problem. The entire
> ASF is organized as projects. So it is very hard to write this up to
> as to keep straight mentee projects and ASF projects without a lot of
> verbiage. If someone had another idea for what to call the mentee
> activities (activity? task? quest?) it would help.

Yes, this has come up in GSoC and in conversation with a prospective
mentee over on the Wookie list. Activity and task is probably too fine
grained. Quest kind of works because it's a well known training
technique in the academic sector, is it so well known outside of that
sector? I'm afraid I have no other suggestions.

> Question 6: Should the formal education material be on it's own page?
> Long confluence pages are hard to work with.

+1, formal education part does not apply to all mentees.

Ross


-- 
Ross Gardler

OSS Watch - supporting open source in education and research
http://www.oss-watch.ac.uk