First-time contributor to a project, how can I help?

[Ray Ma <de...@rayma.me>]

Hi ComDev,

[Meta]

I was going to private mail someone, since I wasn't really comfortable
talking about this question in a public list, but I want to start
trusting Apache people as an inclusive group. So... here goes nothing.
(Also, really sorry if this sounded like an over-dramatic fictional
piece.)

[Actual Question Starts Here]

I have just found an Apache project (I don't want to call anyone out),
and I just really want to contribute to it. The idea seems really
good! But there're a bunch of outstanding issues on Jira that's
preventing newcomers from contributing. I really want to deal with
these, but I'm not a committer, and I in no way want to "bypass"
whatever committership requirements the project may have. But seeing
the list of 20-or-so issues that I'm powerless to resolve... It's just
this sense of frustration and powerlessness.

What can I do to help? I love the goals of the project, but it's hard
to get started without crucial information or even working development
instruction. Apologies for the genericness, it's just I don't want to
seem rude towards that project.

Thanks,
Ray

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Re: First-time contributor to a project, how can I help?

[Jim Jagielski <ji...@jaguNET.com>]

Understood... I would say that it is likely harder to discuss this and provide feedback whole also keeping the name of the project secret; but I also agree that keeping the name secret is *entirely* appropriate for this email and this conversation. I would suggest letting this discussion go on for a bit here, and then reaching out directly to someone who has replied to this thread, someone whom you think you could chat with openly and honestly, 1-1, so that they could more easily and directly mentor you.

Cheers!

> On Sep 16, 2019, at 3:32 AM, Ray Ma <de...@rayma.me> wrote:
> 
> Hi ComDev,
> 
> [Meta]
> 
> I was going to private mail someone, since I wasn't really comfortable
> talking about this question in a public list, but I want to start
> trusting Apache people as an inclusive group. So... here goes nothing.
> (Also, really sorry if this sounded like an over-dramatic fictional
> piece.)
> 
> [Actual Question Starts Here]
> 
> I have just found an Apache project (I don't want to call anyone out),
> and I just really want to contribute to it. The idea seems really
> good! But there're a bunch of outstanding issues on Jira that's
> preventing newcomers from contributing. I really want to deal with
> these, but I'm not a committer, and I in no way want to "bypass"
> whatever committership requirements the project may have. But seeing
> the list of 20-or-so issues that I'm powerless to resolve... It's just
> this sense of frustration and powerlessness.
> 
> What can I do to help? I love the goals of the project, but it's hard
> to get started without crucial information or even working development
> instruction. Apologies for the genericness, it's just I don't want to
> seem rude towards that project.
> 
> Thanks,
> Ray
> 
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> To unsubscribe, e-mail: dev-unsubscribe@community.apache.org
> For additional commands, e-mail: dev-help@community.apache.org
> 


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Re: First-time contributor to a project, how can I help?

[Mark Thomas <ma...@apache.org>]

On 16/09/2019 10:34, Ray Ma wrote:
>> Not ideal but it can happen. One option is to check the patches are
>> still valid, apply cleanly and update them if necessary.
> Do you mean in my local development environment?

I mean several things all rolled into one.

1. Check that the original issue is still present. Sometimes -
especially when there are duplicates or a lot of open issues - issues
get fixed but the issue tracker isn't updated. If the issue has been
fixed then resolve the issue (or comment that it can be resolved).

2. Check that the proposed patch applies cleanly to the current code
base. If not, update the patch so it does.

3. Check that the proposed patch fixes the issue. Add your findings to
the issue ticket.

4. Optional. Does the issue have a test case? If not, and a test makes
sense, add one.

The aim is to make it as easy as possible for a committer to confirm the
issue exists, confirm that the patch fixes the issue and apply the patch.

HTH,

Mark


>> Potentially. That is the sort of thing to discuss on the project's dev@
>> list before you start.
> 
>> "I'd like to expand the documentation for community newcomers. I was
>> thinking something along the lines of <insert ideas here>. What do you
>> think? I found https://... Is this the correct source for the website to
>> update?"
> 
> Right, thanks for the tip, will do.
> 
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Re: First-time contributor to a project, how can I help?

[Ray Ma <de...@rayma.me>]

> Not ideal but it can happen. One option is to check the patches are
> still valid, apply cleanly and update them if necessary.
Do you mean in my local development environment?

> Potentially. That is the sort of thing to discuss on the project's dev@
> list before you start.

> "I'd like to expand the documentation for community newcomers. I was
> thinking something along the lines of <insert ideas here>. What do you
> think? I found https://... Is this the correct source for the website to
> update?"

Right, thanks for the tip, will do.

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Re: First-time contributor to a project, how can I help?

[Mark Thomas <ma...@apache.org>]

On 16/09/2019 09:41, Ray Ma wrote:
> Hi Mark,
> 
> Some of the Jira issues already have patches attached, just not
> reviewed or merged (some are a couple years old).

Not ideal but it can happen. One option is to check the patches are
still valid, apply cleanly and update them if necessary.
> 
> As for the documentation/site, it looks like I could potentially
> submit patches to the site/trunk of the project (again, the
> documentation doesn't exist, so I'm not sure where exactly the site
> is, that's just what I found from the svn repo), but should I put in
> documentation for newcomers when I'm kinda a newcomer myself?

Potentially. That is the sort of thing to discuss on the project's dev@
list before you start.

"I'd like to expand the documentation for community newcomers. I was
thinking something along the lines of <insert ideas here>. What do you
think? I found https://... Is this the correct source for the website to
update?"

Mark


> 
> Ray
> 
> On Mon, Sep 16, 2019 at 8:17 PM Mark Thomas <ma...@apache.org> wrote:
>>
>> On 16/09/2019 08:32, Ray Ma wrote:
>>> Hi ComDev,
>>>
>>> [Meta]
>>>
>>> I was going to private mail someone, since I wasn't really comfortable
>>> talking about this question in a public list, but I want to start
>>> trusting Apache people as an inclusive group. So... here goes nothing.
>>> (Also, really sorry if this sounded like an over-dramatic fictional
>>> piece.)
>>>
>>> [Actual Question Starts Here]
>>>
>>> I have just found an Apache project (I don't want to call anyone out),
>>> and I just really want to contribute to it. The idea seems really
>>> good! But there're a bunch of outstanding issues on Jira that's
>>> preventing newcomers from contributing. I really want to deal with
>>> these, but I'm not a committer, and I in no way want to "bypass"
>>> whatever committership requirements the project may have. But seeing
>>> the list of 20-or-so issues that I'm powerless to resolve... It's just
>>> this sense of frustration and powerlessness.
>>>
>>> What can I do to help? I love the goals of the project, but it's hard
>>> to get started without crucial information or even working development
>>> instruction. Apologies for the genericness, it's just I don't want to
>>> seem rude towards that project.
>>
>> Is it an option to provide patches / pull requests for the documentation
>> and/or website to address some of these gaps?
>>
>> Mark
>>
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>> To unsubscribe, e-mail: dev-unsubscribe@community.apache.org
>> For additional commands, e-mail: dev-help@community.apache.org
>>
> 
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Re: First-time contributor to a project, how can I help?

[Ray Ma <de...@rayma.me>]

Hi Mark,

Some of the Jira issues already have patches attached, just not
reviewed or merged (some are a couple years old).

As for the documentation/site, it looks like I could potentially
submit patches to the site/trunk of the project (again, the
documentation doesn't exist, so I'm not sure where exactly the site
is, that's just what I found from the svn repo), but should I put in
documentation for newcomers when I'm kinda a newcomer myself?

Ray

On Mon, Sep 16, 2019 at 8:17 PM Mark Thomas <ma...@apache.org> wrote:
>
> On 16/09/2019 08:32, Ray Ma wrote:
> > Hi ComDev,
> >
> > [Meta]
> >
> > I was going to private mail someone, since I wasn't really comfortable
> > talking about this question in a public list, but I want to start
> > trusting Apache people as an inclusive group. So... here goes nothing.
> > (Also, really sorry if this sounded like an over-dramatic fictional
> > piece.)
> >
> > [Actual Question Starts Here]
> >
> > I have just found an Apache project (I don't want to call anyone out),
> > and I just really want to contribute to it. The idea seems really
> > good! But there're a bunch of outstanding issues on Jira that's
> > preventing newcomers from contributing. I really want to deal with
> > these, but I'm not a committer, and I in no way want to "bypass"
> > whatever committership requirements the project may have. But seeing
> > the list of 20-or-so issues that I'm powerless to resolve... It's just
> > this sense of frustration and powerlessness.
> >
> > What can I do to help? I love the goals of the project, but it's hard
> > to get started without crucial information or even working development
> > instruction. Apologies for the genericness, it's just I don't want to
> > seem rude towards that project.
>
> Is it an option to provide patches / pull requests for the documentation
> and/or website to address some of these gaps?
>
> Mark
>
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> To unsubscribe, e-mail: dev-unsubscribe@community.apache.org
> For additional commands, e-mail: dev-help@community.apache.org
>

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Re: First-time contributor to a project, how can I help?

[Mark Thomas <ma...@apache.org>]

On 16/09/2019 08:32, Ray Ma wrote:
> Hi ComDev,
> 
> [Meta]
> 
> I was going to private mail someone, since I wasn't really comfortable
> talking about this question in a public list, but I want to start
> trusting Apache people as an inclusive group. So... here goes nothing.
> (Also, really sorry if this sounded like an over-dramatic fictional
> piece.)
> 
> [Actual Question Starts Here]
> 
> I have just found an Apache project (I don't want to call anyone out),
> and I just really want to contribute to it. The idea seems really
> good! But there're a bunch of outstanding issues on Jira that's
> preventing newcomers from contributing. I really want to deal with
> these, but I'm not a committer, and I in no way want to "bypass"
> whatever committership requirements the project may have. But seeing
> the list of 20-or-so issues that I'm powerless to resolve... It's just
> this sense of frustration and powerlessness.
> 
> What can I do to help? I love the goals of the project, but it's hard
> to get started without crucial information or even working development
> instruction. Apologies for the genericness, it's just I don't want to
> seem rude towards that project.

Is it an option to provide patches / pull requests for the documentation
and/or website to address some of these gaps?

Mark

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Re: First-time contributor to a project, how can I help?

[Alexandre Rafalovitch <ar...@gmail.com>]

There are many ways to contribute to the project without commit. And
it is best to start from no expectation of commit bits rather than
trying to earn them.

When I started contributing to Solr, I did not ever expect to become a
committer. So, I worked on things around it. Blogging, commenting on
JIRA, creating my own website listing information derived from - but
hard to find in - the actual project (http://www.solr-start.com/),
running a mini-newsletter. You control all of that and can be the best
you are in it.

And specifically on documenting as a beginner. You are in the best
position actually. Read the latest releases/issues, find out the best
way to do the simplest thing, publish it on your own blog and/or offer
to contribute to the official documentation. You have the eyes and
sense of need that others - used to the project at its earlier version
- do not. Often, those contributions are very valued. Similarly,
tracking and resharing other people's writing on the web about that
project are often valuable.

Feel free to reach out to me directly if you would like to take that
onboarding role within your chosen project. I would be happy to give
some ideas based on my own journey with Solr. Again, the important
mindset is NOT to expect the commit bits.

Regards,
   Alex.

On Mon, 16 Sep 2019 at 03:32, Ray Ma <de...@rayma.me> wrote:
>
> Hi ComDev,
>
> [Meta]
>
> I was going to private mail someone, since I wasn't really comfortable
> talking about this question in a public list, but I want to start
> trusting Apache people as an inclusive group. So... here goes nothing.
> (Also, really sorry if this sounded like an over-dramatic fictional
> piece.)
>
> [Actual Question Starts Here]
>
> I have just found an Apache project (I don't want to call anyone out),
> and I just really want to contribute to it. The idea seems really
> good! But there're a bunch of outstanding issues on Jira that's
> preventing newcomers from contributing. I really want to deal with
> these, but I'm not a committer, and I in no way want to "bypass"
> whatever committership requirements the project may have. But seeing
> the list of 20-or-so issues that I'm powerless to resolve... It's just
> this sense of frustration and powerlessness.
>
> What can I do to help? I love the goals of the project, but it's hard
> to get started without crucial information or even working development
> instruction. Apologies for the genericness, it's just I don't want to
> seem rude towards that project.
>
> Thanks,
> Ray
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> To unsubscribe, e-mail: dev-unsubscribe@community.apache.org
> For additional commands, e-mail: dev-help@community.apache.org
>

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