That is a BIG +++1 from me. Being a new contributors, I could have saved a lot of "stupid" questions, had I had a reading list.
I have spent quite a number of hours (and that of others too) finding things, everybody knows. It would be good to have 1 wiki page with a suggested reading and items to do (get a wiki account etc.). That page can then later have specialized sub pages depending on the type of volunteer. What really bothers me, is that I waste time for many others, who are very polite in helping me get over the first start....with many new volunteers (assuming I am on average) that is a lot of time, that could have been spent on more fruitful things. I agree however that the wording of the page should be choose well, words like "suggested reading" are far better for those who take things personally. I will gladly review such a page :-) jan. On 19 October 2012 18:17, Rob Weir <robw...@apache.org> wrote: > I am thinking about what new project volunteers need to get started. > Obviously there are area-specific things. For example, developers > need to know how to download and build. Translation volunteers need > to understand Pootle, etc. But there are also some basic things that > all volunteers should probably do. > > Although we have all of this information (or at least most of it) on > the website or wikis or mailing list archives, it is scattered all > over the place. I think it would be good if we could collect this > information (or at least links to this information) into one place and > put a linear order behind it, a step of specific steps we want new > volunteers to take. > > Now, I can hear the objections already -- you can't tell volunteers > what to do. That is why they are volunteers. You can't regiment > them, etc. This is true. But at the scale we need to operate at -- > I'm aiming to attract dozens of new volunteers on the project by the > end of the year -- we need some structure. So what can we do to make > their first 2 weeks in the project easier for them, and easier for us? > > One idea: Think of the new volunteer startup tasks in terms of > "stages" or "levels", a defined set of reading and other activities > that leads them to acquire basic skills in our community. > > For example: > > Level 1 tasks: > > 1) Read the following web pages on the ASF, roles at Apache and the Apache > Way > > 2) Sign up for the following accounts that every volunteer should > have: ooo-announce, ooo-dev, ooo-users, MWiki, CWiki, BZ, Forums > > 3) Read this helpful document on hints for managing your inbox with > rules and folders > > 4) Read this code of conduct page on list etiquette > > 5) Send a note to ooo-dev list and introduce yourself > > 6) Edit this wiki page containing project volunteers. Add your name > and indicate that you have completed Level 1. > > > Level 2 tasks: > > 1) Using the Apache CMS in anonymous mode > > 2) Readings on decision making at Apache > > 3) Readings on project life cycle and roles within the AOO project > > 4) Introduction to the various functional groups within the project: > development, qa, marketing, UX, documentation, support, localization, > etc. > > 5) Pick one or more functional groups that you want to help with. > Edit the volunteer wiki and list them. Also indicate that you have > now completed Level 2. > > Get the idea? After Level 2 this then could branch off into > area-specific lists of start up tasks: how to download and build. > How to submit patches. How to update a translation. How to define a > new test case. > > Is any one interested in helping with this? > > -Rob >
