Open Source 101

Carolyn Van Slyck

Background

Why I chose open source

My Little Cluster Story

Contribute - Code

• Bug Fixes
• Features
• Build Work
  • Bumping dependency versions
  • Improving local developer experience
  • CI - Code linters
  • CI - Windows

Contribute - Test

• Test coverage
• Integration / End-to-End tests
• Testability

Contribute - Doc

• Getting Started
• Core Concepts
• Configuration
• Troubleshooting
• Meta (contributing, CoC, reviewing, issue templates)
• Website Framework/Build
• Website Design
• Inline comments/doc
• Answered questions -> FAQ
• writethedocs.org
• docslikecode.com

Contribute - Project Management

• Attend community meetings
• Taking notes, recordings
• Labeling issues
• Closing stale issues or fixed issues
• Tracking milestones
• Putting together releases

          
            Slides @ carolynvs.com/oss101
          
        

Contribute - Help

• Reading issues as they come and commenting where you can
• Answering questions
• Find gaps in the doc
• Identifying duplicates, related questions or previous answers
• Reproduce a bug report
• Trying out fixes
• Chatting with people on slack, helping other users
• Providing feedback on design proposals
• Ask clarifying questions on a code review
• Experience reports

Contribution Ladder

Select a Project

• You use it
• You are learning it
• You need to fix it
• You want to influence it

Lurk

(Re)set Your Expectations

• What's "normal"?
• Time Distortion Fields
• Know your peers
• Remember why you are here

Your First PR

Asking for Help

Your First PR ... Day 2

Casual Contributor

Build Trust

• Incremental, small changes
• The art of the follow-on PR
• Remember your own goals
• Check your ego
• Seek compomise ...
• ... know your boundaries

Member

Kind Code Reviews

Maintainer

The Crushing Guilt

Exit Strategy

Resources

• GitHub Open Source Guide
• Roads and Bridges:
  The unseen labor behind our digital infrastructure
• Stop Drinking Spoiled Milk

Thank you

@carolynvs