A presentation about the open source community, how to get involved, and how to stay involved. Presented at UniForum Chicago on February 23, 2010.

1. The Open Source
Community
Getting Started and Staying Involved
Richard A. Johnson
UniForum Chicago
February 23, 2010

2. Disclaimer

3. Regardless of this presentation’s theme, I am
not introducing an iAnything

4. A copy of this presentation can be found at:
http://www.nixternal.com/presentations

5. About Me

6. Steve Jobs

7. Steve Jobs
Richard Johnson

8. aka nixternal

9. nixternal@gmail.com

10. www.nixternal.com

11. Twitter
@nixternal
Identica
@nixternal

12. Ubuntu
• Core Developer
• Community Council
• Developer Membership Board
• Regional Membership Board
• Co-Author of the Official Ubuntu Book

13. KDE
• Developer
• Documentation Writer
• Member of the Community Working Group
• Member of the KDE e.V.

14. Goals

15. Provide an overview of an open source
community

16. Show you how to get involved in an open source
community

17. Show you how to stay involved in an open
source community

18. An Overview

19. Merriam-Webster defines community as:
• a unified body of individuals
• society at large
• joint ownership or participation

20. Plato says...
"The community which has neither poverty nor riches
will always have the noblest principles."

21. Noble Principles
The principles of open source are what defines open source

22. Noble Principles
The principles of open source are what defines open source
1 Free Redistribution

23. Noble Principles
The principles of open source are what defines open source
1 Free Redistribution
2 Source Code

24. Noble Principles
The principles of open source are what defines open source
1 Free Redistribution
2 Source Code
3 Derived Works

25. Noble Principles
The principles of open source are what defines open source
1 Free Redistribution
2 Source Code
3 Derived Works
4 Integrity of The Author’s Source Code

26. Noble Principles
The principles of open source are what defines open source
1 Free Redistribution
2 Source Code
3 Derived Works
4 Integrity of The Author’s Source Code
5 No Discrimination Against Persons or Groups

27. Noble Principles
The principles of open source are what defines open source
1 Free Redistribution
2 Source Code
3 Derived Works
4 Integrity of The Author’s Source Code
5 No Discrimination Against Persons or Groups
6 No Discrimination Against Fields of Endeavor

28. Noble Principles
The principles of open source are what defines open source
1 Free Redistribution
2 Source Code
3 Derived Works
4 Integrity of The Author’s Source Code
5 No Discrimination Against Persons or Groups
6 No Discrimination Against Fields of Endeavor
7 Distribution of License

29. Noble Principles
The principles of open source are what defines open source
1 Free Redistribution
2 Source Code
3 Derived Works
4 Integrity of The Author’s Source Code
5 No Discrimination Against Persons or Groups
6 No Discrimination Against Fields of Endeavor
7 Distribution of License
8 License Must Not Be Specific to a Product

30. Noble Principles
The principles of open source are what defines open source
1 Free Redistribution
2 Source Code
3 Derived Works
4 Integrity of The Author’s Source Code
5 No Discrimination Against Persons or Groups
6 No Discrimination Against Fields of Endeavor
7 Distribution of License
8 License Must Not Be Specific to a Product
9 License Must Not Restrict Other Software

31. Noble Principles
The principles of open source are what defines open source
1 Free Redistribution
2 Source Code
3 Derived Works
4 Integrity of The Author’s Source Code
5 No Discrimination Against Persons or Groups
6 No Discrimination Against Fields of Endeavor
7 Distribution of License
8 License Must Not Be Specific to a Product
9 License Must Not Restrict Other Software
10 License Must Be Technology-Neutral

32. I also include the principles of free software when speaking of
open source

33. This gives us four essential freedoms, the freedom...

34. This gives us four essential freedoms, the freedom...
0 to run the program, for any purpose

35. This gives us four essential freedoms, the freedom...
0 to run the program, for any purpose
1 to study how the program works, and change it to make it
do what you wish

36. This gives us four essential freedoms, the freedom...
0 to run the program, for any purpose
1 to study how the program works, and change it to make it
do what you wish
2 to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor

37. This gives us four essential freedoms, the freedom...
0 to run the program, for any purpose
1 to study how the program works, and change it to make it
do what you wish
2 to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor
3 to distribute copies of your modified version to others

38. What are the ingredients of an open source
community?

39. Project

40. Project
Nobel Principles

41. Project
Nobel Principles
People

42. Who are these people?

43. Who are these people?
• Users

44. Who are these people?
• Users
• Contributors

45. Here are just a few of the people in the
community

50. And what do these people do?

53. Sorry!

54. These people...

55. These people...
• Create

56. These people...
• Create
• Maintain

57. These people...
• Create
• Maintain
• Support

58. These people...
• Create
• Maintain
• Support
• Use

59. Projects such as...

60. Projects such as...

61. Projects such as...

62. Projects such as...

63. Projects such as...

64. Projects such as...

65. Projects such as...

66. Projects such as...

67. Projects such as...

68. Projects such as...

69. Projects such as...

70. Projects such as...

71. Projects such as...

72. Get Involved

73. Snoop Dogg says...
That’s how we do it in the black community; we give
back to the people who made us who we are. We
never forget that.

74. No matter your skill level, you can still get
involved

75. Just started using an open source product?

76. Just started using an open source product?
• Bug Triage

77. Just started using an open source product?
• Bug Triage
• File wish list bugs

78. Just started using an open source product?
• Bug Triage
• File wish list bugs
• Go through support forums and mailing lists

79. Just started using an open source product?
• Bug Triage
• File wish list bugs
• Go through support forums and mailing lists
• Hop on IRC, check out support and developer channels

80. Many areas to get involved, most projects need

81. Many areas to get involved, most projects need
• Advocation

82. Many areas to get involved, most projects need
• Advocation
• Support

83. Many areas to get involved, most projects need
• Advocation
• Support
• Documentation

84. Many areas to get involved, most projects need
• Advocation
• Support
• Documentation
• Artwork

85. Many areas to get involved, most projects need
• Advocation
• Support
• Documentation
• Artwork
• Bug Triage

86. Many areas to get involved, most projects need
• Advocation
• Support
• Documentation
• Artwork
• Bug Triage
• Testing

87. Many areas to get involved, most projects need
• Advocation
• Support
• Documentation
• Artwork
• Bug Triage
• Testing
• Development

88. Many areas to get involved, most projects need
• Advocation
• Support
• Documentation
• Artwork
• Bug Triage
• Testing
• Development
• Web Development

89. Some of examples of where to go to get involved

90. Ubuntu
http://www.ubuntu.com/community

91. openSUSE
http://en.opensuse.org/How_to_Participate

92. Fedora
http://fedoraproject.org/en/join-fedora

93. GNOME
http://www.gnome.org/community

94. KDE
http://www.kde.org/community/getinvolved

95. Apache
http://www.apache.org/foundation/getinvolved.html

96. Python
http://www.python.org/dev/contributing/

97. Qt
http://qt.nokia.com/developer/the-qt-contribution-model

98. GTK
http://www.gtk.org/development.html#Contributing

99. Stay Involved

100. William James says...
The community stagnates without the impulse of the
individual. The impulse dies away without the
sympathy of the community.

101. Jono Bacon presented burn out recently
Get the presentation
http://jonobacon.org/files/jonobacon-burnouttalk.pdf
Watch his video
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/1640222

102. Burning out is not uncommon

103. Signs of burn out

104. Signs of burn out
• Prove yourself

105. Signs of burn out
• Prove yourself
• Work harder

106. Signs of burn out
• Prove yourself
• Work harder
• Ignore needs

107. Signs of burn out
• Prove yourself
• Work harder
• Ignore needs
• Panic and conflict

108. Signs of burn out
• Prove yourself
• Work harder
• Ignore needs
• Panic and conflict
• Change values

109. Signs of burn out
• Prove yourself
• Work harder
• Ignore needs
• Panic and conflict
• Change values
• Deny problems

110. Signs of burn out
• Prove yourself
• Work harder
• Ignore needs
• Panic and conflict
• Change values
• Deny problems
• Withdrawal

111. Signs of burn out
• Prove yourself
• Work harder
• Ignore needs
• Panic and conflict
• Change values
• Deny problems
• Withdrawal
• Odd behavior

112. Signs of burn out
• Prove yourself
• Work harder
• Ignore needs
• Panic and conflict
• Change values
• Deny problems
• Withdrawal
• Odd behavior
• Depersonalize

113. Signs of burn out
• Prove yourself
• Work harder
• Ignore needs
• Panic and conflict
• Change values
• Deny problems
• Withdrawal
• Odd behavior
• Depersonalize
• Inner emptiness

114. Signs of burn out
• Prove yourself
• Work harder
• Ignore needs
• Panic and conflict
• Change values
• Deny problems
• Withdrawal
• Odd behavior
• Depersonalize
• Inner emptiness
• Epic depression

115. Signs of burn out
• Prove yourself
• Work harder
• Ignore needs
• Panic and conflict
• Change values
• Deny problems
• Withdrawal
• Odd behavior
• Depersonalize
• Inner emptiness
• Epic depression
• Collapse

116. Some ways to combat burnout

117. As A Manager

118. As A Manager
• Provide support

119. As A Manager
• Provide support
• Validate contributions

120. As A Manager
• Provide support
• Validate contributions
• Restructure objectives

121. As A Team Member

122. As A Team Member
• Provide help

123. As A Team Member
• Provide help
• Build a spirit

124. As A Team Member
• Provide help
• Build a spirit
• Encourage venting

125. At Work

126. At Work
• Involve your manager

127. At Work
• Involve your manager
• Enforce work hours

128. At Work
• Involve your manager
• Enforce work hours
• Take breaks

129. In Your Personal Life

130. In Your Personal Life
• Take time off

131. In Your Personal Life
• Take time off
• Love your hobby

132. In Your Personal Life
• Take time off
• Love your hobby
• Socialize

133. Resources

134. Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burnout_(psychology)

135. Help Guide
Preventing Burnout
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/burnout_signs_symptoms.htm

136. Poisonous People
Video presented by Google on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-F-3E8pyjFo

137. Almost Done

138. My favorite community quote...

139. ??? says...
I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a community
organizer, except that you have actual responsibilities.

140. Sarah Palin said that!

141. THE END!

142. Questions?
Richard Johnson
www.nixternal.com
nixternal@gmail.com