For anyone interested in getting involved in community-built software, but not sure where to start.
Dietary preferences: documentation communications process engineering
Amuse-bouche
Everyone should do this.
Start Here
Description
Complete the “Welcome to Fedora” process. This is an optional entry path for new contributors to the project. It is primarily used during our round of Google Summer of Code internships, but is open to anyone.
Goal
Become familiar with Fedora’s basic communications tools and processes, and find the next thing you might be interested in.
Some in the “Fedora Join” SIG should be able to help. That’s what this process is all about. However, if you run into a bigger issue, talk to Justin, Aoife, or Matthew.
Want a second helping?
Based on your experience, help improve the process for future potential contributors.
Join Fedora Discussion
Description
Fedora Discussion is our place for asynchronous conversation. Join the site and introduce yourself.
Goal
Community visibility and familiarity with one of our communication centers.
Valuable contributions without a long-term commitment.
Reach Fedora Discussion Trust Level 1
Description
Our forum software assigns “Trust Levels”, based on positive interaction on the site. Everyone starts at TL0, which has a number of restrictions meant to prevent spam and other abuse. Spend
Goal
Do more than just an introduction. Become familiar to site regulars, and learn about the community through practical interaction.
Prereqs
Join Fedora Discussion, above.
Time
Total of about an hour. May be spread out (just a few minutes each day) over the course of a week.
Configure your notifications to appear for subjects and areas you’re interested in, and not for those you aren’t. Get to Trust Level 2 — see below.
Write an article for Fedora Magazine
Description
Help share useful or interesting information
Goal
Fedora account. Familiarity with Fedora Magazine contributor guidelines.
Prereqs
Time
1-4 hours, as often as you like.
Connection point
Contributing as a Fedora Magazine Writer ,Look in the “ideas” column of the Magazine workflow dashboard.
There are always more Test Days! Participate in another — or help run one!
Test pending software updates
Description
Every package update for Fedora Linux goes through automated tests, but also spends time in “updates-testing” before going live for everyone. During this time, one
Goal
Validate pending Fedora Linux updates before they are released to the general public. Help us release critical security fixes quickly.
Prereqs
Fedora account. Fedora Linux installed (possibly in a virtual machine). Basic familiarity with rpm package concepts.
Someone on Ask Fedora will be happy to help — or ask a coworker to help.
Want a second helping?
Install it on all your computers!
Get to Fedora Discussion Trust Level 2
Description
The logical continuation of “Reach Discussion Trust Level 1”, above. This is the basic “normal user” Trust Level. It requires interaction, not just reading posts. Create new topics, respond to other people, and react with emoji.
Goal
Do more than just an introduction. Become familiar to site regulars, and learn about the community through practical interaction.
Prereqs
Join Fedora Discussion, above.
Time
1-2 hours, spread over time. You must have some activity on the site on at least 15 distinct days.
Configure your notifications to appear for subjects and areas you’re interested in, and not for those you aren’t. Get to Trust Level 3! TL3 site members have access to limited moderator functionality.
Daily / weekly answers on Ask Fedora
Description
Commit to helping people on Ask Fedora (a category on Fedora Discussion). You don’t need to be an expert — or even deeply technical! — to help!
Goal
Helping people is the best way to learn and reinforce your own skills.
Prereqs
Basic familiarity with Fedora Linux, most usefully in a desktop / laptop context. You don’t need to be deeply technical to help new users ask the right questions and provide the information that experts will need.
Related
This is extremely likely to get you to Trust Level 2 — and then 3.
Configure your notifications to appear for subjects and areas you’re interested in, and not for those you aren’t. Get to Trust Level 3! TL3 site members have access to limited moderator functionality.
Chair a Recurring Meeting
Description
Many Fedora communities meet on a regular basis, but are more interested in the subject matter than passionate about running effective meetings.
Goal
Help Fedora communities communicate better and become more successful in their conversations.
Prereqs
You should have some skill at moderating meetings, keeping track of results, and filing follow up activities where appropriate. It’s helpful to have a connection to the community that the meeting is for. You also will need basic familiarity with Matrix.
Time
Variables hours per week for as many weeks as needed
Ask a more experienced member of the team you’re helping. Ask the developers of “zodbot” for help — #zodbot-devel on Fedora Chat
Want a second helping?
Fix those docs!
Be “on call” in the #admin channel
Description
Ward off a big productivity killer while increasing community responsiveness.
Goal
Sure, you’re helping out… but you’ll also meet people, become a familiar name in the community, and get hands-on experience with our Infrastructure Team.
First, scan that list of SOPs — each one should have a contact. If you’re still stuck, ask for help in the #admin channel yourself. (It’s okay to admit you don’t know everything.)
Help admin the Wordpress instance Actively encourage Fedora teams to post regular updates.
Help moderate Fedora Chat
Description
Watch for and handle bad behavior on Matrix, our real-time chat platform.
Goal
Moderation can be exhausting. Help spread the load — and ensure that we have a consistent presence. Get to know various Fedora contributors who hang out here. And, practice your skills in managing disputes and disruptive behavior.
Prereqs
Basic familiarity with Matrix. Some understanding of community norms and culture. “Crucial Conversations” skills.
Time
1-2 hours per week. Possible “on call” hours, although that’s not currently formalized.
Instead of waiting to be called on for help, hang out in the main channels and keep an eye on things. Help organize formal Matrix moderation rules and team procedures. (See Policy for admin and moderator permissions in Matrix rooms.)
Help moderate Fedora Discussion
Description
Watch for and handle bad behavior on Discourse, our platform for long-form, lasting, asynchronous conversation.
Goal
Moderation can be exhausting. Help spread the load — and ensure that we have a consistent presence. Get to know various Fedora contributors who hang out here. And, practice your skills in managing disputes and disruptive behavior.
Prereqs
It helps if you’ve been around Ask Fedora / Fedora Discussion enough to be a familiar face. Ideally, at Trust Level 2 or 3.
Time
A few minutes per day reviewing the flag review queue, at least several times a week.
Reading a lot — or collecting updates in some other way.
Time
1-2 hours per week, indefinitely
Connection point
Magazine? Discussion Forum? Take your pick! This has some overlap with reports from the FCA or from the Infra team, but should be broader and more high-level.
If you get stuck…
Aoife can help!
Want a second helping?
Build some sort of sustainable process which people can feed items to.
Specials
Special projects with a higher weekly commitment — but a fixed end.
Improve “Welcome to Fedora”
Description
We point people to the Welcome to Fedora to get started. How can this experience be made better?
Goal
Bring your own experience and expertise to the process, improving it for the next person.
Prereqs
Go through the process — and spend some time getting to know other people in the Join SIG with similar interest in welcoming newcomers.
Time
Several hours a week for a few months. There are already plenty of people with “someone should make this better” talk — this project is about hands-on work with the process and the documentation.
Ask in the relevant Matrix or Discussion channels.
Want a second helping?
Stay around the Join SIG and work on continuous improvement.
Restart “Supplemental Wallpaper”
Description
The main wallpaper for each Fedora Linux release is created by the Fedora Design team, in a community process. This isn’t that wallpaper. We used to also have a process where community members could submit their own art for inclusion as a wallpaper option, and then there was a vote. This was a popular and fun community activity every release. The person who was running the process is no longer part of the Fedora Project, and no one picked it up. The tools used in that
Goal
Run a one-time supplementary wallpaper contest. Work with others in Fedora to create a new process.
Let’s make docs.fedoraproject.org the complete source of current authoritative information on Fedora. This requires moving still-relevant content from the old wiki.
Prereqs
Some knowledge about what is dated and what is accurate.
Note: This could eventually update or replace https://whatcanidoforfedora.org/. I started it a while ago, but never got it completed, and rather than having it sit half-finished, I’m publishing it here so anyone who is interested can help finish it. (I’m making the post a wiki so anyone can edit.)
documentation
communications
process
engineering