Re: [Libreplanet-us-wa] [Free Geek Seattle] Re: stuff going on, and soliciting ideas

[Andrew Kane]

On 10/26/2015 12:51 PM, Lee Fisher wrote:
> 
> On 10/11/2015 07:27 PM, Andrew Kane wrote:

> 
>> Since the last meeting I've made very little progress on starting
>> the as-yet-unnamed organization I've been talking about. I have
>> not forgotten, but I hope no one is in a hurry. This is a complex
>> area in which I have no prior training. I'm assuming that everyone
>> who reads this already knows what I'm talking about, but just in
>> case: Free Geek Seattle is effectively dead, and I'm planning to
>> start a different organization which will help it and other similar
>> organizations to start. I'm currently thinking of using the name
>> "Libremake" for this organization. Hopefully someone has a better
>> idea?

    To clarify: If there's going to be a Free Geek Seattle, I'm probably
NOT going to be an active part of it. I have materials and resources
that I can offer someone else who wants to make a Free Geek Seattle
happen, and the putative "libremake" organization is intended to offer
further help (mostly in the area of legal paperwork and financial
infrastructure) for it and similar orgs.

> 
> I think that the area could benefit from some more active FOSS
> involvement in projects. Today, most activities seem to focus around
> meeting at bars and socializing, occasional protests against non-GPL
> entities.

    I'm actively trying to get both GSLUG and libreplanet-wa to organize
around training newcomers to become contributors to Free Software. Right
now it is very, very difficult for a newcomer to make even a small
contribution to a FOSS project unless they have a mentor available, and
mentoring is itself difficult and time-consuming. Using the time of
experienced contributors to mentor newcomers is counter-productive to
say the least.

    Meanwhile, most projects use a common set of tools. Some of these
tools are so complex that it's difficult and time-consuming for a
newomer to learn them (looking at you, git) and this poses a barrier to
participation. Currently Debian, for example, could be considered to be
built by fewer than .1% of its users (assuming there are only two
million Debian users and that only DD's count as builders). Debian moves
fast when things can be automated (e.g. reproducible builds) but slowly
when things need to be done by a human, because there is at least 10x
the amount of work needed than person-hours available.

> 
> I wish FSF had more constructive, educational goals for local
> LibrePlanet chapters.

    I also wish this were so, but in the meantime we can set our own
goals- and if it works out then we can report a fait accompli to FSF and
suggest some methods that work.

> I think we should have a
> quarterly hackathon for a strategic FOSS project, where there is some
> local project volunteer around locally to help coordinate with newbie
> involvement with that project.

    I endorse this suggestion, but unfortunately I can't be the one to
organize this. I am willing to help as and where I can.

    What I *am* willing to organize is regular (more than quarterly)
instruction in core Free Software development tools. The difference
between (for example) knowing a little git and not knowing any git is
the difference between being able to contribute to hundreds of projects
(that is, all those hosted on github) and not being able to. I would
like to see, at minimum, basic introductory instruction in at least one
of the following at every GSLUG meeting, with tutoring available for
more advanced learning:

1) diff/patch and beginning git. Those who use svn, hg and friends can
teach that as well, but at this point I think it's fair to call git an
essential skill for FOSS contribution.
2) GPG. Since it's not possible for every patch to be evaluated on every
possible code path, it's necessary for projects to establish a trust
infrastructure. Debian uses GPG for this, and as far as I know GPG sucks
less than any available alternative. Unfortunately that's the strongest
endorsement I can give it, but it's still essential IMO.
3) Basic text-editing: how it's different from word-processing, ascii
vs. unicode, how a good editor can make your life easier, etc. If
someone wants to teach a particular editor I won't try to stop them, but
I suggest that basic principles are more valuable (and likely to be
glossed-over by experienced people).

    There's probably more stuff that I haven't thought of. This email
goes out to two different lists encompassing several people, so I
confidently expect more suggestions to add to this list.
   If you can edit the GSLUG wiki then you can add directly to this page:
http://gslug.org/wiki/FOSS_Beginners
    Otherwise you can send them to the list or directly to me, and I can
add them for you.

> 
> I think recurring FOSS hackathons and some FOSS core training should
> be the central to a replacement for FGSea. 

    If there is ever a replacement for FGSea then it certainly should do
these things- but let's not wait :^)


> 
> There are multiple FOSS communities for most FOSS languages, OSes, and
> big projects. If this group could get one person from each community
> to contribute training on their area-of-expertise, we'd have a good
> way to help introduce local citizens to FOSS. Similar to the Free Geek
> Portland's monthly training schedule.
> 
> I'd contribute intro courses for Python, embedded Linux, and embedded
> Android, using LibreOffice/OpenOffice suite.

    I can contribute introductory training for the things I've mentioned
on the above list. Does anyone else reading this have anything else they
are willing to teach?


> 
> Like Andrew mentioned at SeaGL, perhaps this new group might have more
> OpenHatch affiliation?
> 
> I don't have time to actively run this group, but I can help teach a
> few classes/quarter. I don't expect we should all rely on Andrew to
> build this for us.
> 
> If everyone can contribute a course or two, and/or help with some part
> of general infrastructure, there might be a chance to reboot the FOSS
> training/education part of FGSea again. It is too much to have Andrew
> to solo, and I doubt he would bother if nobody is willing to help.

    I can assure everyone that I would not. One problem I don't have is
a shortage of things to do ☺