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Re: Writing doc for open source software (was Help Needed -- Build Your Portfolio)
Subject:Re: Writing doc for open source software (was Help Needed -- Build Your Portfolio) From:Sean Hower <hokumhome -at- freehomepage -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Fri, 14 May 2004 13:49:33 -0700 (PDT)
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Janet Swisher asks:
I'm interesting in having a discussion of writing documentation for open
source software (OSS). Why does it seem that there are so few tech writers participating in OSS?
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I'm currently a member of sourceforge. I participated in one project there for a short time. I also particpated in another project elsewhere.
Why did I do it?
* wanted to work on something different
* wanted to pick up experience working in different environments
* wanted something to do in my spare time (what little I had)
* wanted to be a part of an interesting project for a "product" I thought was cool
* wanted to work on a project where I had more creative freedom
* wanted to meet people (you can with people from around the world)
In both of the projects that I worked on, I simply couldn't devote the kind of time and resources that would have been needed to do a good job. Sure, I could have done an okay job, but I wanted more fulfillment than that. I was working on these projects for free after all, and my only payment, which I am quite happy with, was essentially creative satisfaction. It's all about the ego after all. ;-)
I ran into problems because I don't know anything about Java. My JavaScript experience and minimal VB experience saved me from looking like a complete moron though. I didn't have the time (or patients for that matter) to learn enough about Java so that my contribution would have been something other than mediocre. There was also the problem with the development environment. Didn't have time to figure out how to get everything up and running. So eventually, I threw in the towel. I just didn't have the time to get the dev environ up and running, set up the tool chain I'd need, "install" the software, and then learn Java. Not between writing, family, food, and sleep. So I quit. I would, however, like to return at some time to participate again. I like the concept. I believe in it.
In my limited experience, at least on sourceforge, there are always projects that require documentation and the "want adds" get filled pretty quickly. The project leads tend to hold their "applicants" to pretty high standards, at least as far as technical knowledge goes.
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