Day One of Ubuntu Developer Summit (UDS)

Blueprint: ubuntutheproject-community-n-developer-advocacy

How do we reach out to our new developers?

First, who is our audience?

1. Developers new to Ubuntu?
2. People new to development in general?

I’m more #1 vs #2 except when it comes to the language that is popular with Ubuntu: Python. I appreciate that there are sessions and people willing to work with the new Python developer. But what about those that haven’t programmed before? Is this really the place to learn? I personally feel the answer is a strong “maybe.”

I think it depends on the class. We’d have to have prerequisites maybe so that those that are long-time developers don’t feel their time is wasted in a beginner class. However, it’s nice to have a couple long-time developers on hand to help assist the teacher. If we say specifically what level the class is, I think we’d get the right audience including people willing to help out the new programmers.

There was talk about packaging. I don’t know packaging or what the problems one has when doing them.

nUboon2Age, fellow remote participant, posted a link to the in-progress “Ubuntu Development Beginnings.” It’s a great start and I really like the time estimates for each step.

Basic question

“If you only had an hour to talk to someone who doesn’t know *anything* about Ubuntu development, what would you say?” ~ jml

Demos came up. For example, walking someone through how to get the code from Launchpad for a project. Let’s say that I only had an hour, would I be able to do this? I can’t remember what’s required for Launchpad but do remember taking a bit of time to sign the Code of Conduct. Creating an SSH wasn’t too bad but it was another step.

I guess we should break up the steps required to develop for Ubuntu into manageable pieces. Like I said before, I’m looking at screencasts, Learning/Materials, blog, and IRC sessions. Showing someone how to get code from Launchpad would be most helpful in what medium? Or maybe all 3? Or another medium I don’t have listed like the forums and wiki.

I’m still thinking it’d be good to sketch up some information either in blog form, form it into a more substanial form like a screencast or IRC session and then bundle them up into some Learning/Materials.

Wikis are great but sometimes a bit too much text and not enough example for me. (wallOfText crits you for 1000000!)