Can beginners make a simple but meaningful contribution? Some unconventional advice #hacktoberfest
Jean-Michel π΅π»ββοΈ Fayard on October 01, 2022
Hello Human ππ»
So do you want to contribute to open source? Awesome.
Does it sounds overwhelming? That's also normal.
Hacktoberfest is designed...
Awarded GitHub Star since 2023 βοΈ and Microsoft MVP since 2024 π· I talk about Open Source, GitHub, and Web Development.
I also run a YouTube channel called DevLeonardo, see you there!
Great article, also thank you for moving away the spotlight from technical stuff.
A blocker I'm noticing on developers at their first approach to Open Source is that they don't "feel ready", often overwhelmed by large repositories.
Creating an issue first on what you'd like to do is an amazing suggestion as like you said it can creates the bond between contributor and maintainers... and they can give you some advice!
One of the most salient features of our Tech Hiring culture is that there is so much bullshit. Everyone knows this. Each of us contributes his share. But we tend to take the situation for granted.
Well said, I completely agree.
They don't realize how valuable it is to just say "hey I just tried your software for 20 minutes and here is what I struggle with"
One of the most salient features of our Tech Hiring culture is that there is so much bullshit. Everyone knows this. Each of us contributes his share. But we tend to take the situation for granted.
One of the most salient features of our Tech Hiring culture is that there is so much bullshit. Everyone knows this. Each of us contributes his share. But we tend to take the situation for granted.
One of the most salient features of our Tech Hiring culture is that there is so much bullshit. Everyone knows this. Each of us contributes his share. But we tend to take the situation for granted.
Yep, this is why you can do it the other way around. You submit just the test case to help the maintainer see what you have in mind, but not one bit of the implementation. That would be waste at that point. Wait for the feedback on the design and only after that work on the implementation.
Frontend Developer β€οΈβπ₯ | Just learning, practicing, coding and letting a little bit of it spread out forever and ever βΏ Be brave enough to be bad at something new!
It's my first Hacktober and I'm really excited! If it's someone's first time too, let's talk and help each other! And thanks for the article, it helped me a lot!
One of the most salient features of our Tech Hiring culture is that there is so much bullshit. Everyone knows this. Each of us contributes his share. But we tend to take the situation for granted.
thank you for your article.
I love how you help beginners with this article.
In my opinion, empathy is a soft skill and is greatly underestimated in technology.
I would add that patience is also important when communicating with people in tech.
The existence of a culture of error tolerance is essential.
One of the most salient features of our Tech Hiring culture is that there is so much bullshit. Everyone knows this. Each of us contributes his share. But we tend to take the situation for granted.
I agree with everything except the term "soft skill".
What does it mean "soft" skill?
If it means skill for "soft"ware developers can benefit from, hell yes.
If it means it's easier than learning C/C++, hell no.
In fact I know many people can become good at programming in 3 years but good at whose women skills in 3 decades.
Maybe we can simply say that those are valuable skills to have in your toolbox?
Thanks for the question.
I found a suitable and easy to understand explanation on Wikipedia:
"Soft skills, also known as power skills, common skills or core skills, are skills applicable to all professions.These include critical thinking, problem solving, public speaking, professional writing, teamwork, digital literacy, leadership, professional attitude, work ethic, career management and intercultural fluency. This is in contrast to hard skills, which are specific to individual professions."
In short, this part of your comment I think sums it up best:
"If it means skill for "soft"ware developers can benefit from, hell yes."
One of the most salient features of our Tech Hiring culture is that there is so much bullshit. Everyone knows this. Each of us contributes his share. But we tend to take the situation for granted.
That means something like knowing how to exist in the world.
Holy shit that seems not so soft anymore.
What do the italians say?
La competenza sociale Γ¨ la competenza psicologica, relazionale e comunicativa, legata all'adeguata comprensione ed utilizzo, da un punto di vista cognitivo, affettivo e funzionale, delle regole di interazione sociale.
Ah yes I can see why being competent socially can help you when you interact with strangers on GitHub.
And I'm not very surprised that Italians see this as important.
What about English?
Well there are alternative names in your definition
"Soft skills, also known as power skills, common skills or core skills, are skills applicable to all professions."
Power skill does seem more powerful to me!
This is in contrast to hard skills, which are specific to individual professions.
So you could choose a different word here and say that knowing the internals of C++ is a specific skill (instead of hard) that is useful to much less people.
Isn't it interesting that if you choose different words you are less surprised that empathy, listening, communication etc... are actually very important?
"Isn't it interesting that if you choose different words you are less surprised that empathy, listening, communication etc... are actually very important?"
I agree that using different wording can have different effects. Your first comment is a good example imo.
And I also agree that regardless of the naming (soft skill or power skill), the importance of the topic should be eminently present.
Thanks for your article, it was quite an interesting read for me as a beginner :D
I will definitely apply some of your stated advices, especially the ones about asking maintainers before opening PRs and providing maintainer information about what my perspective on the project is.
Additionally, I have found some typos and grammatical mistakes in your article, so I thought I would list them for you here (only a suggestion, don't want to make you look bad):
If would have created a completly different discussion.
β "I would have ..."
So what di we learn?
β "... did we learn?"
Which brings me to my next, possibly contreversial, point.
β "... possibly controversial, ..."
If you like the terminal I recommend to use GitHub CLI and/or lazygit
β "... and/or lazygit." (missing dot)
pick an open source project that you like and where you seems to be the target audience.
β "... where you seem to ..."
give it a try like you were a new user that want to try the project out and has only a limited time to evaluate it
β "... user that wants to ..." & "... time to evaluate it." (missing dot)
opens an issue (see before), tell the maintainers that you just tried the project, that you were impressed by xxx and yyy, and on the other hand you had some naive question about some other stuff
β "open an issue ..."
Would it be intersted by a detailed feedback?
β I don't quite know what you initially wanted to phrase in this sentence.
One of the most salient features of our Tech Hiring culture is that there is so much bullshit. Everyone knows this. Each of us contributes his share. But we tend to take the situation for granted.
One of the most salient features of our Tech Hiring culture is that there is so much bullshit. Everyone knows this. Each of us contributes his share. But we tend to take the situation for granted.
βPerfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life.β themarginalian.org/2013/11/22/bird...
We're a place where coders share, stay up-to-date and grow their careers.
Great article, also thank you for moving away the spotlight from technical stuff.
A blocker I'm noticing on developers at their first approach to Open Source is that they don't "feel ready", often overwhelmed by large repositories.
Creating an issue first on what you'd like to do is an amazing suggestion as like you said it can creates the bond between contributor and maintainers... and they can give you some advice!
Well said, I completely agree.
They don't realize how valuable it is to just say "hey I just tried your software for 20 minutes and here is what I struggle with"
π¦
I'm really impressed. 'Why' and 'Empathy'...
That makes me think around back myself. Thanks for the article, bro.
You are welcome!
To be honest reading is not enough though. Maybe I'm just saying nonsense. Maybe it only applies to me.
The only way to know is to try something out yourself.
Wisdom!
Thanks, I wanted to write about tests but I forgot.
LOL, pretty much the typical PR...
Yep, this is why you can do it the other way around. You submit just the test case to help the maintainer see what you have in mind, but not one bit of the implementation. That would be waste at that point. Wait for the feedback on the design and only after that work on the implementation.
It's my first Hacktober and I'm really excited! If it's someone's first time too, let's talk and help each other! And thanks for the article, it helped me a lot!
Great to hear.
Already found a project?
Which tactic do you want to try first?
Hello Jean Michel Fayard,
thank you for your article.
I love how you help beginners with this article.
In my opinion, empathy is a soft skill and is greatly underestimated in technology.
I would add that patience is also important when communicating with people in tech.
The existence of a culture of error tolerance is essential.
I agree with everything except the term "soft skill".
What does it mean "soft" skill?
If it means skill for "soft"ware developers can benefit from, hell yes.
If it means it's easier than learning C/C++, hell no.
In fact I know many people can become good at programming in 3 years but good at whose women skills in 3 decades.
Maybe we can simply say that those are valuable skills to have in your toolbox?
"What does it mean "soft" skill?"
Thanks for the question.
I found a suitable and easy to understand explanation on Wikipedia:
"Soft skills, also known as power skills, common skills or core skills, are skills applicable to all professions.These include critical thinking, problem solving, public speaking, professional writing, teamwork, digital literacy, leadership, professional attitude, work ethic, career management and intercultural fluency. This is in contrast to hard skills, which are specific to individual professions."
In short, this part of your comment I think sums it up best:
"If it means skill for "soft"ware developers can benefit from, hell yes."
The list is right.
I was thinking about the arbitrary name ("soft skills") that some consultants in human resources in English speaking countries decided to use.
Let see an other arbitrary name.
That means something like knowing how to exist in the world.
Holy shit that seems not so soft anymore.
What do the italians say?
Ah yes I can see why being competent socially can help you when you interact with strangers on GitHub.
And I'm not very surprised that Italians see this as important.
What about English?
Well there are alternative names in your definition
Power skill does seem more powerful to me!
So you could choose a different word here and say that knowing the internals of C++ is a specific skill (instead of hard) that is useful to much less people.
Isn't it interesting that if you choose different words you are less surprised that empathy, listening, communication etc... are actually very important?
"Isn't it interesting that if you choose different words you are less surprised that empathy, listening, communication etc... are actually very important?"
I agree that using different wording can have different effects. Your first comment is a good example imo.
And I also agree that regardless of the naming (soft skill or power skill), the importance of the topic should be eminently present.
Thanks for your article, it was quite an interesting read for me as a beginner :D
I will definitely apply some of your stated advices, especially the ones about asking maintainers before opening PRs and providing maintainer information about what my perspective on the project is.
Additionally, I have found some typos and grammatical mistakes in your article, so I thought I would list them for you here (only a suggestion, don't want to make you look bad):
β "I would have ..."
β "... did we learn?"
β "... possibly controversial, ..."
β "... and/or lazygit." (missing dot)
β "... where you seem to ..."
β "... user that wants to ..." & "... time to evaluate it." (missing dot)
β "open an issue ..."
β I don't quite know what you initially wanted to phrase in this sentence.
Hello thanks but I let some errors on purpose. Perfectionism is a poison
Well, regarding programming for sure but apart from that, I guess it lies in the eye of the beholder π