Contributing

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Welcome!

First, thanks for your interest in becoming an active part of the Funtoo Linux community! I welcome contributions to the project, and there are a number of ways to have fun and get involved. This page is designed to help you find a place where you can be productive and help the Funtoo Linux technology and community grow and improve.

Best Regards,

Daniel Robbins, BDFL

Start as a User

First things first -- be sure to Install Funtoo Linux and focus on being a user of Funtoo Linux first. The Funtoo Linux community model is user-centric -- it focuses around the needs of the people who use our software. When you use Funtoo Linux, you may notice areas of the software or our community that you would like to see improved. This may give you some guidance on where to become involved. My recommendation is to follow your passions and do what you enjoy.

Areas of Contribution

The ways you can become part of the Funtoo community can be broken down into a few broad categories:

  • Community Interaction and Involvement -- this simply means to participate in our community as a user, and interact with other users on IRC and/or our forums. Being present and involved in our online communities allows you to help others who need help, and also allows you to be social and interact with other people who have similar interests.
  • Wiki Contributor -- Wiki contributors add new content to our wiki -- the site you are on now -- and help to improve existing content. Some translate key Funtoo Linux documentation into other languages.
  • Code Contributor -- Code contributors help to make the Funtoo Linux software better. You may be surprised to know that this can be done in many different ways. Some people may contribute or maintain new ebuilds that get integrated into Funtoo Linux. Others may be involved the workflow of bugs on our bug tracker, by either submitting issues, or participating in the process of discussing or fixing bugs, or both. This is something that does not necessarily require 'hard-core' development skills but can make a significant difference. And some may assist me in maintaining the core Funtoo Linux system, or adding new functionality to Funtoo Linux itself.

Linux and Learning

You don't need to choose just one area to get involved -- simply be aware of all the different ways that you can be involved. You're encouraged to explore all the various areas of involvement that are of interest to you.

I also encourage you to choose areas of involvement that fuel your own self-directed learning related to technology. As you probably know by now, Funtoo Linux is an incredible way to learn about many different facets of software design, engineering and use. It's my hope that you will find a niche in our community that supports you as you learn, and is fun, too :)