[Live-demo] [OSGeo] #1991: Kinds of contributions (external volunteers)

[OSGeo]

#1991: Kinds of contributions (external volunteers)
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 Reporter:  cvvergara  |      Owner:  live-demo@…
     Type:  task       |     Status:  new
 Priority:  normal     |  Milestone:
Component:  LiveDVD    |   Keywords:
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 == kinds of contributions

 || Repository || Task
 || OSGeoLive-doc || Write a whole documentation page
 || OSGeoLive-doc || Update a whole documentation page
 || OSGeoLive-doc || Spelling/grammar/typos fixes
 || OSGeoLive || Creating script for installation
 || OSGeoLive || Updating script for installation


 The contribution can be done by mail, because person, might be an external
 volunteer that:
 - Not know sphinx,
 - Not want to create a github account
 - Not know the directory structure and feel overwhelmed by it.

 Example of contribution by mail:
 - https://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/live-demo/2017-June/012193.html


 == Documenting Contributions

 Currently, regardless of the kind of contribution, the name goes to the
 contributing, treating all contributors at the same level.

 === Contribution process

 The current process of receiving contributions of ''external volunteers''
 is very complex.

 - They make a PR
   - Implied is that: the contributor has a github account
 - Then "WE" ask to send a mail to osgeo live with the text:

   "Hi all, I'd like to contribute XXX to OSGeo-Live. I confirm that my
 contributions to OSGeo-Live will be compatible with the OSGeo-Live license
 guidelines at the time of contribution."

   - Contributor has to create an account in live-demo mailing list
   - Sends the mail
 - Then "WE" ask the contributor to add his/her name to the contributors
 list
   - Contributor, updates his PR with a commit for the name OR
   - Contributor, updates makes another PR with the commit for the name OR
   - This is recent: Contributor puts the sentence on the PR as a comment

 Example based on my own experience:
 - https://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/live-demo/2016-July/011548.html
 - https://github.com/OSGeo/OSGeoLive-doc/pull/202#issuecomment-306547274
 - https://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/live-demo/2017-June/012154.html

 == Simple Contributions

   I can have my whole family/friends be listed as contributor, just by
 telling them:
     - “Make an account on OSGeo,
     - Make an account on GitHub,
     - Put your name on contributors list
     - Add a “comma”, as grammar fix of a very long sentence
     - Put your name on contributors list
     - do Pull Request.
     - Send the mail, with the text about contributions.
     - And you are done, your name will show as contributor!!!!”

 Comparing with pgRouting, names of this kind of contributors are not
 mentioned, instead:
 “And all the people that give us a little of their time making comments,
 finding issues, making pull requests etc.”

 Example:
 I asked a GSoC student to do this image verification on the Chinese
 documentation of mapbender:
 https://github.com/OSGeo/OSGeoLive-doc/pull/258

 == My Conclusion

 This Project relies heavily on ''external contributors'' for the scripts
 and documentation of the included projects.

 And, some contributors, for bug fixes, spelling & grammar fixes are really
 constant, like Activityworkshop.

 Treating occasional contributors to the same level of the other
 contributors, does not seem fair.

 **There is no policy about this** (that I could find)

--
Ticket URL: <https://trac.osgeo.org/osgeo/ticket/1991>
OSGeo <http://www.osgeo.org/>
OSGeo committee and general foundation issue tracker.