Contributing to open source

[a12ctic]

I'm a senior in high school. I've taken computer science classes since sophomore year. This year I'm taking AP computer science. We're learning Java. I'm pretty good compared to my classmates. I want to start contributing to open source, but I don't really know where to start. Would someone mind pointing me in the right direction? Maybe share how you started contributing code?

[fguy64]

well, this site is supposed to be about linux and open source, but it is mostly about linux, You can try sourcefourge.net and java.net.

There is a lot of high quality open source software, and it does require some fairly advanced skills. If you don't get on to something suitable right away, then start your own learning project. That's what I did. I started a full featured chess program in java, It may not qualify as fully recognized open source, but through it I have learned a ton, made some good contacts on the net.

[benjamin20]

learn java fx, make fun little games with it, learn how programing works.

the internet could definatly use some non adobe flash ways to waste some time.

i learned jaa in high school too, haven't really made any real finished products with it but i have one project i keep working on, games are fun, instantly gratifying, easy to show off to many people, and if written in java, fairly simple to distribute en mass.

games require an entirely structured backbone in order to really do anything very similar to large scale application programming (as appose to something like a little single function program that just does one little thing like print a set of data.)

java is pretty close to open source open standard (although seems to be heavily controlled by sun/oracle in terms of updates) and although has a very proprietary feel when it comes to some of the libraries (like any of that java enterprise edition crap) it does have a very powerful web interface and 2d library. it lacks decent multimedia functionality (same picture, audio format support since like 2002) there are good frameworks for java and now with java fx they have added some media libraries for it.

java + opengl library did this Bytonic Software

runescape is all done in java, so that shows its very doable

sun has extremely good tutorials on how to use java and with java web start its really easy to see the examples work right off the site.

biggest issue with java for main applications used to be slow interpreter, but they have it near binary program speed now, some people say faster but you really gotta streach the situation for that. now biggest problem with them is the lack of first party supplied multimedia and 3d api's, java opengl isnt very java like and it isn't part of the main libraries, but it is effective.

some people complain about the swing widget toolkit, i like it, they are getting good at integrating it with the native system, and it is pretty responsive now. its very powerful in its ability to customize the look of it, and while it can feel clumsy to do some simple operation like make a button run a function, it takes an approach that makes it effective at doing anything with he gui kit.

[Lakshmipathi]

I'm a senior in high school. I've taken computer science classes since sophomore year. This year I'm taking AP computer science. We're learning Java. I'm pretty good compared to my classmates. I want to start contributing to open source, but I don't really know where to start. Would someone mind pointing me in the right direction? Maybe share how you started contributing code?

My thoughts - You said you are interested in java, so go to sourceforge.net or freshmeat.net
find an interesting and useful open source project. First join their team as alpha tester and test their application on your system and sent feedback suggestions.At the same,start reading the codes and finally sent patches and join the development activities.

If you already have project (even a school project) ,if you think that will be useful for atleast 1 person , then start working on it and finally upload it in sourceforge site.
All the best for your open source acitvities

[jmadero]

what kinds of software do you use on a day to day basis? I know of a lot of projects looking for skilled developers:

open office
xbmc
enlightenment
scribus (I think)
amarok

that's just to name a few, like someone has already mentioned, your best bet is to join as an alpha tester and then start learning the code inside and out. You can also start by just downloading some of the sources and taking a look.

Just a heads up, I took AP CS a few years back as well and when I started digging into the projects...I was lost immediately. So, if it's your thing and you're patient then we can always use more developers

[reed9]

Older article but still applicable.

Contributing to Open Source Projects HOWTO