I am seeking to contribute in the open source community
 

Actually I have been learning LinuX Programming for a month and I am planning to develop softwares for LinuX compliant systems. Kindly show me the path how to begin .
I am persuing B. Tech. and I am 2nd year student. currently learning Computer networks ( By Tanenbaum ) and LinuX Programmig (bye Sir Neil Matthew and Richard Stones )
I want to write softwares like TOR for Linux complant systems, but i've no idea how to begin.
Your help is greatly appreciated !

Step 1: Open up a text file.
Step 2: Start coding.
Step 3: ???
Step 4: Profit?

Seriously though, decide on a project, make a sourceforge page (or github or google code or whatever), and start writing. Make your code available under whichever open license you feel is best. You will have contributed to the open source community.

If you have no idea how to begin, research is your best start. If TOR is what you want to know, study TOR. Learn it inside and out. Make it work. Break it and then fix it again. Break it again. Love it until you hate it.

If you're looking for a step by step guide on how to write YOUR project, you won't find it, here nor anywhere else. YOU have to do YOUR project.

When I wanted to learn Java past the beginner stage I found a Java project on SourceForge. Look through here and see if you can find something that meets your needs.
http://sourceforge.net/p/forge/helpwanted/

Hi. The sky's the limit. Linux has all the languages pick an easy, open one to start (with lots of guides and docs like) Ruby or Python and decide on needs\wants from them all...
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/6...ere-do-i-start
http://rute.2038bug.com/index.html.gz
http://cli.learncodethehardway.org/book/
http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.p...11913&start=15
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...2/#post5129381
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smalltalk

. . . &c

Best wishes and have fun. :)

the first place to start is to earn a PHD in computer science -- networking / security and software

then use the code you created in earning that doctorate

Member Response
 

Hi,

As a new user and with the desires to work on a project. My suggestion would be to select an ongoing project to marry thus contributing to that project. That way you will learn how most project(s) function within the open source community.

The kernel is a good example so you could go to Kernel.org or kernelnewbies.org This way you can see how their contributors function within that project scene. The kernel is a good example to learn how to be involved with a project. Be sure to thicken up the skin a bit when working within any project. :)

Some project maintainers/contributors are very helpful while others can be very difficult. Remember that all projects can have many world contributors thus be aware of difficulties with intercommunication between some contributors/maintainers. Most project leaders welcome new contributors.

I will repeat: Be sure to thicken up the skin a bit when working within any project. :)

One other thing to remember is to have fun and learn!

Hope this helps.

You mean the TOR which helps to avoid online tracking? That advertises that it's open source, so download it, build it and experiment with it for starters. I didn't download it, but it could be written in any variety of languages, so that's also a good starting point. Get versed in whatever language and development environment that TOR is written in. Sounds like you've done some programming already, do continue with that. If you do grab TOR and find it to be a very large scale project which is currently beyond your scope of understanding, then start smaller, with smaller projects in the same language which is used for TOR and grow your knowledge; eventually moving into reading more and more of their code and making some experimental changes. A tip there is to keep the original .tar.gz file handy and be ready to restart from scratch if you get out of hand and end up not being able to build because you've made too many changes that aren't correct.

Another suggestion is to seek out instructors at your school who are versed in Linux and can give you some guidance. Ask them for suggested projects, let them mentor you a bit until you can move ahead on your own. The benefits there are; possible work-study assignments and possible connections to external internship work where you can learn, while doing; and when coming out of school you'll be able to demonstrate applied knowledge. Please do continue seeking to gain firsthand experience, I feel it's very important when seeking positions out of school. Knowledge for the intellectual sake of it is great too, not knocking that either.

Also, libraries or even more options buying a book they need to be able to sell so must be way more extensive; e.g. although be it older. Probably find it cheaper?