Hey all, I am interested to gearing my way to help develop Linux. I am in my second year of Computer Science, so I have an ~intermediate grasp of C++. I am learning this semester assembly language basics.

I want to do something with what I've learned that's more than getting an assignment done for class. Any suggestions for a good starting position, so I can start getting used to Linux syntax / coding?

Thanks for your time,
David

The usual suggestion for a question of this nature is to look through places like Sourceforge or Rubyforge (obviously thats not a good place for C/C++) for a project of interest and see if you can help out there. Personally, I'd try to be more systematic about it. Whats your favorite language? Whats your favorite distro? Is there a program you need or wish existed? Is there a certain type of program that interests you (i.e. media players, software managers, internet browsers, etc.)? Answer those questions and then find a program or create a program that fits as many as possible. The best way I've seen to get onto a dev team is to start submitting patches. Good luck though what ever you do.

Personally, I'm more into Perl and shell scripting myself, but I think everything still applies here. I don't suppose you work with Linux at your job? If you do, just try to think up ideas that will make your job easier, or more efficient. Chances are, if something works well for you, than somebody else could probably use it as well.

If you want to make me happy, familiarize yourself with Postfix and LDAP, and come up with something to make their integration easier, so I don't have to go home with a headache every day after work

As a college student, take a look at the Google "Summer of Code" project.

OK, thanks a lot for the info. I think I'm far too inexperienced to actually HELP with a dev team, and all I really know is C++.

I go through Linux phases about once a year, where I find a distro (usually slackware), try to get it going, I do something stupid, and then spend the next few days getting my computer to boot again. Hopefully now I'm a little more experienced to keep that from happening this time round.

I always do that! Personlly though I enjoy trying to fix it.