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As a fresh CompSci graduate, is it worth it/valuable to try and work on OSS; or am I more likely to just get in the way? If so, what are some good resources for

As a fresh CompSci graduate, is it worth it/valuable to try and work on OSS; or am I more likely to just get in the way? If so, what are some good resources for getting started?

pabs3 5y ago
Absolutely. There is infinite work to do, lots of it impactful, lots that can lead to jobs working on open source, and lots that definitely will not but is really needed. As a newcomer to OSS, you might want to try one of the paid OSS internship programs like GSoC or Outreachy, if done in the right area those often lead to jobs at open source companies. Outside of paid work, the best way to get involved is to use OSS and fix any issues you find in the tools you use. I've worked on everything from the Linux kernel to Windows hex editors that way. Many projects will have pages about how to help out, for example I've included Debian's below. https://www.fossjobs.net/ https://www.fossjobs.net/ https://github.com/fossjobs/fossjobs/wiki/Resources#internships https://github.com/fossjobs/fossjobs/wiki/Resources#internsh... https://www.debian.org/intro/help https://www.debian.org/intro/help
watwut 5y ago
Thr biggest risk is that your pull requests will be ignored. You won't be in a way at all. Even very good pull requests are often ignored for reasons unrelated to quality. Don't do anything big before you are reasonably sure the project will process your commit. Surf through projects to find ones that seem to be interested in contributions. Red flags are many ignored unresolved pull requests or too much hostility in project. Some projects have issues labeled with "beginner friendly" or some such. Have a look there and try to fix something. If it turns 9ut to be boring, move onto another project.
throwawaylinux 5y ago
It can be. Firstly if you are very passionate about something it can be a good way to learn about it or even end up pushing the state of the art in some cases, so it can be worthwhile as any hobby is. But also a lot of companies take it quite seriously now so it can be good for your resume particularly if you are not in the industry yet and want more experience or some references of your prior work. So it can be worthwhile even if you aren't completely passionate about it to the extend you would be content to always do it as an unpaid hobby. It's not good to assume you will make money directly on your own project or some niche project, but there are lots of established projects which are in demand in the industry and you would be able to make money working on them. I work on the Linux kernel which I started as a hobby and I've been able to take my skills between several different companies and continue working on the same software (although different areas) which has been good for me. Not to say you can't get transferable skills or relevant experience working on proprietary software and some may prefer the challenge or variety of working on different code bases at different jobs. So proprietary software is pretty on-par in those respects. There are a lot of areas where proprietary software is ahead too so if you want to work cutting edge software in a particular area, open source might not be the best option for you. As far as getting started, start with working out what you are interested in and want to work on.
chii 5y ago
> is it worth it/valuable to try and work on OSS that's the wrong question to ask - the first question to ask is whether you have some aspect of a project that you enjoy working on (or have a project of your own that you enjoy working on). If your goal is to put your name in a well known project for marketing purposes, then i'd say you have the wrong goal for doing OSS.

As a fresh CompSci graduate, is it worth it/valuable to try and work on OSS; or am I more likely to just get in the way? If so, what are some good resources for getting started?

pabs3 5y ago

Absolutely. There is infinite work to do, lots of it impactful, lots that can lead to jobs working on open source, and lots that definitely will not but is really needed. As a newcomer to OSS, you might want to try one of the paid OSS internship programs like GSoC or Outreachy, if done in the right area those often lead to jobs at open source companies. Outside of paid work, the best way to get involved is to use OSS and fix any issues you find in the tools you use. I've worked on everything from the Linux kernel to Windows hex editors that way. Many projects will have pages about how to help out, for example I've included Debian's below. https://www.fossjobs.net/ https://www.fossjobs.net/ https://github.com/fossjobs/fossjobs/wiki/Resources#internships https://github.com/fossjobs/fossjobs/wiki/Resources#internsh... https://www.debian.org/intro/help https://www.debian.org/intro/help

watwut 5y ago

Thr biggest risk is that your pull requests will be ignored. You won't be in a way at all. Even very good pull requests are often ignored for reasons unrelated to quality. Don't do anything big before you are reasonably sure the project will process your commit. Surf through projects to find ones that seem to be interested in contributions. Red flags are many ignored unresolved pull requests or too much hostility in project. Some projects have issues labeled with "beginner friendly" or some such. Have a look there and try to fix something. If it turns 9ut to be boring, move onto another project.

throwawaylinux 5y ago

It can be. Firstly if you are very passionate about something it can be a good way to learn about it or even end up pushing the state of the art in some cases, so it can be worthwhile as any hobby is. But also a lot of companies take it quite seriously now so it can be good for your resume particularly if you are not in the industry yet and want more experience or some references of your prior work. So it can be worthwhile even if you aren't completely passionate about it to the extend you would be content to always do it as an unpaid hobby. It's not good to assume you will make money directly on your own project or some niche project, but there are lots of established projects which are in demand in the industry and you would be able to make money working on them. I work on the Linux kernel which I started as a hobby and I've been able to take my skills between several different companies and continue working on the same software (although different areas) which has been good for me. Not to say you can't get transferable skills or relevant experience working on proprietary software and some may prefer the challenge or variety of working on different code bases at different jobs. So proprietary software is pretty on-par in those respects. There are a lot of areas where proprietary software is ahead too so if you want to work cutting edge software in a particular area, open source might not be the best option for you. As far as getting started, start with working out what you are interested in and want to work on.

chii 5y ago

> is it worth it/valuable to try and work on OSS that's the wrong question to ask - the first question to ask is whether you have some aspect of a project that you enjoy working on (or have a project of your own that you enjoy working on). If your goal is to put your name in a well known project for marketing purposes, then i'd say you have the wrong goal for doing OSS.