[Savannah-cvs] [146] HowToBecomeASavannahHacker - add more information

[Assaf Gordon]

Revision: 146
          
http://svn.sv.gnu.org/viewvc/?view=rev&root=administration&revision=146
Author:   agn
Date:     2015-03-12 05:39:38 +0000 (Thu, 12 Mar 2015)
Log Message:
-----------
HowToBecomeASavannahHacker - add more information

Modified Paths:
--------------
    trunk/sviki/HowToBecomeASavannahHacker.mdwn

Modified: trunk/sviki/HowToBecomeASavannahHacker.mdwn
===================================================================
--- trunk/sviki/HowToBecomeASavannahHacker.mdwn 2015-02-18 00:55:49 UTC (rev 
145)
+++ trunk/sviki/HowToBecomeASavannahHacker.mdwn 2015-03-12 05:39:38 UTC (rev 
146)
@@ -5,18 +5,58 @@
 about becoming a savannah hacker (e.g., a savannah website
 administrator) and help savannah.
 
+Examples of tasks done by savannah volunteers:
+
+1. Evaluate and approve non-gnu projects submitted for hosting.
+2. Help savannah users, whether with questions or support issues.
+3. Administer the savannah servers and services.
+4. Improve the savannah web frontend code.
+5. Improve this wiki.
+6. Develop new features for the savannah environment.
+
+Some of these tasks require administrator-level access to the website and
+the servers (see [[ShellAccess]]). Others can be done by anyone willing to
+help. A good starting point is helping with project evaluation (see below).
+
+Send your evaluation/contribution/patch to
+<address@hidden>. Please also include a bit about your
+background with free software, GNU, Savannah, or whatever else may
+be relevant.  And your savannah account name.
+
+When accepted, you will be made an administrator of the administration
+project, which will enable the "Become Superuser" option in the
+left-hand menu.  Then you can approve projects and do many other things
+through the web interface.  Please explore.
+
+communication
+-------------
+
 For communication with other savannah folks, see
 [[SavannahHackersCommunication]], which includes info on mailing lists
 you should use/subscribe to.
 
+Read the [[CodeOfConduct]] to understand how to communicate with our
+users with politeness.
+
+project evaluation and approval
+-------------------------------
+
+To be hosted on savannah, projects must comply with the hosting
+requirements: <http://savannah.gnu.org/register/requirements.php>.
+
+Savannah volunteers evalute only non-gnu projects (gnu projects are
+evalutated by the gnu evalution team).
+
+You can help with project evaluation even before becoming savannah
+administrator.
+
 Read [[HowToGetYourProjectApprovedQuickly]], which explains in detail
 what a submitter should check, but also serves as a guide for savannah
 hackers reviewing the project. See also Mario's [guide for reviewing
 
projects](http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/savannah-hackers-public/2010-08/msg00026.html).
+You can also read past submissions (and responses) on the
+[Savannah-Register-Public](http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/savannah-register-public/)
 mailing list.
 
-Read the [[CodeOfConduct]] to understand how to communicate with our
-users with politeness.
-
 Pick a pending (non-assigned) task in savannah's task list:
 <https://savannah.gnu.org/task/?group=administration>
 
@@ -33,15 +73,26 @@
 When your answer is ready, send it (with a link to the task) at
 <mailto:address@hidden>
 and one of the current savannah hackers will answer as quickly as
-possible.  Please also include a bit about your background with free
-software, GNU, Savannah, or whatever else may be relevant.  And your
-savannah account name.
+possible.
 
-When accepted, you will be made an administrator of the administration
-project, which will enable the "Become Superuser" option in the
-left-hand menu.  Then you can approve projects and do many other things
-through the web interface.  Please explore.
+An attempt to automate some of the evaluation process is in beta at
+<http://gnueval.housegordon.org>. Contributions and improvements to this
+project are very welcomed (see
+[source code](http://git.housegordon.org/cgit/gsv-eval.git/)).
 
+Helping savannah users
+----------------------
+
+See the
+(Savannah Support 
Tracker)[http://savannah.gnu.org/support/?group=administration]
+and the
+(Savannah-users mailing 
list)[http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/savannah-users/]
+for examples of user questions and requests. Many of these items require
+administrator access to savannah servers, but some are general usage
+questions, and others deal with bugs in the website frontend code - those
+can be handled locally (see 'working on savannah website' below).
+
+
 Working on Savannah internals
 -----------------------------
 
@@ -56,3 +107,66 @@
 
 When accepted, some info about getting in at the shell level is at
 [[ShellAccess]].
+
+For general information, read the [[SavannahServices]],
+[[SavannahInternals]], [[UserAuthentication]], [[GnuArchitecture]] pages.
+
+
+Working on Savannah website
+---------------------------
+
+The savannah website <http://savannah.gnu.org> is written mostly in PHP with
+MySQL database and some Perl scripts. An overview is available at
+[[SavannahInternals]]. The PHP code (with a stub database) can be run and
+developed locally, without administrator access.
+see [[RunningSavaneLocally]] and [[SavaneInABox]].
+
+You are encouraged to hack on the frontend code! Either adding new features,
+improving the code, or fixing bugs. See open [support
+requests](http://savannah.gnu.org/support/?group=administration), e.g.:
+[#107935](http://savannah.gnu.org/support/?107935),
+[#13284](https://savannah.gnu.org/task/?13284),
+[#13285](https://savannah.gnu.org/task/?13285),
+[#13286](https://savannah.gnu.org/task/?13286).
+
+Please be aware that the code base is quite old and delicate: before starting
+to work on a new feature, be sure to discuss it at
+<mailto:address@hidden>.
+
+
+Improving this Wiki
+-------------------
+
+The savannah wiki pages could always be improved. You can help without
+being a savannah administrator. See 'Running this wiki locally' section
+at [[HowToAdminThisWiki]]. Add your improvements, and send a patch to
+<mailto:address@hidden>.
+
+The list of all pages is at the [[FrontPage]].
+
+Few suggestions for wiki improvements:
+
+1. Running parts of savannah locally (e.g. [[RunningSavaneLocally]],
+    [[SavaneInABox]]) - testing, verifying and improving the
+    instructions.
+2. FrontEnd documentation - (e.g.[[SavannahInternals]]) - improving and
+    expanding this page, or creaeting a new page focused on the php code.
+3. DebBugs documentation - The GNU DebBugs server <http://debbugs.gnu.org>
+    uses a customized version of [DebBugs](https://wiki.debian.org/BTS).
+    It will be *very* beneficial to document the installation, configuration,
+    and perhaps even instructions on how to setup such a server locally.
+    Gathering this information will require not only tinkering with the
+    [debbugs source code](https://wiki.debian.org/Teams/Debbugs) but also
+    soliciting help and advise from other volunteers. Be sure to be polite
+    and patient with them. See
+    <http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/help-debbugs/2015-01/msg00003.html>.
+
+
+Developing new features
+-----------------------
+
+New features are welcomed! Do send ideas and patches.
+
+Send suggestions and patches to <mailto:address@hidden>.
+
+See [[SavannahHackingIdeas]] for possible starting points.