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- - - - - Free Software Development HOWTO - - - Benjamin - Mako - Hill - -
- mako@debian.org -
- - - - - - v0.01 - 1 January 2001 - bch - - Initial Release - - - - - - - fswd - - - - This HOWTO is designed for people with experience in programming - and some skills in managing a software project but who are new to - the world of Free Software. This document is meant to act as a - guide to the non-technical aspects of programming and is meant as - a crash course in the people skills that can make or break a free - software project. - - - - - - - - - Introduction - - - fswd!introduction - - - - For various reasons this brand new release is codenamed the - release release. - - - - New code names will appear as per industry standard - guidelines to emphasize the state-of-the-art-ness of this - document. - - - - This document was written when I read a feedback asking for a - template to fill in to make new HOWTOs. This template was - initially made by extracting the skeletal structure of the Multi - Disk HOWTO which is a rather large HOWTO. It then went through - extensive editing. - - - - Stating the background is a simple way to getting started - writing the intro. - - - - First of all we need a bit of legalese. Recent development - shows it is quite important. - - - - - - Copyright Information - - - This document is copyrighted (c) 2000 Stein Gjoen and is - distributed under the terms of the Linux Documentation Project - (LDP) license, stated below. Replace with your name, - or supply a new license, when you use this skeleton for a new - HOWTO. - - - - Unless otherwise stated, Linux HOWTO documents are - copyrighted by their respective authors. Linux HOWTO documents may - be reproduced and distributed in whole or in part, in any medium - physical or electronic, as long as this copyright notice is - retained on all copies. Commercial redistribution is allowed and - encouraged; however, the author would like to be notified of any - such distributions. - - - - All translations, derivative works, or aggregate works - incorporating any Linux HOWTO documents must be covered under this - copyright notice. That is, you may not produce a derivative work - from a HOWTO and impose additional restrictions on its - distribution. Exceptions to these rules may be granted under - certain conditions; please contact the Linux HOWTO coordinator at - the address given below. - - - - In short, we wish to promote dissemination of this - information through as many channels as possible. However, we do - wish to retain copyright on the HOWTO documents, and would like to - be notified of any plans to redistribute the HOWTOs. - - - - If you have any questions, please contact - linux-howto@metalab.unc.edu - - - - - - - Disclaimer - - - No liability for the contents of this documents can be accepted. - Use the concepts, examples and other content at your own risk. - As this is a new edition of this document, there may be errors - and inaccuracies, that may of course be damaging to your system. - Proceed with caution, and although this is highly unlikely, - the author(s) do not take any responsibility for that. - - - - All copyrights are held by their by their respective owners, unless - specifically noted otherwise. Use of a term in this document - should not be regarded as affecting the validity of any trademark - or service mark. - - - - Naming of particular products or brands should not be seen - as endorsements. - - - - You are strongly recommended to take a backup of your system - before major installation and backups at regular intervals. - - - - - - - New Versions - - - (your index root)!news on - - - - This is where you make a summary of what is new. When a - HOWTO exceeds 20 pages it takes more than a casual read to find - the updates. This is where you help your readers with that, - alerting them to specific and important updates to the document. - - - - This is the initial release. - - - - Tell people where the document home page is so the very - newest release could be found in case of problems with the main - Linux Documentation - Project homepage. - - - - The following is a sample from the Multi Disk HOWTO: - - - - The latest version number of this document can be - gleaned from my plan entry if you - - finger my Nyx account. - - - - If you have the capability, it would be nice to - make the HOWTO available in a number of formats. - - - - The newest version of this HOWTO will always be made available on - my website, in a variety of formats: - - - - - - - HTML. - - - - - - plain text. - - - - - - compressed - postscript (US letter format). - - - - - - SGML source. - - - - - - - Note that paper sizes vary in the world, A4 and US letter differ - significantly. You might also wish to consider using the - universal format (8.27x11in; 210x279mm). - - - - - - - Credits - - - It is always nice to acknowledge people who help you - with input; it is also regarded by many as important in the - Linux world new economy. - - - - In this version I have the pleasure of acknowledging: - - - - name (at) site.org - - - - Please scramble the addresses so email harvesters - cannot get addresses from your HOWTO and then spam people. That - has happened in the past. - - - - Somecompany is acknowledged for sending me - documentation on their gizmos as well as permission to quote from - the material. These quotes have been approved before appearing - here and will be clearly labeled. - - - - - - - Feedback - - - Feedback is most certainly welcome for this document. Without - your submissions and input, this document wouldn't exist. Please - send your additions, comments and criticisms to the following - email address : sgjoen@nyx.net. - - - - - - - Translations - - - Not everyone speaks English, pointers to translations are nice. - Also your translators tend to give very important inputs. - - - - - - - - German Translation - by someone (at) somewhere.de - - - - - - French Translation - by someone (at) somewhere.fr - - - - - - Italian Translation - by someone (at) somewhere.it - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Starting a Project - - - - - Choosing a Project - - - - - - Deciding on a License - - - - - - Choosing a Method of Version Numbering - - - - - - Documentation - - - - - - Other Presentation Issues - - - - - - Nuturing Future Development - - - - - - - - - - Maintaining a Project: Interacting with Developers - - - - - Delegating Work - - - - - - Stable and Development Branches - - - - - - Freezing - - - - - - Avoiding the Code Cram Effect - - - - - - Accepting and Rejecting Patches - - - - - - - Maintaining a Project: Interacting with Users - - - - - Announcing Your Project - - - - - - Testing and Testers - - - - - - - Samples - - - This section gives some simple SGML examples you could - use. Read the SGML source to see how it was done. - - - - Further information and examples can be obtained from the publication - DocBook: The Definitive - Guide. Written by Norman Walsh - and Leonard Muellner; 1st Edition, October 1999. - - - - - - Lists - - - Lists are used frequently, and are available in a number - of formats shown below. - - - - A list in which each entry is marked with a bullet or other dingbat: - - - - - - - Apples - - - - Oranges - - - - Bananas - - - - - - - A list in which each entry is composed of a set of one or more - terms and an associated description: - - - - - - - Fruits - - such as apples, oranges, and more. - - - - - Nuts - - Don't eat too many; you are what you eat. - - - - - Vegetables - - Potatos are spelled with care. - - - - - - - - A list in which each entry is marked with a sequentially - incremented label: - - - - - - - Step one - - - - Step two - - - - - - - - - - Links - - - Links can be used within your documents to refer to - different sections and chapters or to refer to documents external - to yours. - - - - Internal links - - - Click on the link to jump to the top of - this chapter. Note the anchor at the section tag. - - - - - External links - - - Click on this link - to jump to the LDP site. Note you can use http, ftp, news and - other protocols in the locator if required. - - - - - - - - - Images - - - Avoid diagrams if possible as this cannot be rendered - in the ASCII outputs which are still needed by many around the - world. - - - -
- Graphics Test Image - -
- - - - Here is another variation which allows for ALT text: - - - - - - - - - - - - ALT text to be used: Green Ball - - - - - - Caption for the graphic goes here: This is a Green Ball. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Structure - - - A quick overview on how all parts fit together in the overall - structure. An example from the Multi Disk HOWTO is used. - - - - As this type of document is supposed to be as much for learning as - a technical reference document I have rearranged the structure to - this end. For the designer of a system it is more useful to have - the information presented in terms of the goals of this exercise - than from the point of view of the logical layer structure of the - devices themselves. Nevertheless this document would not be - complete without such a layer structure the computer field is so - full of, so I will include it here as an introduction to how it - works. - - - - - - Logical structure - - - disk!structure, I/O subsystem - - - - This is based on how each layer access each other, traditionally - with the application on top and the physical layer on the bottom. - It is quite useful to show the interrelationship between each of - the layers used in controlling drives. - - - ___________________________________________________________ - |__ File structure ( /usr /tmp etc) __| - |__ File system (ext2fs, vfat etc) __| - |__ Volume management (AFS) __| - |__ RAID, concatenation (md) __| - |__ Device driver (SCSI, IDE etc) __| - |__ Controller (chip, card) __| - |__ Connection (cable, network) __| - |__ Drive (magnetic, optical etc) __| - ----------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - In the above diagram both volume management and RAID and - concatenation are optional layers. The 3 lower layers are in - hardware. All parts are discussed at length later on in this - document. - - - - - - - Document structure - - - Most users start out with a given set of hardware and some plans - on what they wish to achieve and how big the system should be. - This is the point of view I will adopt in this document in - presenting the material, starting out with hardware, continuing - with design constraints before detailing the design strategy that - I have found to work well. I have used this both for my own - personal computer at home, a multi purpose server at work and - found it worked quite well. In addition my Japanese co-worker in - this project have applied the same strategy on a server in an - academic setting with similar success. - - - - Finally at the end I have detailed some configuration tables for - use in your own design. If you have any comments regarding this - or notes from your own design work I would like to hear from you - so this document can be upgraded. - - - - - - - Reading plan - - - As you go beyond 50 pages or so there will be a lot of - text that experts and even the experienced do not need to read. - Keeping in mind that we wish to care for all kinds of people in - the Linux world we might have to make a reading plan. Again, - an example follows from the Multi Disk HOWTO. - - - - Although not the biggest HOWTO it is nevertheless rather big - already and I have been requested to make a reading plan to make - it possible to cut down on the volume. - - - - - - - Expert - - - (aka the elite). If you are familiar with Linux as well as - disk drive technologies you will find most of what you need in - the appendices. Additionally you are recommended to read the - FAQ and the chapter. - - - - - - Experienced - - - (aka Competent). If you are familiar with computers in - general you can go straight to the chapters on - and continue from there on. - - - - - - Newbie - - - (mostly harmless). You just have to read the whole thing. - Sorry. In addition you are also recommended to read all the - other disk related HOWTOs. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Technologies - - - (your index root)!technologies - - - - Introduction of technology for the newbie with a few - references to detailed works. Remember that not everyone has - Internet access so you have to explain in sufficient details so - even the newbie can get by. - - - - - - - - - - - Implementation - - - (your index root)!implementation - - - - Now your readers should have a sufficient knowledge of - what this is about and now we come to the hands on of implementing - your clever scheme. - - - - - - - - - - - Maintenance - - - (your index root)!maintenance - - - - Few systems and designs are maintenance free, here you - explain how to keep the system running. - - - - - - - - - - - Advanced Issues - - - (your index root)!advanced topics - - - - You can get most things up and running in a quick and - dirty fashion, useful for testing and getting used to how things - work. For more serious use you would need to be a little more - advanced. This is the place to explain it all, if applicable. - - - - - - - - - - - Further Information - - - (your index root)!information resources - - - - A HOWTO cannot describe everything, some times the user - has to venture out on th enet to get more information or just - updates. Here is the place to tell where and how. Again examples - from the Multi Disk HOWTO, replace as needed. There is wealth - of information one should go through when setting up a major system, - for instance for a news or general Internet service provider. The - FAQs in the following groups are useful: - - - - - - News groups - - - disk!information resources!news groups - - - Some of the most interesting news groups are: - - - - - - Storage. - - - - - - PC storage. - - - - - - AFS. - - - - - - SCSI. - - - - - - Linux setup. - - - - - - - - Most newsgroups have their own FAQ that are designed to answer most - of your questions, as the name Frequently Asked Questions indicate. - Fresh versions should be posted regularly to the relevant newsgroups. - If you cannot find it in your news spool you could go directly to the - FAQ main archive FTP site. - The WWW versions can be browsed at the - FAQ - main archive WWW site. - - - - Some FAQs have their own home site, of particular interest: - - - - - - SCSI FAQ - and - - - - - - comp.arch.storage FAQ. - - - - - - - - - - - Mailing Lists - - - disk!information resources!mailing lists - - - - These are low-noise channels mainly for developers. Think twice - before asking questions there as noise delays the development. - Some relevant lists are linux-raid, - linux-scsi and linux-ext2fs. Many - of the most useful mailing lists run on the vger.rutgers.edu server but this is - notoriously overloaded, so try to find a mirror. There are some - lists mirrored at The Redhat - Home Page. Many lists are also accessible at linuxhq, and the - rest of the web site contains useful information as well. - - - - If you want to find out more about the lists available you can send - a message with the line lists to the list server - at majordomo@vger.rutgers.edu. - If you need help on how to use the mail server just send the line - help to the same address. Due to the - popularity of this server it is likely it takes a bit to time before - you get a reply or even get messages after you send a - subscribe command. - - - - There is also a number of other majordomo list servers that can - be of interest such as the EATA driver list - (linux-eata@mail.uni-mainz.de) - and the Intelligent IO list linux-i2o@dpt.com. - - - - Mailing lists are in a state of flux but you can find links to a - number of interesting lists from the - Linux Documentation - Homepage. - - - - - - - HOWTO - - - disk!information resources!HOWTOs - - - - These are intended as the primary starting points to get the - background information as well as show you how to solve a - specific problem. Some relevant HOWTOs are - Bootdisk, - Installation, - SCSI and - UMSDOS. The main site for these is the - LDP archiveat - Metalab (formerly known as Sunsite). - - - - There is a a new HOWTO out that deals with setting up a DPT RAID - system, check out the - DPT RAID - HOWTO homepage. - - - - - - - Local Resources - - - disk!information resources!local - - - - In most distributions of Linux there is a document directory - installed, have a look in the /usr/doc - directory. where most packages store their main documentation and - README files etc. Also you will here find the HOWTO archive - (/usr/doc/HOWTO) of ready formatted HOWTOs - and also the mini-HOWTO archive - (/usr/doc/HOWTO/mini) of plain text - documents. - - - - Many of the configuration files mentioned earlier can be found in - the /etc directory. In particular you will - want to work with the /etc/fstab file that - sets up the mounting of partitions and possibly also - /etc/raidtab file that is used for the - md system to set up RAID. - - - - The kernel source in /usr/src/linux is, of - course, the ultimate documentation. In other words, use - the source, Luke. It should also be pointed out that the - kernel comes not only with source code which is even commented - (well, partially at least) but also an informative - /usr/src/linux/Documentation. If you are - about to ask any questions about the kernel you should read this - first, it will save you and many others a lot of time and - possibly embarrassment. - - - - Also have a look in your system log file - (/var/log/messages) to see what is going on - and in particular how the booting went if too much scrolled off - your screen. Using tail -f /var/log/messages - in a separate window or screen will give you a continuous update - of what is going on in your system. - - - - You can also take advantage of the /proc - file system that is a window into the inner workings of your - system. Use cat rather than - more to view the files as they are reported as - being zero length. Reports are that less works - well here. - - - - - - - Web Sites - - - disk!information resources!WWW - - - disk!information resources!web pages - - - - There are a huge number of informative web sites available. By - their very nature they change quickly so do not be surprised - if these links become quickly outdated. - - - - A good starting point is of course the - Linux Documentation - Project home page, an information central for - documentation, project pages and much more. - - - - Please let me know if you have any other leads that can be - of interest. - - - - - - - - - - - - Getting Help - - - (your index root)!assistance, obtaining - - - - In the end you might find yourself unable to solve your problems - and need help from someone else. The most efficient way is either - to ask someone local or in your nearest Linux user group, search - the web for the nearest one. - - - - Another possibility is to ask on Usenet News in one of the many, - many newsgroups available. The problem is that these have such a - high volume and noise (called low signal-to-noise ratio) that your - question can easily fall through unanswered. - - - - No matter where you ask it is important to ask well or you will - not be taken seriously. Saying just my disk - does not work is not going to help you and instead the - noise level is increased even further and if you are lucky someone - will ask you to clarify. - - - - Instead describe your problems in some detail that will enable - people to help you. The problem could lie somewhere you did not - expect. Therefore you are advised to list the following information - about your system: - - - - - - - Hardware - - - - - Processor - - - - DMA - - - - IRQ - - - - Chip set (LX, BX etc) - - - - Bus (ISA, VESA, PCI etc) - - - - - Expansion cards used (Disk controllers, video, IO - etc.) - - - - - - - - - - Software - - - - - - BIOS (On motherboard and possibly SCSI host adapters) - - - - LILO, if used - - - - - Linux kernel version as well as possible modifications - and patches - - - - - Kernel parameters, if any - - - - - Software that shows the error (with version number - or date) - - - - - - - - - - - Peripherals - - - - - - - Type of disk drives with manufacturer name, version and type - - - - - Other relevant peripherals - - - - - - - - - - - - Remember that booting text is logged to - /var/log/messages which can answer most of - the questions above. Obviously if the drives fail you might not be - able to get the log saved to disk but you can at least scroll - back up the screen using the SHIFT and - PAGE UP keys. It may also be useful to include - part of this in your request for help but do not go overboard, - keep it brief as a complete log file dumped - to Usenet News is more than a little annoying. - - - - - - - - - - - Concluding Remarks - - - (your index root)!conclusion - - - - Just summing up... Also a place for general - recommendations. - - - - - - - - - - - Questions and Answers - - - (your index root)!FAQ - - - (your index root)!frequently asked questions - - - - Check the newsgroups and try to determine some frequent - problems and cover them here. Again an example from the Multi Disk - HOWTO. - - - - This is just a collection of what I believe are the most common - questions people might have. Give me more feedback and I will turn - this section into a proper FAQ. - - - - - - - Q:How many physical disk drives (spindles) does a Linux system need? - - - - A: Linux can run just fine on one drive (spindle). Having - enough RAM (around 32 MB, and up to 64 MB) to support swapping - is a better price/performance choice than getting a second - disk. (E)IDE disk is usually cheaper (but a little slower) than - SCSI. - - - - - - Q: Are there any disadvantages in this scheme? - - - - A: There is only a minor snag: if even a single partition - overflows the system might stop working properly. The severity - depends of course on what partition is affected. Still this is - not hard to monitor, the command df gives - you a good overview of the situation. Also check the swap - partition(s) using free to make sure you are - not about to run out of virtual memory. - - - - - - Q: OK, so should I split the system into as many partitions as - possible for a single drive? - - - - A: No, there are several disadvantages to that. First of all - maintenance becomes needlessly complex and you gain very little - in this. In fact if your partitions are too big you will seek - across larger areas than needed. This is a balance and - dependent on the number of physical drives you have. - - - - - - - Greg Leblanc: Depending on how big this FAQ gets, perhaps it - would be worthwhile to have, say, the 5 most FAQ, and put the - rest into an external FAQ. Dunno. Comments? - - - (rest deleted.) - - - - - - - - - - - Bits and Pieces - - - disk!miscellaneous - - - - This is basically a section where I stuff all the bits I have not - yet decided where should go, yet that I feel is worth knowing - about. It is a kind of transient area. - - - - - - - - - - - Examples - - - (your index root)!examples - - - - Example designs and sample configuration files and other - relevant details is always handy - - - - - - -
- - + + +
+ + + + + Free Software Development HOWTO + + + Benjamin + Mako + Hill + +
+ mako@debian.org +
+ + + + + + v0.2 + 7 April 2001 + bch + + + + v0.01 + 27 March 2001 + bch + Initial Release + + + + + + fswd + + + + This HOWTO is designed for people with experience in programming + and some skills in managing a software project but who are new to + the world of free software. This document is meant to act as a + guide to the non-technical aspects of free software development + and was written to act as a crash course in the people skills that + aren't taught to commercial coders but that can make or break a + free software project. + + + + + + + + + Introduction + + + fswd!introduction + + + + Skimming through freshmeat.net provides mountains of reasons for this + HOWTO's existence--the Internet is littered with excellently + written and useful programs that have faded away into the Universe + of Free Software Forgottenness. This dismal scene made me ask + myself, "Why?" + + + + This HOWTO tries to do a lot of thing (probably too many), but it + can't answer that question and won't attempt it. What this HOWTO + will attempt to do is give your Free Software project a fighting + chance--an edge. If you write a piece of crap that no one is + interested in, you can read this HOWTO until you can recite it in + your sleep and your project will probably fail. Then again, you can + write a beautiful, relevant piece of software and follow every + instruction in this HOWTO and your software may still not make + it. Sometimes life is like that. However, I'll go out a limb and + say that if you write a great, relevant pieces of software and + ignore the advise in this HOWTO, you'll probably fail + more often. + + + + A lot of the information in this HOWTO is best called common + sense. Of course, as any debate on interfaces will prove, what is + common sense to some programmers proves totally unintuitive to + others. After explaining bits and pieces of this HOWTO to Free + Software developers on several occasions, I realized that writing + this HOWTO might provide a useful resource and a forum for + programmers to share ideas about what has and has not worked for + them. + + + + As anyone involved in any of what seems like an unending parade of + ridiculous intellectual property clashes will attest to, a little + bit of legalese proves important. + + + + + + Copyright Information + + + This document is copyrighted (c) 2000 Benjamin (Mako) Hill and is + distributed under the terms of the Linux Documentation Project + (LDP) license, stated below. + + + + Unless otherwise stated, Linux HOWTO documents are copyrighted by + their respective authors. Linux HOWTO documents may be reproduced + and distributed in whole or in part, in any medium physical or + electronic, as long as this copyright notice is retained on all + copies. Commercial redistribution is allowed and encouraged; + however, the author would like to be notified of any such + distributions. + + + + All translations, derivative works, or aggregate works + incorporating any Linux HOWTO documents must be covered under this + copyright notice. That is, you may not produce a derivative work + from a HOWTO and impose additional restrictions on its + distribution. Exceptions to these rules may be granted under + certain conditions; please contact the Linux HOWTO coordinator at + the address given below. + + + + In short, we wish to promote dissemination of this information + through as many channels as possible. However, we do wish to + retain copyright on the HOWTO documents, and would like to be + notified of any plans to redistribute the HOWTOs. + + + + If you have any questions, please contact + linux-howto@metalab.unc.edu + + + + + + + Disclaimer + + + No liability for the contents of this documents can be accepted. + Use the concepts, examples and other content at your own risk. As + this is a new edition of this document, there may be errors and + inaccuracies, that may of course be damaging to your system. + Proceed with caution, and although this is highly unlikely, the + author(s) do not take any responsibility for that. + + + + All copyrights are held by their by their respective owners, unless + specifically noted otherwise. Use of a term in this document + should not be regarded as affecting the validity of any trademark + or service mark. + + + + Naming of particular products or brands should not be seen + as endorsements. + + + + You are strongly recommended to take a backup of your system + before major installation and backups at regular intervals. + + + + + + + New Versions + + + fswd!news on + + + + This is the initial release. It is written to be released to + developers for critique and brainstorming and submitted to + Hampshire College for academic credit. Please keep in mind that + this version of the HOWTO is still in an infant stage and will be + revised extensively before it hits the LDP. + + + + The latest version number of this document should always be listed + on my webpage at + Debian. + + + + The newest version of this HOWTO will always be made available at + the same website, in a variety of formats: + + + + + + + + HTML. + + + + + + + HTML (single page). + + + + + + plain text. + + + + + + compressed postscript. + + + + + + Compressed SGML source. + + + + + + + + + + Credits + + + In this version I have the pleasure of acknowledging: + + + + Karl Fogel, the author of Open + Source Development with CVS published by the Coriolis + Open Press. Large parts of his book are available on the web. 225 pages of + the book are available under the GPL and constitute the best + tutorial on CVS I've ever seen. The rest of the book covers, "the + challenges and philosophical issues inherent in running an Open + Source project using CVS." The book does a good job of covering + some of the subjects brought up in this HOWTO and much + more. The book's + website has information on ordering the book and provides + several translations of the chapters on CVS. I you are seriously + interested in running a Free Software project, you want this + book. I tried to mention Fogel in sections of this HOWTO where I + knew I was borrowing directly from his ideas. If I missed any, I'm + sorry, and I'll try and have those fixed in future versions. + + + + Karl Fogel can be reached at kfogel (at) red-bean (dot) + com + + + + Also providing support material, and inspiration for this HOWTO is + Eric S. Raymond for his prolific, consistent, and carefully + crafted arguments, Lawrence Lessig for reminding me of the + importance of Free Software. Additionaly, I want to thank every + user and developer involved with the Debian Project. The project + has provided me with a home, a place to practice Free Software + advocacy, a place to make a difference, a place to learn from + those how have been involved with the movement much longer than I, + and proof of a Free Software project that definitely, definitely + works. + + + + Above all, I want to thank Richard Stallman + for his work at the Free Software Foundation and for never giving + up. Stallman provides and articulates the philosophical basis that + attracts me to Free Software and that drives me towards writing a + document to make sure it succeeds. RMS can always be emailed at + rms (at) gnu (dot) org. + + + + + + + + Feedback + + + Feedback is always and most certainly welcome for this + document. Without your submissions and input, this document + wouldn't exist. Do you feel that something is missing? Don't + hesitate to contact me to have me write a chapter, section, or + subsection or to write one yourself. I want this document to be a + product of the Free Software development process that it heralds + and I believe that its ultimate success will be rooted in this + fact. Please send your additions, comments and criticisms to the + following email address : mako@debian. org. + + + + + + + Translations + + + I know that not everyone speaks English. Translations are nice and + I'd love for this HOWTO to gain the kind of international reach + afforded by a translated version. + + + + However, this HOWTO is still young and I have to yet to be + contacted about a translation so English is all that is currently + available. If you would like to help with or do a translation, you + will gain my utmost respect and admiration and you'll get to be + part of a cool process. If you are at all interested, please don't + hesitate to contact me at: mako@debian.org. + + + + + + + + + + Starting a Project + + + fswd!starting + + + With very little argument, the beginning is most difficult part of + successful free software development. Laying a firm foundation will + determine whether your project flourishes or withers away and + dies. It is also the subject that is of most immediate interest to + anyone reading this document as a tutorial. + + + + Starting a project involves a dilemma that you as a developer must + try and deal with: No potential user for your program is interested + in a program that doesn't work. Simultaneously, the development + process that you want to employ holds involvement of users as + prerequisit to working software. + + + + It is in these dangerous initial moments that anyone working to + start a free software project must try and strike a balance along + these lines. One of the most important ways that someone trying to + start a project can work towards this balance is by establishing a + solid framework for the development process through some of the + suggestions mentioned in this section. + + + + + + + Choosing a Project + + + If you are reading this document, there's a good chance you + already have an idea for a project in mind. Chances are pretty + good, it fills in a percieved gap by doing something that no other + free software process does or by doing something in a way the is + unique enough to necessitate a separate project. + + + + Identify and articulate your idea + + Eric S. Raymond writes about how free software projects start in + his paper, The Cathedral and the Bazaar, which + comes as required reading for any free software development. It + is available online + . + + + + In The Cathedral and the Bazaar, Raymond tells us + that: Every good work of software starts by scratching + a developers itch. Raymond's now widely accepted + hypothesis is that new free software programs are written, first + and foremost, to solve a specific problem facing the developer. + + + + If you have an idea for a program in mind, chances are good that + it targets a specific problem or itch you want to + see scratched. This idea is the project. Articulate it + clearly. Write it out. Describe the problem you will attack in + detail. The success of your project in tackling a particular + problem will be tied to your ability to identify that problem + early on. Find out exactly what it is that you want your project + to do. + + + + + Evaluate your idea + + + In evaluating your idea, you need to first ask yourself a few + questions. Before you move any further into this HOWTO, you need + to determine if the free software development model really is the + right one for your project. Obviously, since the program + scratches your itch, you are definitely interested in seeing it + implemented in code. But, because one hacker coding in solitude + fails to qualify as a free software development effort, you need + to ask yourself the question: Is anybody else + interested? + + + + Sometimes the answer is a simple no. If you + want to write a set of scripts to sort your + MP3 collection on your machine, maybe the free + software development model is not the best one to + choose. However, if you want to write a set of scripts to sort + anyone's MP3s, a free + software project might fill a useful gap. + + + + Luckily, The Internet is a place so big and so diverse that, + chances are, there is someone, somewhere, who shares your + interests and how feels the same itch. It is the + fact that there are so many people with so many similar needs and + desires that introduces the second major question: Has + somebody already had your idea or a reasonably similar + one? + + + + Finding Similar Projects + + + There are places you can go on the web to try and answer the + question above. If you have experience with the free software + community, you are probably already familiar with all of these + sites. All of the resources listed bellow offer searching of + their databases: + + + + + + freshmeat.net: + + freshmeat.net + describes itself as, the Web's largest index of Linux + and Open Source software and its reputation along + these lines is totally unparalleled and unquestioned. If you + can't find it on freshmeat, its doubtful that you (or anyone + else) will find it anywhere. + + + + + Slashdot: + + Slashdot + provides News for Nerds: Stuff that Matters, + which usually includes discussion of free software, open + source, technology, and geek culture new and events. It is + not unusual for an particularly sexy development effort to be + announced here so it definitely worth checking. + + + + + SourceForge: + + SourceForge + houses and facilitates a growing number of open source and + free software projects. It is also quickly becoming a nexus + and an necessary stop for free software + developers. SourceForge's software + map and new + releases pages should be necessary stops before + embarking on a new free software project. SourceForge also + provides a at Code Snippet + Library which contains useful reusable chunks of code + in an array of languaqges which can come in useful in any + project. + + + + + Google and Google's Linux Search: + + Google and + Google's Linux + Search, provide powerful web searches that may + reveal people working on similar projects. It is not a + catalog of software or news like freshmeat or Slashdot, but + it is worth checking before you begin pouring your effort + into a redundant project. + + + + + + + + + Deciding to Proceed + + Once you have successful charted the terrain and have an idea + bout what kinds of similar free software projects exist, every + developer needs to decide whether to proceed with their own + project. It is rare that a new project seeks to accomplish a + goal that is not similar to or related to the goal of another + project. Anyone starting a new project needs to ask themselves: + Will the new project be duplicating work done by another + project? Will the new project be competing for developers with + an existing project? Can the goals of the new project be + accomplished by adding functionality to an existing + project? + + + + If the answer to any of these questions is yes, + try to contact the developer of the existing project(s) in + question and see if he or she might be willing to collaborate + with you. + + + + This may be the single most difficult aspect of free software + development for many developers but it is an essential one. It + is easy to become fired up by an idea and be caught up in the + momentum and excitement of a new project. It is often extremely + difficult to do but, it is important that any free software + developer remember that the best interests of the free software + community and the quickest way to accomplish ones own project's + goals and the goals of similar project can often be accomplished + by not starting a new project. + + + + + + + + + + Licensing your Software + + + On one (somewhat simplistic) level, the difference between a piece + of free software and a piece of propriety software is the + license. A license helps you as the developer by protecting your + legal rights to have your software distributed under your terms + and helps demonstrate to those who wish to help you or your + project that they are encouraged to join. + + + + Choosing a license + + + Any discussion of licenses is also sure to generate at least a + small flame war as there are strong feelings that some free + software licenses are better than others. This discussion also + brings up the question of Open Source Software and + the debate around Open Source Software and + Free Software. However, because I've written the + Free Software Development HOWTO and not the Open Source + Development HOWTO, my own allegiances in this argument are in the + open. + + + + In attempting to reach a middle ground through diplomacy without + sacrificing my own philosophy, I recommend picking any license + that conforms to the Debian Free Software + Guidelines. Originally compiled by the Debian project + under Bruce Perens, the DFSG form the first + version of the Open Source definition. Examples of free licenses + given by the DFSG are the + GPL, the BSD, and the + Artistic License. + + + + Conforming to the definition of Free Software offered by Richard + Stallman in The Free + Software Definition, any of these licenses will + uphold, users' freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, + change and improve the software. There are plenty of + other licenses that also conform to the DFSG + but sticking with a more common license will offer the advantage + of immediate recognition and understanding. + + + + In attempting a more in-depth analysis, I agree with Karl Fogel's + description of licenses as falling into two groups: those that + are the GPL and those that are not the + GPL. + + + + Personally, I license all my software under the + GPL. Created and protected by the Free + Software Foundation and the GNU Project, the + GPL is the license for the Linux kernel, + GNOME, Emacs, and the vast majority of GNU/Linux software. It's + the obvious choice but I believe it is a good one. Any BSD + fanatic will urge you to remember that there is a viral aspect to + the GPLthat prevents the mixture of + GPL'ed code with non-GPL'ed + code. To many people (myself included), this is a benefit, but to + some, it is a major drawback. + + + + The three major license can be found at the following locations: + + + + + + The GNU + General Public License + + + The + BSD License + + + The Artistic + License + + + + + + In any case, please read through any license before + your release your software. As the primary developer, you can't + afford any license surprises. + + + + + The mechanics of licensing + + + The text of the GPL offers a good + description of mechanics of applying a license to a piece + of software. My quick checklist for applying a license includes: + + + + + + + If at all possible, attach and distribute a full copy of + the license with the source and binary in a separate + file. + + + + At the top of each source file in your program, attach a + notice of copyright and information on where the full license + can be found. The GPL recommends that each + file begin with: + + +one line to give the program's name and an idea of what it does. +Copyright (C) yyyy name of author + +This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or +modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License +as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 +of the License, or (at your option) any later version. + +This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, +but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of +MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the +GNU General Public License for more details. + +You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License +along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software +Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA. + + + + The GPL goes on to recommend attaching + information on contacting you (the author) via email or + physical mail. + + + + + + The GPL continues and suggests that if your + program runs in an interactive mode, you should write the + program to output a notice each time it enters interactive + mode that includes a message like this one that points to more + information about the programs licensing: + + + +Gnomovision version 69, Copyright (C) year name of author +Gnomovision comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY; for details +type `show w'. This is free software, and you are welcome +to redistribute it under certain conditions; type `show c' +for details. + + + + + Finally, it might be helpful to include a + copyright disclaimer with the program from an + employer or a school if you work as a programmer or if it seems + like your employer or school might be able to make an argument + for ownership of your code later on. Its often needed but there + are plenty of free software developers who have gotten into + trouble and wish they had attained one. + + + + + + + + Final license warning + + + Please, please, please, place your software under some + license. It may not seem important, and to you, it may not be, + but licenses are important. For a piece of + software to be included in the Debian GNU/Linux distribution, it + must have a license that fits the Debian Free Software + Guidelines. If you have no license, your program can not + be distributed as a package in Debian until you re-release it + under a free license. Please save yourself and others trouble by + releasing the first version of your software with a clear + license. + + + + + + + + + + Choosing a Method of Version Numbering + + + The most important thing about a system of version + numbering is that there is one. It may seem pedantic to + emphasize this point but you'd be surprised at the number of + scripts and small programs that pop up without any version number + at all. + + + + The second most important thing about a system of + numbering is that the numbers always go up. Automatic + version tracking systems and people's sense of order in the + universe will fall apart if version numbers don't rise. It doesn't + really matter if 2.1 is a big jump and + 2.0.005 is a small jump but it does matter that 2.1 is more recent + than 2.0.005. + + + + Follow these two simple rules and you will not go (too) + wrong. Still, there are several version numbering systems that are + well known, useful, and that might be worth looking into before + you release your first version. + + + + + Linux kernel version numbering: + + The Linux kernel uses a versioning system where any odd + minor version number refers to an development or testing release + and any even minor version number refers to a stable + version. Think about it for a second. Under this system, 2.1 and + 2.3 kernels were and always will be development or testing + kernels and 2.0, 2.2. and 2.4 kernels are all production code + with a higher degree of stability and more testing. + + + + Whether you plan on having a split development model (as + described in ) or only one version + released at a time, my experience with several free software + projects and with the Debian project has taught me that use of + Linux's version numbering system is worth taking into + consideration. In Debian, all minor versions are stable + distributions (2.0, 2.1, etc). However, many people assume that + 2.1 is an unstable or development version and continue to use + an older version until they get so frustrated with the lack of + progress development that they complain and figure the system + out. If you never release an odd minor version but only release + even ones, nobody is hurt, and less people are confused. It's + worth taking into consideration. + + + + + + Wine version numbering: + + Because of the unusual nature of wine's development where + the not-emulator is constantly improving but not working towards + any immediately achievable goal, wine is released every three + weeks. Wine does this by labeling their releases in Year Month + Day format where each release might be labeled + wine-XXXXXXXX where the version from January 04, + 2000 would be wine-20000104. For certain + projects, Year Month Day format can make a lot of sense. + + + + + + Mozilla milestones: + + When one considers Netscape 6 and vendor versions, the + mozilla's project development structure is one of the most + complex free software model available. Their version numbering + has reflected the unique situation in which it is + developed. + + + + Mozilla's version numbering structure has historically been + made up of milestones. From the beginning of the mozilla + project, the goals of the project in the order and degree to + which they were to be achieved were charted out on a series of + road + maps. Major points and achievements along these + road-maps were marked as milestones. Therefore, mozilla was + built and distributed nightly as "nightly builds" but on a day + when the goals of a milestone on the road-map had been reached, + that particular build was marked as a milestone release. + + + + While I haven't seen this method employed in any other projects + to date, I like the idea and think that it might have value in + any testing or development branch of a large free application + under heavy development. + + + + + + + + + + + Documentation + + + A huge number of otherwise fantastic free software applications + have withered and died because their author was the only person + who knew how to use them fully. Even if your program is written + primarily for a techno-savvy group of users, documentation is + helpful and even necessary for the survival of your project. You + will learn later in that you should + always release something that is usable. A piece of + software without documentation is not usable. + + + + There are lots of different people for whom to document and + therefore there are lots of ways to document your project. The + idea of documentation in source code to help facilitate + development by a large community is vital but it falls outside the scope + of this HOWTO. This being the case, this section deals mostly + useful tactics for user-directed documentation. + + + + A combination of tradition and necessity has resulted in a + semi-regular system of documentation in most free software + projects that is worth following. Both users and developers expect + to be able to get documentation in several ways and it's essential + that you provide the information they are seeking in a form they + can read if your project is ever going to get off the + ground. People have come to expect: + + + + Man pages + + Your users will want to be able to type man + projectname end up with a nicely formatted man page + highlighting the basic use of yourapplication. Make sure that + before you release your program, you've planned for this. + + + + Man pages are not difficult to write. There is excellent + documentation on the man page writing process available through the + The Linux Man-Page-HOWTO available through the + Linux Documentation project (LDP) written by + Jens Schweikhardt. It is available from + Schweikhardt's site or from the + LDP. + + + + It is also possible to write man pages using DocBook SGML and + convert them into man pages. Because man pages are so simple and + the DocBook method relatively new, I have not been able to follow + this up but would love help from anyone who can give me more + information on how exactly this is done. + + + + + Command line accessible documentation + + + Most users will expect some basic amount of documentation to be + easily available from the command line. For few programs should + this type of documentation extend for more than one screen (24 or + 25 lines) but it should cover the basic usage, a brief (one or + two sentence) description of the program, a list of the commands + with explanations, all the major options (also with + explanations), and a pointer to more in-depth documentation for + those who need it. The command line documentation for Debian's + apt-get serves as an excellent example and a useful model: + + + +apt 0.3.19 for i386 compiled on May 12 2000 21:17:27 +Usage: apt-get [options] command + apt-get [options] install pkg1 [pkg2 ...] + +apt-get is a simple command line interface for downloading and +installing packages. The most frequently used commands are update +and install. + +Commands: + update - Retrieve new lists of packages + upgrade - Perform an upgrade + install - Install new packages (pkg is libc6 not libc6.deb) + remove - Remove packages + source - Download source archives + dist-upgrade - Distribution upgrade, see apt-get(8) + dselect-upgrade - Follow dselect selections + clean - Erase downloaded archive files + autoclean - Erase old downloaded archive files + check - Verify that there are no broken dependencies + +Options: + -h This help text. + -q Loggable output - no progress indicator + -qq No output except for errors + -d Download only - do NOT install or unpack archives + -s No-act. Perform ordering simulation + -y Assume Yes to all queries and do not prompt + -f Attempt to continue if the integrity check fails + -m Attempt to continue if archives are unlocatable + -u Show a list of upgraded packages as well + -b Build the source package after fetching it + -c=? Read this configuration file + -o=? Set an arbitary configuration option, eg -o dir::cache=/tmp +See the apt-get(8), sources.list(5) and apt.conf(5) manual +pages for more information and options. + + + + It has become a GNU convention to make this type of information + accessible with the -h and the + --help options. Most GNU/Linux users will expect + to be able to retrieve basic documentation these ways so if you + choose to use different method, be prepared for the flames and + for the fallout that may result. + + + + + Files users will expect + + In addition to man pages and command-line help, there are certain + files where people will look for documentation, especially in any + package containing source code. In a source distribution, most of + these files can be stored in a the root directory of the source + distribution or in a subdirectory of the root called + doc or Documentation. Common files + places in these places include: + + + + + + README or Readme + + + A document containing all the basic installation, + compilation, and even basic use instructions that make up the + bare minimum information needed to get the program up and + running. A README is not your chance to be verbose but needs + to be concise and effective. An ideal README is at least 30 + lines long and more no more than 250. + + + + + INSTALL or Install + + + The INSTALL file should be much shorter than the README + file and should quickly and concisely describe how to build + and install the program. Usually an INSTALL file simply + instructs the user to run ./configure; make; make + install and touches on any unusual options or actions + that may be necessary. More advanced users can usually avoid + INSTALL files but it's good practice to at least glance at one + to understand what can be expected. For most relatively + standard install procedures and for most programs, INSTALL + files are as short as possible are rarely over 100 + lines. + + + + + Changelog, ChangeLog, CHANGELOG, or changelog + + + A changelog is a simple file that every well-managed + free software project should include. A changelog is simple + the file that, as its name implies, logs or documents the + changes to a program. The most simple way to do a changelog is + to simply keep a file with the source code for your program + and add a section to the top of the changelog with each + release describing what has been, changed, fixed, or added to + the program. It's a good idea to post the changelog onto the + website as well because it can help people decide whether they + want or need to upgrade to a newer version or wait for a more + significant upgrade. + + + + + NEWS + + + A NEWS file and a ChangeLog are similar. A news file is + not typically sorted by version but just whenever new features + are added, the developer responisble will make a note in the + NEWS file. NEWS files should not have to changed before a + release (they should be kept up to date all along) but it's + usually a good idea to check first anyway because often people + just forget to keep them as current as they should. + + + + + FAQ + + + For those of you that don't already + know. FAQ stands for Frequently Asked + Questions and a FAQ is a collection of exactly that. FAQs + are not difficult to make. Simply make a policy that if you + are asked a question or see a question on a mailing list two + or more times, add it the question (and its answer) to your + FAQ. FAQs are more optional than the files listed above but + they can save your time, increase usability, and decrease + headaches on all sides. + + + + + + + + + Website + + It's only idirectly an issue of documentation but a good website + is quickly becoming an essential part of any free software + project's documentation. Your website should provide access to + documentation (in HTML if possible). It should + also include a section for news and events around your program + and a section that details the process of getting involved with + development or testing and creates an open invitation. It should + also supply links to any mailing lists, similar websites, and + provide a direct link to all the available ways of downloading + your software. + + + + + Other documentation hints + + + It doesn't hurt to distribute any documentation for your program + from your website or anywhere else (FAQs etc) with the + program. Make a FAQ by cutting and posting common questions and + answers from a mailing list or your own email. Then, don't + hesitate through this in the programs tarball. If people don't + need it, they will delete it. I can repeat it over and over: + Too much documentation is not a sin. + + + + All your documentation should be in plaintext, or, in cases where + it is on your website primarily, in HTML. Everyone can cat a + file, everyone has a pager, (almost) everyone can render + HTML. You are welcome to distribute information in PDF, + PostScript, RTF, or any number of other widely used formats but + this information must also be available in plaintext or HTML or + people will be very angry at you. + + + + + + + + Other Presentation Issues + + Many of the remaining issues surrounding the creation of a new + free software program fall under what most people describe as + common sense issues. Still, they are worth noting briefly in + hopes that they may remind a developer of something they may have + forgotten. + + + + Package formats + + Package formats may differ depending on the system you are + developing for. For windows based software, Zip archives (.zip) + usually serve as the package format of choice. If you are + developing for GNU/Linux, *BSD, or any UN*X, make sure that your + source code is always available in tar'ed and gzip'ed format + (.tar.gz). UNIX compress (.Z) has gone out of style and + usefulness and faster computers have brought bzip2 (.bz2) into + the spot-lit as a more effective compression medium. I now make + all my releases available in both gzip'ed and bzip2'ed formats. + + + + Binary packages are largely distribution specific. You can build + binary packages against a current version of a major + distribution, you will only make your users happy. Try to foster + relationships with users or developers of large distribution to + develop a system for consistent binary packages. It's often a + good idea to provide RedHat RPM's (.rpm), + Debian deb's (.deb) and source RPM's + SRPM's. Binary packages can also be compiled + against a specified system with specified libraries and + distributed in tar.gz format as well. Remember: While + these binaries packages are nice, getting the source packaged and + released should always be your priority. Your users or fellow + developers can and will do the the binary packages for + you. + + + + + Useful tidbits and presentation hints + + + Other useful hints include: + + + + + + + + Make sure that your program can always be found in a + single location. Often this means that you have a + single directory accessible via FTP or + HTTP where the newest version will be + quickly recognized. One effective technique is a provide a + symlink called projectname-latest that is + always pointing to the most recent released or development + version of your free software project. Keep in mind that this + location will recieve many requests for downloads around + releases so make sure that the server you choose for this + purpose has adequate bandwidth. + + + + + + Make sure that there is a consistent email address + for bug reports. It's usually a good idea to make + this something that is NOT your primary email address like + projectname@host or projectname-bugs@host. This way if you + ever decide to hand over maintainership or if your email + address changes, you simply need to change where this email + address forwards. It also will allow for more than one person + to deal with the influx of mail that is created if your + project becomes as huge as you hope it will. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + Maintaining a Project: Interacting with Developers + + fswd!developers + + + + Once you have gotten your project started, you have overcome the + most difficult hurdles in the development process of your + program. Laying a firm foundation is essential, but the development + process itself is equally important and provides quite a few + opportunities for failure. In the next two sections, I will cover + running a project by discussing how to maintain a project through + interactions with developers and with users. + + + + In releasing your program, your program becomes free software. This + transition is more than just a larger user base. By releasing your + program as free software, your software + becomes the free software community's + software. The direction of your software's development will be + reshaped, redirected, and fully determined by your users and, to a + larger extent, by other developers in the community. + + + + The major difference between free software development and + propriety software development is the developer base. As the leader + of a free software project, you need to attract and keep developers + in a way that leaders of proprietary software projects simply don't + have to worry about. As the person leading development of + a free software project, you must harness the work of fellow + developers by making responsible decisions and by responsibly + choosing not to make decisions. You have to direct developers + without being overbearing or bossy. You need to strive to earn + respect and never forget to give it out. + + + + + + Delegating Work + + + By now, you've hypothetically followed me through the early + programming of a piece of software, the creation of a website and + system of documentation and and we've gone ahead and (as will be + discussed in ) released it to the rest + of the world. Times passes, and if things go well, people become + interested and want to help. The patches begin flowing in. + + + + Like the parent of any child who grows up, it's now time + to wince and smile and do most difficult thing in any parents + life: It's time to let go. + + + + Delegation is the political way of describing this process of + letting go. It is the process of handing some of + the responsibility and power over your project to other responsible + and involved developers. It is difficult for anyone who has + invested a large deal of time and energy into a project but it + essential for the growth of any free software project. One person + can only do so much. A free software project is nothing + without the involvement of a group of developers. A group of + developers can only be maintained through respectful and + responsible leadership and delegation. + + + + As your project progresses, you will notice people who are putting + significant amounts of time and effort into your project. These + will be the people submitting the most patches, posting most on + the mailing lists, engaging in long email discussions. It is your + responsibility to contact these people and to try and shift some of + the power and responsibility of your position as the project's + maintainer onto them (if they want it). There are several easy + ways you can do this: + + + + How to delegate + + + You may find that other developers seem even more experienced or + knowledgeable than you. Your job as a maintainer does not mean + you have to have to be the best or the brightest. It means you + need are responsible for showing good judgment and for + recognizing which solutions are maintainable and which are not. + + + Like anything, its easier to watch others delegate than to do it + yourself. In a sentence: Keep an eye out for other + qualified developers who show an interest and sustained + involvement with your project and try and shift responsibility + towards them. The following ideas might be good places + to start or good sources of inspiration: + + + + Allow a larger group of people write access to your CVS + repository and make real efforts towards rule by a + committee + + + Apache is an + example of a project that is run by small group of developers + who vote on major technical issues and the admission of new + members and all have write access to the main source + repository. Their process is detailed online. + + + + The Debian Project + is an extreme example of rule by committee. At current count, + more than 700 developers have full responsibility for certain + aspects of the projects. All these developers can upload into + the main FTP servers, and vote on major issues. Direction for + the project is determined by the project's social + contract and a constitution. To + facilitate this system, there are special teams (i.e. the + install team, the Japanese language team) as well as a technical + committee and a project leader. The leader's main responsibility + is to, Appoint Delegates or delegate decisions to the + Technical Committee. + + + + While both of these projects operate on a scale that your + project will not (at least initially), their example is + helpful. Debian's idea of a project leader who can do + nothing but delegate serves as a + caricature of how a project can involve and empower a huge + number of developers and grow to a huge size. + + + + + + Publicly appoint someone as the release manager for a + specific release. + + + A release manager is usually responsible for coordinating + testing, enforcing a code freeze, being responsible for + stability and quality control, packaging up the software, and + placing it in the appropriate places to be downloaded. + + + + This use of the release manager is a good way to give yourself a + break and to shift the responsibility for accepting and + rejecting patches to someone else. It is a good way of very + clearly defining a chunk of work on the project as belonging to + a certain person and its a great way of giving yourself room to + breath. + + + + + Delegate control of an entire branch. + + If your project chooses to have branches (as described in ), it might be a good idea to appoint someone + else to be the the head of a branch. If you like focusing your + energy on development releases and the implementation of new + features, hand total control over the stable releases to a + well-suited developer. + + + + The author of Linux, Linus Torvalds, came out and crowned Alan + Cox as the man for stable kernels. All patches + for stable kernels go to Alan and, if Linus were to be taken + away from work on Linux for any reason, Alan Cox would be more + than suited to fill his role as the acknowledged heir to the + Linux maintainership. + + + + + + + + + Accepting and Rejecting Patches + + This HOWTO has already touched on the fact that as the maintainer + of a free software project, one of primary and most important + responsibilities will be accepting and rejecting patches submitted + to you by other developers. + + + + Technical judgment + + + In Open Source Development with CVS, Karl + Fogel makes a convincing argument that the most important things + to keep in mind when rejecting or accepting patches are: + + + + + + + A firm knowledge of the scope of your program (that's the + idea I talked about in ); + + + + The ability to recognize, facilitate, and direct + evolution of your program so that the program + can grow and change and incorporate functionality that was + originally unforeseen; + + + + The necessity to avoid digressions that might expand the + scope of the program too much and result and push the project + towards an early death under its own weight and + unwieldiness. + + + + + + + These are the criteria that you as a project maintainer should + take into account each time you receive a patch. + + + + Fogel elaborates on this again and states the the + questions to ask yourself when considering whether to implement + (or approve) a change are: + + + + + + + Will it benefit a significant percentage of the program's + user community? + + + + Does it fit within the program's domain or within a + natural, intuitive extension of that domain? + + + + + + + The answers to these questions are never straightforward and its + very possible (and even likely) that the person who submitted the + patch may feel differently about the answer to those questions + than you do. However, if you feel that that the answer to either + of those questions is no, it is your responsibility + to reject the change. If you fail to do this, the project will + become unwieldy and unmaintainable and will ultimately fail. + + + + + Rejecting patches + + + Rejecting patches is probably the most difficult and the most + sensitive job that the maintainer of any free software project + has to face. But sometimes it has to be done. I mentioned earlier + (in and in ) that any developer needs to try and + balance your responsibility and power to make what you think are + the best technical decisions with the fact that you will lose + support from other developers if you seem like you are on a power + trip or being overly bossy or possessive of a community-based + project. I recommend that you keep three major facts in mind when + rejecting patches (or other changes): + + + + Bring it to the community + + One of the best ways of justifying a decision to reject a patch + and working to not seem like you keep an iron grip on your + project is by not making the decision alone at all. It might + make sense to turn over larger proposed changes or more + difficult decisions to a development mailing list where they can + be discussed. There will be some patches (bug fixes, etc.) which + will definitely be accepted and some that you feel are so off + base that they do not even merit further discussion. It is those + that fall into the grey area between these two groups that might + merit a quick forward to a mailing list. + + + + I recommend this process wholeheartedly. As the project + maintainer you are worried about making the best decision for + the project, for the project's users and developers, and for + yourself as a responsible project leader. Turning things over to + an email list will demonstrate your own responsibility and + responsive leadership as it tests and serves the interests of + your software's community. + + + + + Technical issues are not always good justification + + Especially towards the beginning, you will find that many + changes are difficult to implement, introduce new bugs, or have + other technical problems. Try to see past these. Especially with + added functionality, good ideas do not always come from good + coders. Technical merit is a valid reason to postpone an + application of a patch but it is not always a good reason to + reject a change outright. Even small changes are worth the + effort of working with the developer submitting the patch to + iron out bugs and incorporate the change if you thing you think + it seems like a good addition to your project. The effort on + your part will work to make your project a community project and + it will pull a new or less experienced developer onto your + project and even teach them something that might help them in + making their next patch. + + + + + Common courtesy + + It should go without saying but, above all and in all + cases, just be nice. If someone has an idea and cares + about it enough to write some code and submit a patch, they + care, they are motivated, and they are already involved. Your + goal as the maintainer is make sure they submit again. They may + have thrown you a dud this time but next time may be the idea or + feature that revolutionizes your project. + + + + It is your responsibility to first justify your choice to not + incorporate their change clearly and concisely. Then thank + them. Let them know that you a appreciate their help and feel + horrible that you can't incorporate their change. Let them know + that you look forward to their staying involved and you hope + that the next patch or idea meshes better with your project + because you appreciate their work and want to see it in the + project. If you have ever had a patch rejected after putting a + large deal of time, thought, and energy into it, you remember + how it feels and it feels bad. Keep this in mind when you have + to let someone down. It's never easy but you need to do + everything you can to make it as not-unpleasant as possible. + + + + + + + + + Stable and Development Branches + + + The idea of stable and development branches has already been + described briefly in and in + . These allusions attest to some of + the ways that multiple branches can affect your software. Branches + can let you avoid (to some extent) some of the problems around + rejecting patches (as described in ) by + allowing you to temporarily compromise the stability of your + project without affecting those users who need that stability. + + + + The most common way of branching your project is to have one + branch that is stable and one that is for development. This is the + model followed by the Linux kernel that is described in . In this model, there is always one + branch that is stable and always one that is in + development. Before any new release, the development branch goes + into a feature freeze as described in where major changes and added features are + rejected or put on hold under the development kernel is released + as the new stable branch and major development resumes on the + development branch. Bug fixes and small changes that are unlikely + to have any large negative repercussions are incorporated into the + stable branch as well as the development branch. + + + + Linux's model is an extreme one. On many projects, there is no + need to have two versions always available. It may make sense to + have two versions only near a release. The Debian project has + historically made both a stable and an unstable distribution + available but has expanded to this to include: stable, unstable, + testing, experimental, and (around release time) a frozen + distribution that only incorporates bug fixes during the + transition from unstable to stable. There are few projects whose + size would necessitate a system like Debian's but this use of + branches helps demonstrate how they can be used to balance + consistent and effective development with the need to make regular + and usable releases. + + + + In trying to set up a development tree for yourself, there are + several things that might be useful to keep in mind: + + + + + + + Minimize the number of branches + + Debian may be able to make good use of four or five + branches but it contains gigabytes of software in over 5000 + packages compiled for a 5-6 different architectures. For you, + two is probably a good number. Too many branches will confuse + your users (I can't count how many times I had to describe + Debian's system when it only had 2 and sometimes 3 branches!), + potential developers and even yourself. Branches can help but + they come at a cost so use them very sparingly. + + + + + Make sure that all your different branches are explained + + As I mentioned in the preceding paragraph, different + branches will confuse your users. Do + everything you can to avoid this by clearly explaining the + different branches in a prominent page on your website and in a + Readme file in the FTP or + HTTP directory. + + + I might also recommend against a mistake that I think Debian + has made. The terms unstable, + testing, and experimental are + vague and difficult to rank in order of stability (or + instability as the case may be). Try explaining to someone + that stable actually means ultra + stable and that unstable doesn't + actually include any unstable software but is really stable + software that is untested as a distribution. + + + + If you are going to use branches, especially early on, keep in + mind that people are conditioned to understand the terms + stable and development and you + probably can't go wrong with this simple and common division of + branches. + + + + + + Make sure all your branches are always available + + Like a lot of this document, this should probably should + go without saying but experience has taught me that it's not + always obvious to people. It's a good idea to physically split + up different branches in different directories or directory + trees on your FTP or HTTP + site. Linux accomplishes this by having kernels in a v2.2 and a + v2.3 subdirectory where it is immediately obvious (after you + know their version numbering scheme) which directory is for the + most recent stable and the current development releases. Debian + accomplishes this by naming all their distribution with names + (i.e. woody, potato, etc.) and then changing symlinks named + stable, unstable and + frozen to point to which ever distribution (by + name) is in whatever stage. Both methods work and there are + others. In any case, it is important that different branches + are always available, are accessible from consistent locations, + and that different branches are clearly distinguished from each + other so your users know exactly what they want to be + downloading and where to get it. + + + + + + + + + + + + Other Development issues + + There are more issues surrounding interaction with developers in a + free software project that I can not touch on in great detail in a + HOWTO of this size. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you see + any major omissions. + + + + Other smaller issues that are worth mentioning are: + + + + Freezing + + For those projects that choose to adopt a split development model + (), freezing is a concept that is worth + becoming familiar with. + + + + Freezes come in two major forms. A feature freeze + is a period when no significant functionality is added to a + program. It is a period where established functionality (even + skeletons of barely working functionality) can be improved and + perfected. It is a period where bugs are fixed. This type of + freeze is usually applied some period (a month or two) before a + release. It is easy to push a release back as you wait for + one more feature and a freeze helps to avoid this + situation by drawing the much needed line in the sand. It gives + developers room they need to get a program ready for release. + + + + The second type of freeze is a code freeze which + is much more like a released piece of software. Once a piece of + software has entered a code freeze, all changes to the code are + frowned upon and only changes that fix known bugs are + permitted. This type of freeze usually follows a feature + freeze and directly precedes a release. Most released + software is in what could be interpreted as a sort of high + levelcode freeze. + + + + Even if you never choose to appoint a release manager (), you will have an easier time + justifying the rejection or postponement of patches ( before a release with a publicly stated + freeze in effect. + + + + + Forking + + Forks are the most extreme version of a branch. A fork is + when a group of developers takes code from a free software + project and actually starts a brand new free software + project. The most famous example of a fork is Emacs and + XEmacs. Both emacsen are based on an almost identical code-base + but for technical, political, and philosophical reasons, + development was split into two projects which now compete with + each other. + + + + The short version of the fork section is, don't do + them. Forks force developers to choose one project to + work with, cause nasty political divisions and redundancy of + work. Luckily, usually the threat of the fork is enough to scare + the maintainer or maintainers of a project into changing the way + they run their project to avoid it. + + + + In his chapter on The Open Source Process, Karl + Fogel describes how to do a fork if you absolutely must. If you + have determined that is absolutely necessary and that the + differences between you and the people threatening to fork are + absolutely unresolvable, I recommend Fogel's book as a good place + to start. + + + + + + + + + Maintaining a Project: Interacting with Users + + fswd!users + + + + If you've worked your way up to here, congratulations, you are + nearing the end of this document. This final section describes some + of the situations in which you, in your capacity as project + maintainer, will be interacting with users. It gives some + suggestions on how these situations might be handled effectively. + + + + Interacting with users is difficult. In our discussion of + interaction with developers, the underlying assumption is that in a + free software project, a project maintainer must constantly strive to + attract and keep developers who can easily leave at any time. + + + + Users in the free software community are different than developers + and are also different than users in the world of proprietary + software and they should be treated differently than either + group. Some ways in which the groups differ significantly follow: + + + + + + + The lines between users and developers are blurred in ways + that is totally foreign to any proprietary development + model. Your users are often your developers and vice + versa. + + + + In the free software world, you are often your users only + choice. Because there is such an emphasis on not replicating the + work of others in the free software community and because the + element of competition present in the propriety software model is + absent (or at least in an extremely different form) in the free + software development model, you will probably be the only project + that does what you do (or at least the only one that does what + you do in the way that you do it). This means your responsiveness + to your users is even more important than in the proprietary + software world. + + + + In an almost paradoxical situation, free software projects + have less immediate or dire consequences for ignoring their users + altogether--it is also often easier to do. Because you don't + usually need to compete with another product in the free software + model, chances are good that you will not be scrambling to gain + the features of the competitor's newest program. This means that + your development process will have to be directed either + internally, by a commitment to your users or by both. + + + + + + Trying to tackle this unique situation can only be done + indirectly. Developers and maintainers need to listen to users and + to try and be as responsive as possible. A solid knowledge of the + situation recounted above is any free software developer's best tool + for shifting his development or leadership style to fit the unique + process of free software development. This chapters will try and + introduce some of the more difficult or important points in any + projects interactions with users and give some hints on how to + tackle these. + + + + + + Testing and Testers + + + In addition to your users being your developers, they are also + (and perhaps more commonly) your testers. Before I get flamed, I + should rephrase my sentence: some of your + users are your testers. + + + + It is important that this distinction be made early on because not + all of your users want to be testers. Many users want to use + stable software and don't care if they don't have the newest + greatest software with the latest and greatest features. These + users except a stable, tested piece of software with major or + obvious bugs worked out or openly declared and will be angry if + they find themselves in a testing position. This is yet another + way in which a split development model (as mentioned in ) might come in handy. + + + + Automated testing + + For many programs, many common mistakes can be caught by + automated means. Automated tests tend to be pretty good at + catching errors that you've run into several times before or + something you just forget. They are not very good at finding + errors, even major ones, that were totally unforeseen. + + + + CVS comes with a bourne shell script called sanity.sh that is + worth looking at. Debian uses a program called lintian that + checks Debian packages for all of the most common errors. While + use of these scripts may not be possible, there is a host of + other sanity checking software on the net that may be applicable + (feel free to email any recommendations). None of these will + create a bug-free release but they will avoid at least some major + oversights. Finally, if your programs become a long term + endeavor, you will find that there are certain errors that you + tend to make over and over. Start a collection of scripts that + check for these errors to help prevent them in the future. + + + + + Testing by testers + + For any program that depends on user interactivity, many bugs + will only be uncovered through testing by users actually clicking + the keys and pressing the mouse buttons. For this you need + testers and as many testers as possible. + + + + The most difficult part of testing is finding testers. It's + usually a good tactic to post a message to a relevant mailing + list or news group announcing a specific proposed release date + and outline the functionality of the program. If you put some + time into the announcement, you are sure to get a few bites. + + + + The second most difficult part of testing is keeping your testers + and keeping them actively involved in the testing + process. Fortunately, there are some tried and true tactics that + can applied towards this end: + + + + + + + Make things simple for your testers + + Your testers are doing you a favor so make it as easy as + possible for them. This means that you should be careful to + package your software in a way that is easy to find, unpack, + install, and uninstall. This also means you should explain + what you are looking for to each tester and make the means for + reporting bugs simple and well established. The key is to + provide as much structure as possible to make your testers' + jobs easy and maintain as much flexibility as possible for + those that want to do things a little differently. + + + + + Be responsive to your testers + + When your testers submit bugs, respond to them and + respond quickly. Even if you are only responding to tell them + that the bug has already been fixed, quick and consistent + responses make them feel like their work is heard, important, + and appreciated. + + + + + Thank your testers + + Thank them personally each time they send you + patch. Thank them publicly in the documentation and the about + section of your program. You appreciate your testers and your + program would not be possible without their help. Make sure + they know it. Pat them on the back to make sure the rest of + the world knows it too. It will be appreciated more than you + expected. + + + + + + + + + + + + + Setting up Support Infrastructure + + + While testing is important, the large part of your interactions + and responsibility to your users falls under the category of + support. The best way to make sure your users are adequately + supported in using your program is to set up a good infrastructure + for this purpose so that your developers and users help each other + and less of the burden falls on you. This way, people will also + get quicker and better responses to their questions. This + infrastructure comes in several major forms: + + + + Documentation + + It should not come as any surprise that the key element to any + support infrastructure is good documentation. This topic was + large covered in and will not be + repeated here. + + + + + Mailing lists + + Aside from documentation, effective mailing lists will be your + greatest tool in providing user support. Running a mailing list + well is more complicated than installing mailing list software + onto a machine. + + + + Separate lists + + + A good idea is too separate your user and development mailing + lists (perhaps into project-user@host and project-devel@host) + and enforce the division. If people post a development question + onto -user, politely ask them to repost it onto -devel and vise + versa. Subscribe yourself to both groups and encourage all + primarily developers to do the same. + + + + This system provides that no one person is stuck doing all of + the support work and works so that users learn more about the + program, they can help newer users with their questions. + + + + + Choose mailing list software well + + Please don't make the selection of mailing list software + impulsively. Please consider easy accessibility by users without + a lot of technical experience so you want to be as easy as + possible. Web accessibility to an archive of the list is also + important. + + + + The two biggest free software mailing list programs are majordomo + and GNU Mailman. A + long time advocate of majordomo, I would now recommend any + project choose GNU Mailman. It fulfills the criteria listed + above and makes it easier to do so. It provides a good mailing + list program for a free software project maintainer as opposed + to a good mailing list application for a mailing list + administrator. + + + + There are other things you want to take in setting up your + list. If it is possible to gate your mailing lists to USENET and + provide them in digest form as well as making them accessible on + the web, you will please some users and work to make the support + infrastructure slightly more accessible. + + + + + + Other support ideas + + + A mailing list and accessible documentation are far from all you + can do to set up good user support infrastructure. Be + creative. If you stumble across something works well, email me + and I'll include it here in the HOWTO. + + + + Make your self accessible + + You can not put to few methods to access you. If you hang out in + an IRC channel, don't hesitate to list in + your projects documentation. List email and snail mail + addresses, or ways to reach you via ICQ, + AIM, or Jabber. + + + + + Bug management software + + For many large software projects, use of bug management software + is essential to keep track of which bugs have been fixed, which + bugs have not been fixed, and which bugs are being fixed by + which people. Debian uses the Debian Bug Tracking System + (BTS) although it may not be best choice for + every project (it seems to currently be buckling under its own + weight. As well as a damn good web browser, the mozilla project + has spawned a sub-project resulting in a bug tracking system + called bugzilla + which has become extremely possible and which I like quite a + bit. + + + + These systems (and others like them) can be unwieldy so + developers should be careful to not spend more time on the bug + tracking system than on the bugs or the projects themselves. If + a project continues to grow, use of a bug tracking system can + provide an easy standard way for users and testers to report + bugs and for developers and maintainers to fix them and track + them in an orderly fashion. + + + + + + + + + Releasing Your Program + + + As mentioned earlier in the HOWTO, the first rule of releasing is, + release something useful. Non-working or + not-useful software will not attract anyone to your + project. People will be turned off of your project and be likely + to simply gloss over it next time they see a new version + announced. Half-working software, if useful, will intrigue people, + whet their appetites for versions to come, and encourage them to + join the development process. + + + + When to release + + + Making the decision to release your software for the first time + is an incredibly important and incredibly stressful decision. But + it needs to be done. My advice is to try and make something that + is complete enough to be usable and incomplete enough to allow + for flexibility and room for imagination by your future + developers. It's not an easy decision. Ask for help on a local + Linux User Group mailing list or from a group of developer + friends. + + + + One tactic is to first do an alpha or + beta release as described below in . However, most of the guidelines described + above still apply. + + + + When you feel in your gut it is time and you feel + you've weighed the situation well several times, cross your + fingers and take the plunge. + + + + + How to release + + + If you've followed the guidelines described in this HOWTO up + until this point, the mechanics of doing a release are going to + be the easy part of releasing. If you have set up consistent + distribution locations and the other infrastructure described in + the preceding sections, releasing should be as simple as building + the package, checking it once over, and uploading it into the + appropriate place and then reflecting the release on your + website. + + + + + Alpha, beta, and development releases + + + When contemplating releases, it worth considering the fact that + not every release needs to be a full numbered release. Software + users are accustomed to pre-releases but you must be careful to + label these releases accurately or they cause more problems then + they are worth. + + + + + + + alpha releases + + Alpha releases are expected to be unstable, perhaps a + little unsafe, but definitely usable. Alpha versions should + have full functionality and limited testing. They can have + known bugs and kinks that have yet to be worked out. Before + releasing an alpha, be sure to keep in mind that + alpha releases are still releases and + people are not going to be expecting a nightly build from the + CVS source. An alpha should work and have minimal testing and + bug fixing already finished. + + + + + beta releases + + Beta releases are general expected to be usable and + slightly unstable, although definitely not + unsafe. Beta releases usually preclude a full + release by under a month. They can contain small known bugs + but no major ones. All major functionality should be fully + implemented although the exact mechanics can still be worked + out. Beta releases are great tool to whet the appetites of + potential users by giving them a very realistic view of where + your project is going in the very near future and can help + keep interest by giving people + something. + + + + + development releases + + Development release is much more vague + term than alpha or beta. I + usually choose to reserve the term for discussion of a + development branch although there are other ways to use the + term. So many in fact, that I feel the term has been + cheapened. The popular window manager Enlightenment has + released nothing but development + releases. Most often, the term is used to describe releases + that are not even to alpha or beta stages though and if I were + to release a pre-alpha version of a piece of software in order + to keep interest in my project live, this is probably how I + would have to label it. + + + + + + + + + + + + + Announcing Your Project + + + Well, you've done it. You've (at least for the purposes of this + HOWTO) designed, built, and released your free software + project. All that is left is for you to tell the world so they + know to come and try it out and hopefully jump on board with + development. If everything is in order as described above, this + will be a quick and painless process. A quick announcement is all + that it takes to put yourself on the free software communities + radar screen. + + + + Mailing lists and USENET + + Email is still the way that most people on the Internet get their + information. Its a good idea to send a message announcing your + program to any relevant mailing list you know of and any relevant + USENET discussion group. Karl Fogel recommends that use you + simple subject describing the fact that the message is an + announcement, the name of the program, the version, and a + half-line long description of its functionality. This way, any + interested user or developer will be immediately attracted to + your announcement. Fogel's example looks like: + + + Subject: ANN: aub 1.0, a program to assemble USENET binaries + + + The rest of the email should describe the programs functionality + quickly and concisely in no more than two paragraphs and should + provide links to the projects webpage and direct links to + downloads for those that want to try it right away. + + + + You should repeat this announcement process consistently in the + same locations for each subsequent release. + + + + + freshmeat.net + + Mentioned earlier in , in today's free + software community, announcements of your project on freshmeat + are almost more important than announcements on mailing lists. + + + + Visit the freshmeat.net + website or their submit project + page to post your project onto their site and into their + database. In addition to a large website, freshmeat provides a + daily newsletter that highlights all the days releases and + reaches a huge audience (I skim it every night for any + interesting new releases). + + + + + +
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