Group:GNU Generation/FAQs

General

Why does GNU Generation exist?

GNU Generation was created to involve younger people in Free Software. Young people are widely recognized as the most important component of creating any sort of social change. Proprietary software companies recognize this, and give schools their software at little or no cost in order to lock students in. This campaign was created to counter this force.

Will this contest occur each year?

GNU Generation is a continuous project. At the end of each year, every user will be evaluated based on specific criteria (defined below). The judging is based on work done throughout the whole year and in years past, not just the couple months leading up to it.

Do I need to know how to program?

Programming knowledge is needed for some projects, but not for others. If you are interested in a project that requires programming knowledge but do not know how to program, you may want to learn C, Scheme, or Elisp.

Why is it important to understand the value of Free Software?

Give a man a fish, and he will eat for the day. Teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime.

How do I start?

It's easy! Just see the getting started page.

Projects

How does this project system work?

It's easy! Once you register and create a profile, just join or create a project. Many projects will never necessarily be complete. For example, programming projects may warrant feature updates and security fixes. In these cases, there is no rush to move on to another project. Members will not be evaluated on quantity, but rather, on quality.

How do I sign up for an existing project?

First, find a project you are interested in the list of projects. Once you have found a project you are interested in, edit the project page and include your name in the comma-separated list of members. This will update your profile as well as the project page. For projects that can be considered "finished", don't remove your name from the list of members when you are done. Leave it there so it will show up on your profile and to maintain an archive of the completed projects.

How do I create a new project?

If you have an idea for a project that is not listed, you can create your own project. You can get some ideas on the project brainstorming page. If your project idea is more broad ("Contribute code to one of the official GNU packages" for instance) be sure to choose a title with specific information to distinguish your project from other similar projects (for example, "Improve the statistics display in GNU Solfege"). Then, fill out the description of your project. The only required fields are "Title", "Short Description", and "Long description". The rest are optional, and are just for the benefit of the project.

How do I document the progress of my projects?

Be sure to update the project's "Blog" page frequently. This will help both the FSF and other participants determine the status of the project. If you have hit an important landmark in your project and/or would like to draw attention to an important accomplishment, don't hesitate to edit the "Projects Blog" page found on the main page. This blog is open to all participants in GNU Generation to make important announcements. In addition to the blog, a "Wiki" page is also created. You may use this page for documentation, planning, or anything else you would like.

Can I join more than one project?

Most people like to focus on one project at a time so that they can give that project their full attention. However, if would help you to work on multiple projects at the same time, feel free to do so. The number of concurrent projects will not affect judging.

Can I work on a project in a group? Can I work on one alone?

You can do either! If you would like to work on a project that already has someone working on it, make sure you are polite and ask the current member(s) if it is okay for you to join.

What if I am unable to continue work on a project?

Some projects have specific completion dates and goals, but most do not. If you cannot continue working on a project due to difficulty or other reasons, it is better to spend time on a project you can do instead of worry about how to do one you can't. If you have contact information for a community member of this project, talk to them first. Also, if you are working in a group, talk to those you are working with. Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses. When you go to choose another project, make sure to pick a reasonable one.

Prizes

How are participants judged?

Participants are judged on their contribution to the Free Software community. The following will be taken into consideration:

• Free Software values - Those who do not demonstrate a complete understanding of the ideals and concepts of Free Software will not be taken into consideration.
• Value of contribution - The value of work on projects is the most important factor in this decision. Please remember that "value of work" does not equate to "quantity of work". A little bit of quality work is much more valuable than a lot of poor quality work.
• Community involvement and teamwork - Synergy and assisting others is especially important in Free Software. Not only does it help others better contribute to Free Software, but it also makes them feel good. Don't forget that, in most cases, helping someone is a great way to contribute...
• Friends invited - In case you wondered why there is a special space for invited friends on the profile page, referring other students to GNU Generation is another good way to win something, especially if they become active contributors! Just make sure they credit you as inviting them.

What prizes will be awarded?

Each month, a contributor of the month will be chosen. These winners will be chosen because of exceptional contributions in that month. Contributors of the month will receive a small prize, such as a t-shirt. At the end of each year, the top one or two contributors will win a GNU/Linux powered netbook. Winning "contributor of the month" does not disqualify you from winning the yearly prize. Likewise, you do not have to be a "contributor of the month" in order to win the yearly prize. Specifics regarding the prizes are yet to be determined.