Suggestion for getting coders

[the98]

Hi, I wanted to post a suggestion that might be useful to accelerate the development of aMSN2 and attract new coders.

I've posted recently the same suggestion for emesene 2, which is also in need for developers. Now, the way I see it, there is a lot (or a considerable amount) of people that would like to help, but don't know anything about python. The problem is that knowing how to code in python is not enough, because you also have to consider understanding the logic that aMSN is applying. I mean, I haven't looked at aMSN's code, but in emesene's case, there's a directory logic that they're following. The same thing for the different classes, defs, and so on.

So anyway, what I've suggested in emesene's group is making video tutorials for people that want to help. In this videos you'd explain the code, the logic, and it would a great first step for people to learn. I'd be like a training period for a job, where they teach everything you need to know. I think this way is faster than learning python for one's own, and then reading aMSN's code to understand how it works.

I understand that this kind of task demands a lot of time, a lot of dedication, but it's the only thing I could thought about so that non-coder people can help you. If it works, then it was time well invested.

Anyway, it's something that the developers should discuss. Maybe it's a really stupid idea, I don't know.

Kind regards.

[Arch_]

I have been working on the documentation a little. Would quality documentation be good enough for this?
There are also links here on the forums to information that could be better re-written in to a wiki format but I don't know if anyone is interested in putting the time in to this task.

[the98]

I think documentation is the base for people to join a project. I mean, I'm not a coder but if I was, what do you think it would be better to join aMSN project? If I had to read the code all by myself, trying to understand the logic applied, or if I had a guide that tells me what file does what thing. Even though I've looking at the code and the files, and it looks pretty self-explanatory, (and I don't know anything about python), documentation would save time, because you'd know exactly where to look.

Anyway, for people who does not know how to code but would wanna help, I think videos are the best option, and there might be easier to make, because you'd just read the code and explain it, you don't have to sit down to write anything.

About the wiki, I think the first thing to do is compile and post all the links that you consider it would be useful for the wiki.

[alexandernst]

IMHO people without coding skills can't actually help in the *development* of aMSN2 (read as "they can't help to code aMSN2"). They can help by compiling the wiki links as you say, make screenshots/casts, test and report bugs (when we're ready to accept bug reports), etc...

The problem is that *currently* we _need_ developers (as in coders).