Re: Debian Academy Team and Wiki
Hi,
I was afraid I lost the mail, but I have it, great.
My suggestions about this topic I am very interested in is:
- using the debian welcome wiki page and IRC channel, the team has an
interesting background to base a platform I think
- I created there a draft to get a tool for profiling newcomers in order
to suggest contributions ways and appropriate resource:
https://wiki.debian.org/Teams/Welcome/BrainStorming (first heading)
- I attach a draft about how we could fill the debian welcome wiki page
to hope users and contributors. I dsill did not release, as it is a WIP
and I dont want to change so much the wiki before being ready, but here
is it attahced
Thanks for this project I hope we can work together on it with our
skills and experience
Best regards
Jean-Philippe MENGUAL
Debian Developer non uploading
Community team member
Accessibility team member
debian-l10n-french team member
President of Debian France non-profit organization
Le 28/08/2020 à 21:14, jathan a écrit :
Hi everybody,
Due many of you liked the talk and the initiative, I would like to start
the team and an official wiki for Debian Academy. I was wondering
whether to create it in the team or community section. Can someone
please tell me what would be most suitable?
Regards!
Jathan
https://www.debian.org/CD/faq
pages assistance: https://www.debian.org/support
faq,
User:
<<TableOfContents(3)>>
== Who can I talk to ==
Because Debian is a world-wide and volunteer project, you cannot get a support or advice through phone or speech. You can talk to our users and contributors using the following solutions, all write-based.
Note that even if this solution exists, you should firs read what is writen below, in order to avoid to ask a frequent question, having a several times written reply, because repeating make people tired and not awesome.
=== mails ===
* Traditionally, most Debian users subscribe their mail on a list. You will then get the most extended support subscribing your mail to [[https://lists.debian.org/users.html|debian-user-* lists]]. They will give you technical help in specific languages and other kind of support.
* For you information, you can check all he available mailing lists (many lists) [[https://lists.debian.org/|on the list of mailing lists]].
=== forum ===
* Ask your questions and check the beginners guides on [[http://forums.debian.net/|the Debian forums]]
=== chat ===
If you prefer to chat, perhaps you will find help on:
* [[irc://irc.oftc.net/#debian-welcome|#debian-welcome]]
* as for the mailing lists mentioned above, you have channels to get a technical or general help. Replace # debian-welcome above with: #debian (general and in English), #debi-nayourlanguages, eg. #debian-fr, #debian-it, #debian-es
If you do not have any IRC client or do not know what it is, replace irc with web (eg. [[https://web.oftc.net/#debian-welcome|#debian-welcome]]
== Important prerequisities ==
Note that Debian has no as a job to provide you for a out-of-the-box computer. Such thing would be impossible to do due to the diversity of the existing computers.
To use a free software computer according to our society proposal, you need to like the "do it yourself". We arrange things to make things easier, we document the tools, we provide users help resources, but we do not warranty our arrangement will work immediately on your compputer. You will need to install all the system, define your needs and install the packages according to it (although most current needs are automatically installed when you install th basic system). Hence the massive documentation that will be pointed here.
If you would prefer to have an out-of-the-box computer, contact the [[https://www.debian.org/distrib/pre-installed|Debian computer sellers]]. Such things cannot be free-payment AND with quality warranty, because volunteers do what they can with a limited time and not fulltime contributors, which are few.
== How to use a free software computer ==
To have benefits of software distributed by Debian, you will need to install:
* a kernel;
* programs to make it work;
* some basic utilities to start wih using the computer;
* the Debian tools to manage the packages you have installed.
To do this, you can download a media containing what is needed to get started, it will download and install automatically all you need.
=== If you have a good connection to the Internet ===
**
=== If you have a low connection to the Internet ===
If your bandwish is small, due to your Internet provider or because you are behind a firewall, the first solution is to get the full media to install Debian and the most popular applications.
If that is too long, or if further installations of additional components take too time, you can get the media through {{https://www.debian.org/CD/vendors/|DVD/CDs sellers]]. You also will do it if you cannot burn yourself your medias.
In general, a single CD/DVD/USB stick is enough. Either because it contains the most popular packages, or because it downloads on the INternet the packages not included. However, if you have no Internt connection, you probably will want to buy all the DVDs, to get all the Debian store at home. This solution, however, cannot be updated without an Internet connection.
=== Next steps ===
After this, burn the media on a USB stick or DVDs.
Set your computer to boot on the USB or DVD. And start the installation.
== Is my hardware compatible ==
That is impossible to say. If some components do not work, your hardware manufacturer is not cool and provide tools that are not free.
If you do not want to get a free software compatible computer due to the price, Debian can help you however. Just you will need a stronger "do it yourself" or request some paid help.
Anyway, the best thing to do is testing before installing Debian. If it works and display the graphical desktop, you have raisonable chances to have a good experience.
=== The hardware ===
.jp: compatible
Firmwares
=== The software ===
== What happens when I install Debian ==
As explained earlier, the Debian installer installs the kernel and the needed packages around. They are provided on your media or come from our repositories.
Then, you are proposed to install the additional packages: nothing, some basics, or a pre-arranged environment for some needs (desktop, server). If no task is listed, just install nothing and you will install at reboot what you need. be aware then the system will be only usable with commandline. If you wish a user-frinedly interface, choose the desktop. It will not prevent you, once rebooted, to install software for other usages.
== Joining the Debian Community ==
* Read [[https://www.debian.org/social_contract|The Debian Social Contract]]
* [[DebianWiki/EditorQuickStart#Account|Create your home page on the wiki]] - consider [[Welcome/Contributors#First_steps:_Register_to_the_Alioth_system|registering as a contributor]] and joining the #debian-welcome IRC channel (see above)
* Check [[DebianWiki/Content#writing-style|the wiki content writing style guidelines]] before contributing content
* Check [[DebianWiki/EditorGuide#Screenshots|the Screenshots section in the Editor Guide]] before contributing screenshots
== Expats, welcome ==
Eventually each distribution's section would move to a page under /Welcome, as content is augmented/improved.
=== Ubuntu ===
* See [[Ubuntu]]
* '''[[IRC|IRC]]''':
* [[irc://irc.oftc.net/debian-ubuntu|#debian-ubuntu on OFTC]]
* [[irc://irc.oftc.net/ubuntu-expats|#ubuntu-expats on OFTC]]
== Developer resources ==
* [[DerivativesFrontDesk|Debian derivatives front-desk]]
* [[Utnubu]] (inactive) is Ubuntu spelled backwards. One of Ubuntu's activities is frequently redistributing packages originally from Debian to Ubuntu's users. Utnubu was about the reverse, copying packages from Ubuntu to Debian.
----------------------
Contributors:
== Miscellaneous ==
First of all, thanks and welcome in the Debian community contributors! Your help is really welcome! Debian is a 1000 persons project about, but provides about 50000 packages for users. This implies working on them, but also on other mattrs related to the community life, the services to these maintainers, and the "publicity" of our project. So the work is large, and you can help us regardless your skills.
If what follows does not give you some answers, join us on #debian-welcome. We will try giving you the proper information, technically or about the Debian working. Even if we do this only in case of problem, sometimes we can introduce you in teams.
=== The communication in Debian ===
In Debian, most communication is done on mailing lists. You should avoid to write to the maintainer of a package if it is a person, prefer the mailing of a team. But you also should avoid to write to so general mailing lists, such as debian-devel. This mailing is really for general topics and a lot os message are on it.
Next to mailing lists, when there is a topic with debate on a precise object, Debian developers like to use the [[https://bugs.debian.org/|bug tracking system]]. It works via mails, you send mails to the control systm, then to the number of the bug affected by the system.
This is a very important way to work in Debian. Most topics may become bugs: a decision, a conflict, a request of something, etc. So consider learning the basics of this tool to increase your chances to have replies for your patches or rquests abou one packag or a precise objct (website, infra, etc).
Finally, IRC is a good way to communicate
=== Get started ===
First of all, any contributor should create an account on:
* [[https://signup.salsa.debian.org/|salsa]]: it is our Gitlab tools. Most contributions, technical or not, are here. You will get an account with -guest, and be able to join teams (groups), projects, and once accepted, contribute. In parallel with any joining request, you should join the team on the IRC or via the mailing list. Your patches will use mrge requests or pull requests via this tool.
This tool implies you to know the basics of the git tool, to clone the repositories of your projects, change them, update them, etc. Git can be used in commandline or***
* [[https://nm.debian.org/|Debian new members]], make you come in the Debian contributor database. This intrface will enable you, when desired and after some experience, to become a Debiana member, maintainer or developer (uploading or not). See xx about these status.
Once subscribed, here are all the jobs you can help for. Choose it according your skills and interest, and join the team.
== What is the Debian work organization ==
As Debian is a dealer/distribution, we have 2 big dimensions:
=== The front-office ===
The front-office job is:
==== Packaging source code ====
* If you know a software not present in Debian, package it!
(Lucas, dfsg, mentors
* Packaging may mean arranging several source codes to create a relevant set of software: for example, all the desktop environments have a team; all the accessibility packages are managed by a team.
[[DebianWiki/Teams#Packaging_teams|Here are the teams]] you can join.
Note some packages are maintained by individuals.
This job includes updating the package and arrange it so that it does not conflict with others, letting the system stable. Some teams need to collaborate to provide user with a relevant system: desktop with graphical backend, for example.
We recommend you to start with packages you use and know. A first help may be providing patches for opened bugs or bugs you open to help updating the packages.
This job may be also providing a full Debian system or a package on some architecture. They are the ports. [[https://www.debian.org/ports/|here is the list of the existing architectures]] today.
==== Ensuring the "service after installation" ====
Again, we recommend you to start with packages you use and know.
Each team can receive bug reports related to the package it maintains. The role is then:
* confirm the bug
* replying to the user
* forward the bug upstream if the bug is a misworking of the source code
* fixing it if it is due to a packaging choice or mistake
This task needs contributions because very very long, as bugs are not all relevant and needs dialog with the end-user.
* helping the users: most users do not report bugs, and do not need to do it. You can help them. See [[https://www.debian.org/support#mail_lists|where they are]] via mailing lists or IRC.
If you identify a bug, ie. an not-expected behavior of the program, you can report the bug for the user, upstream or in the Debian bug tracking systm
If you want to help, you can install how-can-i-help package.
It will display, after each apt, the possible tasks for you on packages you
have installed locally.
=== The back-office ===
This job is much more extended, because it is transversal and aims to make the packages distributed by Debian wonderfully usable, manageable, and known. For a distribution/dealer, the support of packaging should be its core work. Especially, it is not a job possible for package maintainers, busy with more than 40 000 packages and all the tasks described above.
In other words, the maintainers prepare the products to distribute (and their packaging), they rely on the support teams to promote the packages, the project, and maintain their framework.
==== Technical support for maintainers ====
Such jobs include you know or will learn to use the development tools such as git etc. You will help developing tools to push packages anywhere, help the QA, and giving maintainrs facilities to maintain their packages.
[[DebianWiki/Teams#Infrastructure_and_Core_teams|The teams are listed there]]
Among the available jobs, you could hlp maintainers to have their packages in security.
It is essenetial that Debian provides a system which lets your computr in security. For this, some persons, including the maintainers themselves, have a transvrsal job consisting in:
* [[https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/data/report|following]], [[https://www.debian.org/security/audit/|finding]], and [[https://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/developers-reference/pkgs.html#bug-security|fixing]] [[https://www.debian.org/security/|security problems]] in the Debian packages.
* helping in hardening the security in the [[https://wiki.debian.org/Hardening|packages]], th [[https://wiki.debian.org/Hardening/RepoAndImages|Debian repositories]], and [[https://wiki.debian.org/Hardening/Goals|others goals]].
Other example, you can help to have the [[DebianWiki/accessibility|most accessible Debian system for the impaired users]].
==== Technical tools for users ====
See the [[DebianWiki/Teams#Development_Projects|section about the internal teams in Debian]] to know the teams around the Debian tools to help users. Among these teams, there is the documentation, the developers of installer, package management tools, etc
==== Promoting the packages and the project ====
To make a package known, the distribution needs to ensure:
===== It is localized in as many languages as possible =====
* The purpose here is not to translate all th packages in Debian. We are a distro, not the program author. However, when we package a program, we add some info to make it referenced in the Debian store. We need help to translate the descriptions of the packages.
It is probably the most obvious project if you want to help immediately, easily, without technical skills. Go to [[https://ddtp2.debian.net/ddtss/index.cgi/your_language|the page of your lanuage]], eg. fr, it, es. Create a profile, then click on a package or fetch one, fill the form to translate its description, replacing the <trans> with your translation and letting the dots to separate the paragraphs. You will be part of a review process and, thus, learn the good practices in translating Debian. And you can take 5 minutes in your tim, translate one package, and you will help, without need to spend hours and hours to finish a project.
* Once more experienced, why not translating the screens displayed by the Debian package manager during their installation? It is so-called po-debconf project.
* Next step, why not translating the localization files for the Debian package, ie. the packages such as dpkg and its interfaces? So-called the PO project.
* Many others translations are possible: website, documentation around Debian, official documents produced by Debian such s the newsltter, etc.
See the [[https://www.debian.org/international/|international page]] and follow the links to your language to join the team and see their work and how they do it.
===== It is visible on the website for search engines =====
===== It makes part of a known distro =====
- micronews
- https://wiki.debian.org/Teams/Publicity
== The general management of Debian ==
As any organization, Debian needs to have some management. It is not a common thing here, because Debian has a completely democratic decision process (see our Constitution). However some important missions: DPL, secretary, teasures, DSA, DAM, CTTE.
These teams are introduced [[DebianWiki/Teams#Infrastructure_and_Core_teams|here]]
== What is my carreer in Debian ==
=== Adding a package to Debian ===
Unlikely a commercial dealer of commercial dealer, our criterai to accept a program are not its purpose or its audience, but:
* its license;
* your ability to maintain it in the future
If a source is not packaged in Debian and you want to do it, enjoy. Read*
* Lucas' doc
* Debian Maintainer guide
Once packagd, find a mentor to upload the new package in Debian.
=== Conributing to a team ===
You are free to help a front-office or a back-office team. The easiest way to do it then:
* reading the Debian maintainer
* starting supporting users and working on the newest bugs, related to newest releases of the packages
* talk to your team
=== After you uploaded some pacakges ===
Some months after you have shown you are able to maintain a package with your mentor, you should attnd some free software events where Debian developer are present. It will enable you to establish a more human relationship with the project, and to get your GPG key signed by some Debian devs. Not that to go further in your carreer, you ned at least three signatures by Debian developrs.
Then you can become a Debian maintainer.
Finally Debian developer.
More info about the process: [[https://www.debian.org/devel/join/newmaint|the process to become a Debian member]].
--------------------------------------
Press:
== Contacy ==
DPL, debian-publicity
History, chiffres clés
=== First time around ===
* [[http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/project-history/ch-intro.en.html#s1.2|What is Debi * Keep up with the latest news quickly with [[https://www.debian.org/News/weekly|Debian Project News]]. [[http://bits.debian.org/|Bits from Debian]] is the official blog where news are frequently posted in English.
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