0.11.11

This is the list of things I'd like to see in the November 2011 OpenHatch release.

We can change this document!

Theme: Simplify.

= Basically can't live without it: Website =

Fast developer setup
Goals:


 * Linux-based developer setup should take <= 5 min
 * Mac-based developer setup should take <= 10 min
 * Windows-based developer setup should take <= 15 min

Status: The technical changes are probably complete. Documentation-wise, we should write clear instructions for Windows, Linux, and Mac users go from "I don't know if I have Python installed" all the way to "runserver is running."

Finish migrating all bug trackers to new "bugimporters" framework

 * Write more about this, but anyway, that's the goal.
 * Remove the "mysite/customs/bugtrackers" directory entirely.

Status: bugtrackers/ is gone, and bugimporters/ is now being used. We still need to rewrite the Launchpad importer.

Fix some core known problems related to site uptime

 * Asheesh says this is "some basic performance improvements to a few sites, and a few Apache tunable parameters, away from being true."
 * This is done!
 * Next month, though, we ought to do load testing to be more sure that the site won't go down all the dang time.

Status: Many core problems are resolved.

Initial implementation of handler for people who've clicked "I want to help"
Right now, when visitors to OpenHatch click a button on a project page indicating they want to help, we add them to a list. We have repeatedly received feedback that project maintainers want the ability to manage this as a queue.

(Recently, we've used the short-hand "IWH handler" to describe this -- "I Want to Help" handler.)

More info:


 * Mockup and conversation: http://openhatch.org/bugs/issue282
 * Related bugs: http://openhatch.org/bugs/issue567 http://openhatch.org/bugs/issue568 http://openhatch.org/bugs/issue570

Owner: Asheesh (but someone else may take it)

Skills needed: Familiarity (or willingness to learn) Django

(Asheesh's note: I'm particularly motivated to see us get this done, so I'll make sure it's on my agenda if no one else takes it.)

Status: Jule grabbed this bug, and submitted a patch for it on 12/4/2011, and it landed!

Add some reasonable antispam to project pages
They get spam. What a drag.

Maybe filter links with the Akismet module.

Status: I did manual spam filtering, which seems to work okay, and documented further possible steps here: https://openhatch.org/bugs/issue624

Rate each of the training missions w/r/t Missions Pedagogy

 * More info: Missions pedagogy

Owner: Karen

Skills needed: Willingness to think carefully about clarity in teaching.

Status: First two missions done; some feedback already handled.

= Basically can't live without it: Non-website =

P2PU-based "How to join Open Source" class begins
Owner: Asheesh

See: Campus outreach 2011-2012

Status: Put on hold, pending finishing the curriculum.

Three commitments from campuses for dates for "How to join Open Source" class
Owner: Asheesh

See: Campus outreach 2011-2012

Status: No firm commitments yet.

= Non-urgent but important: Web tech =

Project page reorganization
When you visit a project page within OpenHatch (e.g. https://openhatch.org/+projects/OpenHatch ) it is unclear which parts are for new contributors, and which parts are for current maintainers.

In September, we began to discuss some UI changes to improve this.


 * More info: http://lists.openhatch.org/pipermail/devel/2011-September/002394.html

Owner: ?

Skills needed: Django templates, plus small bits of Python, plus an ability to think critically about web layout.

Status: Not started.

Stop using embedded copy of patch parsing library
As described at http://openhatch.org/bugs/issue562, we have a copy of patch.py in our source code.

We should move it out so that it is a dependency, and make sure our tests pass.

Status: Not started.

Design a frame that provides context for OpenHatch users who visit bugs on other bug trackers
When you click out of the volunteer opportunity finder onto a bug, the bug tracker can be confusing.

We should make a mockup and discuss it.

More info: http://openhatch.org/bugs/issue247

Owner: ?

Skills needed:


 * Willingness to think critically about what information could improve newbies' experience on bug trackers

Status: Not started.

IRC training mission
One essential skill for many people, in terms of participating in open source projects, is being able to chat on IRC. Let's have a training mission for it.

More info:


 * Bug: http://openhatch.org/bugs/issue396
 * Discussion of possible plot: http://lists.openhatch.org/pipermail/devel/2011-September/002396.html

Owner: Alex Ose said he aims to work on this

Skills needed: Solid understanding of IRC, and willingness to take feedback on the content of the training mission.

Status: Not started.

Buildhelper lets you edit via a textarea
A new, under-publicized feature of the project pages (e.g. https://openhatch.org/+projects/OpenHatch ) is the "buildhelper," a set of steps a new contributor would take that sets up a usable build environment.

Read more about the buildhelper here:


 * Blog post: https://openhatch.org/blog/2010/introducing-the-buildhelper/
 * Click around on one that is working: https://openhatch.org/+projects/OpenHatch#buildhelper

Right now, we have a working (and simple) frontend and backend for the buildhelper. However, there is no way to edit a buildhelper document except from the Django admin interface.

I think we should:


 * Write code that converts the models to a text-based representation that looks like MediaWiki markup
 * Provide a textarea that lets people edit this MediaWiki markup
 * On save, render that markup into HTML, and then parse the HTML into buildhelper step objects for the database

Owner: ?

Status: Not started. = Non-urgent but important: Non-web tech =

Not-for-profit corporation is created
There is a good chance that, during November, we will create the Massachusetts not-for-profit corporation to house the project. That'd be great. We can then file the IRS paperwork.

Status: "Nearly ready"