Recruiting Help for Open Source Projects?

AsparagusChallenge asks: "Let's say that I do have an open source project. I've setup a CVS on SourceForge, made release announcements on freshmeat, placed a nice webpage and a message board to discuss CVS commits. That said, what's the best way to attract talented people to help with development? I'd like to hear comments from people that have started their own projects and have got more people to work with them. What are the best channels to find volunteers, how to ask for testers, forming a team and so on. Note that I'm not advertising my project; what I'm asking for are general hints."

Comments

Ditto

[gmhowell]

First, have some code that does something. Anything. A design document is not enough.

Second, post at the 'help wanted' pages on Sourceforge.

Three, make sure your project isn't another 'me too' id3 tag generator. Do something original, or go help on an older project.

Four, Usenet. Go to brewnix.sourceforge.net For a time, I was running this project (but I have no skillz, so had to rely too much on others). I went to all of the Usenet groups appropriate to this project and made an announcement. Really make sure they are appropriate newsgroups. Largely, only geeks still use Usenet, so there are likely some programmers in the appropriate groups.

Finally, go ahead and tell us what your project is. There are at least one or two programmers on Slashdot. Oh, and put a reference/link to it in your .sig.

Re:Make some strides yourself

[Malcolm MacArthur]

Stats for reference:
Development Status

1. Planning (10899 projects) [28%]
2. Pre-Alpha (7314 projects) [18%]
3. Alpha (6611 projects) [17%]
4. Beta (7936 projects) [20%]
5. Production/Stable (6062 projects) [15%]
6. Mature (641 projects) [2%]
7. Inactive (80 projects) [0.2%]

Percentages rounded up to nearest whole percentage (apart from the last :).

I'd say those stats weren't too bad...

Open Source Development HOWTO

[cyberkreiger]

Forget that! Check out the Open Source Development HOWTO!