Starting an Open-Source Project?

Tokimasa asks: "I recently thought of an idea for a software project that I want to undertake. I expect it to be mostly a learning experience, but I'm not sure where to begin. I'm familiar with software engineering practices and computer science topics, but I have never started a project on my own. What are the appropriate first steps to starting a new open-source project?"

Comments

A Few Tips

[mysqlrocks]

Start by reading Producing Open Source Software. Setup Trac or use Google Code Project Hosting. Make sure it's something you're really interested in doing and committed to spending a lot of time on it. Other people probably won't volunteer their time if they don't see at least one other person strongly committed to the project.

Re:A Few Tips

[turbidostato]

"Start by reading Producing Open Source Software."

What for?

"Setup Trac"

What for?

"or use Google Code Project Hosting."

What for?

*FIRST* you START thinking about a very gross app design you really want to see in existance and really want to use yourself (I'm with the one that said that having such an app and *not* having to develop I myself would be the real triumph).

Then you look on the Internet for an open project that could be developed towards your own goals.

*IMMEDIATELY* you start CODING and sending patches to such project.

You stay sometime coding on said project. With enough luck you won't need to start your own project. Starting your own project so you can say it's your own project only shows lack of selfsteem.

Only if after some time collaborating to that project (you must show to yourself you are able to code up to other's standars and that you are able to colaborate with other people on a codebase that maybe you don't completly know/understand) you find there's no real perspective for the project to achive your desired goals you think about starting your own project.

Then again you start it by a gross desing (your experience on the previous project will help you a lot here) and immediatly start *CODING*.

Only when you have some code that does "something" on proper fashion (better if it's something innovative, not another half-assed LAMP photoalbum, please) you use your usual Internet communication channels (maybe a newsgroup, maybe some tech blog you use to visit, maybe the previous project your worked on mail lists) to announce your "something". On proper time, if your "something" is of any interest, your home ADSL won't be enough to cope with people wanting to download your code.

Only *now* it's time to open a project within freshmeat, sourceforge, berlios or some other place of your preference (if you don't have a preference maybe it's time now to do some research about them. Do not lose your precious time doing it before you need it: just code).

Some time after that, if you're not bored yet (your previous participation on another's project will serve you to test your strength) and your pet project gains some other commiters, the time will come to some reads about producing/managing open projects/open communities. Again do not lose you time doing in it before you need it (and you won't need it while your project is a "solo show" or you have less than half a dozen commiters).

When/if your project gains momentum and you learn how to manage it, time will come to enterily rewrite your app (what? did you think your first model would be "the right one"? You fool). Opinions from both users and your other committers will point you towards proper toolkits/proper design/ proper functionality. Just don't forget those opinions are *very* valuable but now it is *your* project and it is *you* the one with a goal.

If you follow these steps in the proper outlined order your project maybe will be the one out of a hundred that goes beyond the "half-assed petty project" stage to become a real "something".

I really desire you bests of lucks.

Despite what you may have heard...

[petrus4]

...I strongly advocate starting your own project from scratch, rather than going anywhere near pre-existing code to the degree that you can help it. Do not listen to the brainless lemmings who screech and whine about "duplication of effort." If it's *your* effort that we're talking about, you have every right to tell them to leave you alone.

There are a number of reasons why starting from scratch can be a good idea:-

1) You'll have a codebase which you'll understand, rather than having to try and comprehend someone else's, which is the product of a brain and a range of experience other than your own.

2) You can be sure said codebase works, because you'll have been able to do your own testing, overseen by you.

3) Often earlier implementations of a particular idea will be written in a technically inferior, less stable, less secure way. This is very often the case with the "Linux must at all costs be an imitation of Windows" crowd in particular. The old saying that if you want something done right, to do it yourself, is even more true in the case of FOSS than in most other areas.

4) (This is probably the single most important one) If your project runs on Linux and becomes popular, sooner or later the GNU zealots will come to call. These are people who are very anxious to make sure that you're "giving back to the community," and that you aren't "taking advantage of your suppliers for your own gain." They do this primarily because they seek justification for being able to dominate others. Starting your own codebase means that you will have the right to experience the intense pleasure and satisfaction that may come from demanding that these individuals commit suicide, preferably in the most agonising way possible, at the earliest possible opportunity. If you start your own codebase, you don't owe anyone else anything, and you can tell the zealots that. The detestable, leftist zealotry exhibited by the reciprocity police is one of the strongest arguments against the re-use of open source code in new development projects. If you don't use anyone else's code, you can make sure that you are able to avoid the above...and to me, this reason alone is justification for starting your own projects when you write more or less anything. Even if you're not using anyone else's code, the zealots may well try to pressure you into adopting the GPL if you're using another license. Express to them an earnest desire that they cease to exist, say it loudly and adamantly, and repeat it as many times as is necessary for them to eventually listen and leave you in peace.