How the FlightGear project works: Difference between revisions

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How the FlightGear project works (view source)

Revision as of 17:14, 8 February 2012

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= Background =
As FlightGear is getting increasingly popular, we get to see new users coming to our forums and the mailing list every week. Many of them quite obviously very much interested in contributing to FlightGear in one way or another and getting involved in our community.
As FlightGear is getting increasingly popular, we get to see new users coming to our forums and the mailing list every week. Many of them quite obviously very much interested in contributing to FlightGear in one way or another and getting involved in our community.


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Please don't think that you cannot contribute to the project, because you cannot program or because you cannot design 3D models. Creating a flight simulator is a huge undertaking and there are many tasks which may seem less obvious to outsiders, such as helping maintain the wiki, moderating the forum, reporting spam, triaging the bug tracker, reviewing bug reports, helping fellow users and so on.
Please don't think that you cannot contribute to the project, because you cannot program or because you cannot design 3D models. Creating a flight simulator is a huge undertaking and there are many tasks which may seem less obvious to outsiders, such as helping maintain the wiki, moderating the forum, reporting spam, triaging the bug tracker, reviewing bug reports, helping fellow users and so on.


= Irritations =
However, sometimes we get to see some irritations among new community members and more seasoned members, because people may have certain expectations and assumptions on contributing to FlightGear. This has frequently caused some heated discussions, sometimes even flame wars on both, the devel mailing list and the forums.
However, sometimes we get to see some irritations among new community members and more seasoned members, because people may have certain expectations and assumptions on contributing to FlightGear. This has frequently caused some heated discussions, sometimes even flame wars on both, the devel mailing list and the forums.


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It seems, some people are trying to apply their own experiences and assumptions to FlightGear as a software development project, which is sometimes causing grief and anger because FlightGear seems so different from anything they may know already.
It seems, some people are trying to apply their own experiences and assumptions to FlightGear as a software development project, which is sometimes causing grief and anger because FlightGear seems so different from anything they may know already.


= Passion =
Honestly, we are all part of this community because we appreciate some things about this open source flight sim named FlightGear. So we are always sorry whenever our tone becomes inappropriate or even harsh.
Honestly, we are all part of this community because we appreciate some things about this open source flight sim named FlightGear. So we are always sorry whenever our tone becomes inappropriate or even harsh.
We sincerely believe that you can contribute in more meaningful ways than you may currently perceive, without just voicing criticism. Obviously, it really is important to get along with people, regardless of differences in opinions.
We sincerely believe that you can contribute in more meaningful ways than you may currently perceive, without just voicing criticism. Obviously, it really is important to get along with people, regardless of differences in opinions.


= Welcome to the club =


To tell the truth: Most of us have been in that situation at some point. To most of us, the way FlightGear works as a project has been somewhat irritating and confusing in the beginning. So, we may actually share your initial confusion, because most of us went through the same process at some point.
To tell the truth: Most of us have been in that situation at some point. To most of us, the way FlightGear works as a project has been somewhat irritating and confusing in the beginning. So, we may actually share your initial confusion, because most of us went through the same process at some point.
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Like you can see now, we've changed our strategy: We are trying to act like we want others to act, we are trying to be the change we'd like to see.
Like you can see now, we've changed our strategy: We are trying to act like we want others to act, we are trying to be the change we'd like to see.


Really, your situation may not be any different than our's: We've all been there. You need to be patient and absorb what we're telling you. We have no doubt that you'll get along with most of us, especially if you can demonstrate that you are actually listening and absorbing the advice we are handing out and applying your new knowledge.
Really, your situation may not be any different than ours: We've all been there. You need to be patient and absorb what we're telling you. We have no doubt that you'll get along with most of us, especially if you can demonstrate that you are actually listening and absorbing the advice we are handing out and applying your new knowledge.




So this is an attempt at explaining things in a non-heated fashion, so that we can point aspiring contributors to this article explaining some things which may not be directly obvious, but which we feel are important to understand why some things are done the way they are.


So this is an attempt at explaining things in a non-heated fashion, so that we can point aspiring contributors to this article explaining some things which may not be directly obvious, but which we feel are important to understand why some things are done the way they are.
= Proposing changes =


This is not to say that things are set in stone, but the current development model is the result of a certain evolution, and it's exactly this what has enabled FlightGear to survive and grow for over a decade already.  
This is not to say that things are set in stone, but the current development model is the result of a certain evolution, and it's exactly this what has enabled FlightGear to survive and grow for over a decade already.  
Retrieved from "https://wiki.flightgear.org/Special:MobileDiff/40328"

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