9.5. Participating in Fedora Projects

Within the Fedora Community, there are many different projects aimed at developing and improving various aspects of Fedora Linux. Regardless of your skill set, interests, or experience, there is probably a role that is perfect for you in one of the projects. Becoming directly involved in a Fedora project contributes back to the Fedora community and can build your skill and reputation.

9.5.1. How Do I Do That?

A list of Fedora Projects is maintained at http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Projects. Each project has separate standards and requirements for participation, so a good place to start is by reading the project outline to determine the participation requirements, then joining the relevant mailing lists to meet and get to know other project members.

Here are some projects to consider:

9.5.1.1. Fedora Documentation

The Fedora Docs project (http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/DocsProject) produces release notes, installation and configuration guides, and other documentation, and is always looking for writers, editors, and readers willing to provide feedback. Other members of the Fedora Docs team develop the tool chain used to manage the documentation and transform it into various forms.

9.5.1.2. Fedora Translation

Since Fedora software is used globally, messages and controls within the software, documentation, and web sites all require translation into many languages. The Fedora Translation project exists to do this translation and to develop and refine the tools necessary to manage translated text. The Fedora Translation web site is found at http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/L10N.

L10N in the Translation URI stands for localization (translation into specific languages). I18N stands for internationalization (technologies that enable use of software in multiple locales). The numbers in the abbreviations refer to the quantity of letters removed.

9.5.1.3. Fedora Extras

If you have RPM packages that aren't included in Fedora Core or Fedora Extras, you can become a Fedora Extras contributor and make those packages available to other Fedora users. The Fedora Extras project has set up strict standards and a rigorous review process to protect the quality of the Extras repository, so participating in this project requires a certain level of skill and commitment. To streamline the process, Fedora Extras uses a sponsorship process, which pairs experienced members with newcomers during their first package submission. The web site http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Extras/Contributors describes the process of becoming a Fedora Extras contributor.

9.5.2. What About...

9.5.2.1. ...Fedora-related projects that have sprung up outside of the official Fedora community?

There are a number of Fedora-related projects that are not part of the official Fedora project, and these projects are also staffed by volunteers:

Derivative distributions

There are over 60 Linux distributions derived from Fedora Linux, and yet others that are derived from Red Hat Enterprise Linux (Red Hat's enterprise Linux distribution, which shares a common root with Fedora). These distributions tailor Fedora to meet specific community, linguistic, or hardware requirements.

Other repositories

The Livna, ATrpms, and RPMforge repositories interoperate with the Fedora Core and Extras repositories (although not necessarily with each other).

The Fedora Unity project

Fedora Unity provides web sites with guides and technical notes on various Fedora-related issues. It also produces what it terms respins of the Fedora Core CDs and DVDs, incorporating updates released since the official Fedora Core release dates.

9.5.3. Where Can I Learn More?

• The Fedora projects page: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Projects/

• Linux distributions derived from Fedora: http://distrowatch.com/dwres.php?resource=independence#fedora

• External repositories: http://rpm.livna.org/, http://atrpms.net/, and http://rpmforge.net/

• The Fedora Unity Project: http://fedoraunity.org/