(post comments) Forgotten TODOs: ideas for contributing to open-source projects

[izuzak]

This issue is reserved for comments on the blog post Forgotten TODOs: ideas for contributing to open-source projects. Leave a comment below and it will show up on the blog post's Web page. Thanks!

[kinow]

Great post, thanks!

In some projects I create issues for enhancements, but sometimes it's much easier avoid making noise for other developers and simply add a task marker, like when you're implementing something new in a separate branch.

But as I always use Jenkins as my sidekick while developing, I prefer using Task Scanner Plug-in (https://wiki.jenkins-ci.org/display/JENKINS/Task+Scanner+Plugin). Using this plug-in I can specify different markers for different levels. My usual set up is:

TBD : low priority
TODO: normal priority
FIXME: critical

Cheers,
Bruno

[softwaregravy]

@kinow cool. I didn't know about the Task Scanner Plugin -- going to install that into my Jenkins right away. What other great plugins do you use?

[dcramer]

I have to disagree entirely. TODOs in my projects are generally items that dont need action, are invalid, or just arent ready to have the time spent on them. If you want to contribute, especially to get started, find something you actually use and have a problem with. Address the problem, and move from there. That's how I've gotten involved with every project, and you'll never get anywhere if it's not to scratch your own itch.

[kinow]

@softwaregravy hope you like the plugin. Really depends on the project, and programming language. But I use the task scanner, build time, email-ext and job config history in most of my jobs independently of programming language. Have a look at abayer's OSCON2011 presentation, there are lots of great tips there. http://www.slideshare.net/andrewbayer/7-habits-of-highly-effective-jenkins-users

[kinow]

@dcramer You deserve a point too. But what if you find something you actually use and have a problem with, but then find a TODO giving a hint on how that could be done? I think that may be a good approach to getting involved and guiding you on how to provide a patch or pull request, no?

[dcramer]

@kinow I just think these TODOs that are easy to fulfill by a user unfamiliar with the code base are rare and unreliable

[steveklebanoff]

I always hear professors encouraging students to contribute to open source, but it always seemed difficult to understand where to get started. This is a simple, awesome idea that I hadn't thought of previously that makes getting started simple, and allows people to warm-up in to developing new features and working on larger sets of things. Thanks for posting this!

[izuzak]

@kinow @steveklebanoff -- thanks for the positive feedback! + I like the Task Scanner plug-in, thanks for bringing it up.

@dcramer -- thanks for commenting. I do understand what you're saying and I agree. Still, for people that want to contribute and have 0 ideas - looking through TODOs might help them. At the least - it might be a starting point for a discussion on IRC which would lead to a different idea. Anyway, that's my experience.