Being a model contributor

https://desrosiers.party/wcoc | Jonathan Desrosiers| @desrosj

• 2007 started using WordPress
• 2009 started taking a deeper drive
• 2013 contributions to WordPress
  • a simple css bug fix 🙂
• WordCamp Providence 2013
  • Contributor Day met @nacin
  • Ticket, Improving passwords for users
  • First experience in actual collaboration to core
• Lurking Phase
  • watched Slack at .org
• Volunteering Phase
  • testing patches, administrative tasks
• 2015 Community Summit
• 2018 Core Committer
• 2019 Triage Team
  • Reduce open tickets
• Why Contribute?
  • Knowledge and Experience
  • Career Advancement
  • Cultures and backgrounds
  • New Friendships
  • FOSS contributions transcend jobs

What makes a great FOSS contributor

• Be through and careful
• attention to detail
• provide very strong details and examples on how to recreate the problem
• be patient
• be curious
• be empathetic
• Tips to be successful
• Understand the time requirements and be realistic. Don’t take on to much.
• Set realistic expectations
• Understand the projects priorities
  • IE block editor, phase 2 and phase 3
• All contributions are valuable
• Remember that you’re not alone
• Assume good intent, even if frank feedback sounds rough or personal (cultural differences)
• Don’t be embarrassed by your code
• Master specific topics. Be an expert it a couple areas
• Being a generalist has value

How to Contribute

• Join WordPress Slack
• Observe Phase
  • Attend meetings and get a sense of how they work — Slack
• New Contributor meetings
  • Second and Fourth Wednesday every month
• Do research
• Volunteer
  • even if its something as simple as meeting summaries
• Convince the boss
• Ask for help