
Should I just stop attempting to make these trivial patches? (2004) - bischofs
https://lkml.org/lkml/2004/12/20/255
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RustyRussell
Obv. feel the same way, which is why I started being the trivial patch monkey
which Linus refers to.

That's long ago been handed over, but I like to think that it did expand the
developer base. Not just for Linux, but for FOSS generally.

~~~
vertis
I think the other side of this is important as well, shoving a patch or a pull
request across for something you use and sharing with them that you're fine if
they don't merge it.

Probably less with the kernel and more with smaller FOSS it is a way of
serving your own needs and also giving back.

But there has to be an expectation that the maintainer isn't under any
obligation to merge or even evaluate it.

~~~
RustyRussell
As a maintainer, part of my task is to interface between developers and the
code. That generally means responding to submissions somewhat in proportion to
the effort the submitter put in.

More importantly, I have benefitted so much from senior devs "wasting time" on
me, I am obliged to help others now I'm senior.

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inetknght
Linus being kind? This is contrary to what seems like public opinion. Good to
show this here, I think.

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ballooney
[I appreciate you probably realise this:] Selection bias - you only see one
news-aggregator-site linus rant every 3-4 months and not the other 1347 normal
coder and leader emails in between that allow him to maintain the most
successful bit of open source software in existence.

~~~
inetknght
:)

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ILikeConemowk
The next reply is even better in my opinion. Mostly because the person on the
other end did get what Linus was trying to convey and felt quite motivated by
it.

[https://lkml.org/lkml/2004/12/20/256](https://lkml.org/lkml/2004/12/20/256)

Super cool exchange.

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chris_wot
This is what the LibreOffice project is trying to achieve via EasyHacks.

[https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Development/EasyHacks](https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Development/EasyHacks)

We are always trying to get in new developers, and we have a _masssive_ and
often confusing codebase. Easy Hacks give newbies a way of getting their feet
wet, in a way that actually helps improve the codebase.

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ChuckMcM
[https://www.systutorials.com/linux-kernels/13170/patch-
updat...](https://www.systutorials.com/linux-kernels/13170/patch-update-
credits-entry-and-listings-in-source-files-for-jesper-juhl-linux-2-6-13/)

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rcthompson
This is one of the rare times that I'm actually _happy_ to point out that if
the title is question, the answer is probably no.

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vbezhenar
Another important thing is having some kind of resource to find work for new
developers. E.g. I want to devote my free time improving XXX framework. I'm
visiting its website and if I'd find something like "issues for newbies", that
would be a great help, because I could just get one issue and start digging.

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AdmiralAsshat
Please add (2004) to the title.

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packetized
Could someone kindly add a [2004] tag?

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sctb
Updated. Thanks!

