How to start an open source project with no actual skills, experience or money?

[roygolan]

I have an idea for a non-existing web-app I'd like really like to exist and be used by me and others. I could probably start something with my low-level amateur design and programming skills (never learned this systematically), but I believe the project's chances of coming to life are higher as an open-source project that more professional people are leading.

Can this happen? Or, to be more concrete, has this ever happened before with an actual published app or software? Where should I start?

To be clear, I aim at an open, free use application without an intention to sell.

[gjvc]

Just start doing what you can with what you know. You stand to learn orders of magnitude by doing and redoing, than you do by asking. Choose some tools and see if they work out for you, and if not, roll the dice again and retry. You might have to start from scratch a couple of times, but that's not as onerous when the project is at an early stage and you are learning by doing. Best of luck! :-)

[roygolan → gjvc]

Ok, I'm all about that. What is the first step? Where to go? I'm looking for a few concrete actions I can do as first few steps and having a hard time finding anything specific.