Book Review: i want 2 do project. tell me wat 2 do.

Since my college days, I have been trying to focus on my interests, and the domain that I always wanted to work on. I started attending various meetups to keep myself updated with upcoming and new technologies used in organizations. This helped me learn or at least get to know about the new emerging technologies such as Docker, OpenStack, OpenShift etc. I have met many people who are so eager to share their knowledge and want newbies to start with Open Source contributions. One such amazing experience I had, was at May Fedora Pune Meetup held on 14th May 2016 at @ciypro’s place.

No other experience in this world can be so awesome than to get my copy of book signed by the author himself. Apart from discussing the pain points for newbies, those who are finding it difficult to start with their Open Source contributions, we got an opportunity to ask so many questions to @mbuf. He had come to Pune for an Emacs meetup that was held the previous day, and showed up the following day for the Fedora meetup. Most of the attendees met him for the first time.

Getting back to the review of his book, I would say it is one of the must-read books for all those who want to get started contributing to Open Source software. This book really covers everything pretty well that anyone with no or some experience in F/OSS would need to know. This book clears all the essential checkpoints that one should know, like how to communicate in the Open Source community, how to program, how to start on the project you want to work, how to present yourself etc. to name a few.

This book has answers to all the questions that a newbie would face while working on Open Source projects and is good to keep it handy for your reference, wherever you go.

There are ten chapters in this book. Starting from “Chapter 1. Mailing Guidelines” up to the last “Chapter 10. Sustenance”, I have never felt bored while reading it. As soon as I proceeded chapter by chapter I realized that the book is really well written and the content written in each chapter is very important for one and all. Though some of them might be very basic for others, but they are really essential.

Becoming the kind of person who believes that these things are important for you — for helping you to learn and to keep you motivated. As with all creative arts, the most effective way to become a master is to imitate the mind-set of masters — not just intellectually but emotionally as well.

Or, as the following modern Zen poem has it:

To follow the path,

look to the master,

follow the master,

walk with the master,

see through the master,

become the master.

Above lines are from one of the reference links @mbuf gave in the meetup : The Cathedral and the Bazaar

There are more amazing quotes in each chapter in this book and are motivational. So what are you waiting for? Do order this from : Amazon really worth every penny!

You can find more about “mbuf” on his website : Shakthi Kannan

His IRC nick is mbuf on Freenode #dgplug channel.

Happy Hacking!!

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