It’s time for another installation of our Help Wanted column. This time, I want to draw special attention to two request for documentation help.
One of the not-so-secret secrets around Open Source Software is that if you’re good at writing docs, you can get involved in pretty much whatever Open Source project you’re interested in. Everybody wants better docs.
So, if you’re a writer, or editor, or translator, I encourage you to look around, find the project that looks the coolest, and go ask if they need help in those areas. If they don’t, I’d be glad to help you find one that does. But I’m pretty sure they’ll welcome you with open arms.
Meanwhile, I want to point out two projects that are specifically asking for help.
First, there’s UpStage.
UpStage is a web-based venue for cyberformance: artists compile digital media in real time to create live theatrical performance for online audiences.
UpStage is looking for a documentation expert to assess their existing docs and recommend where they should go from here. You can read the full request in the Help Wanted forum, and repsond either there or on the Upstage developers list.
Next, there’s Whonix.
Whonix (called TorBOX in past) is an anonymous general purpose operating system based on Virtual Box, Debian GNU/Linux and Tor.
Whonix is looking for someone to take their very technical documentation and produce content for the beginner. You can read their request in the Help Wanted forum, which contains both a link to the mailing list where you can respond, or, if you prefer, an email address of the lead developer.
Most Open Source projects know that their docs can be improved, and that documenters are every bit as important to their project’s success as good code. The best code in the world will fail if nobody can figure out how to use it. So, if you’re a writer, you are in great demand.