Re: "mc is over!?" - post by Ilia Maslakov on Russian-speaking IT site

[Marco Ciampa <ciampix libero it>]

On Thu, May 28, 2015 at 12:46:08AM +0300, Paul Sokolovsky wrote:
> And, btw, can current github committers be enumerated please? I based
> a maintainer list in the original mail based on "Midnight Commander"
> org on github: https://github.com/MidnightCommander . It doesn't
> include you, Yury, so I didn't addressed to you, sorry. I assume you
> have commit access. I also see that https://github.com/ciampix commits
> and merges pull requests from time to time, and I see few posts of him
> in my local mailing lists archive (since 2013-09). What's his role, and
> how we can get him into the current discussion? (And how to set up the
> process that maintainers communicate on the mailing list, which is
> easily accessible to general public, while is least-effort option
> (respond when you have time, not right away like jabber, irc, etc.))  

Here I am. Sorry for being "lurking" but I was interested in seeing how
the situation was evolving before telling something myself.

At this point my presentation is really due.

I have to be honest: I (currently) am _NOT_ a developer.
I am a translator.
I currently maintain the GIMP and the GIMP manual into Italian.
See: http://docs.gimp.org/2.8/it/
I am promoting the migration of KiCad docs from ODT to asciidoc with
an i18n infrastructure.
See: https://github.com/ciampix/kicad-doc
I managed to keep the Italian mc translation in sync from 1998 or so
until now (yes, a long period). My commit rights were granted by the mc
maintainer of that time (Miguel de Icaza) and I maintained those
privileges committing almost exclusively translations (manual, man,
program) because translation is _not_ a one time effort but a good
translation need constant revision.

Lately I was tempted to commit patches that was waiting for
revision/attention and I apologize if I have done something wrong.

Anyway I do have (not much) spare time. I have a basic knowledge of C/git
and I am willing to help. I have a project in mind on how to improve the
i18n of mc docs (man pages & manuals) but it is just in my mind and I am
not ready to present it right now.

To summarize: I will continue to maintain the mc Italian translation, I
want to be more involved in the i18n matters and I want to do even more.

I think that this situation is not critical but just a phase, a
transition to a better development model and I want to be part of this
change.

I know that I have much to learn but I deeply believe it the "learning by
doing" method.

(Programmer's GOD, thanks for git revert! ;-)

I think that to survive this impasse we do not really need full time
experts. They do not hurt, of course, but they are not necessary.
Free/Open projects are always scarce on resources but that fact never
stopped the development.

We need to be:

- open: to new people/contribution

- organized: we need to develop a method/tools to check the quality of
  contributions. This method should not be carved in stone: we have to be
  flexible enough to be able to "fix" it on the road. That will improve
  either the project and the programmers quality/skill.

- modern: lets use tools that can lift the burden to manage such a project

- joyful: contribution should be easy enough to keep the willingness of
  the volunteers

- trusty: we need to have the trust of contributors and we must expect
  trustful people

I hope to be part of this team.

Regards,

--


Marco Ciampa

I know a joke about UDP, but you might not get it.

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