Difference between revisions of "Free Software Directory:Participate"

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The Free Software Directory is edited by a community of volunteers and FSF staff members.
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<div style="content: '.';visibility: hidden;display: block;height: 0;clear: both;"></div>
 
  
Anybody can update or submit new entries to the Free Software Directory (short name Directory). Please review the [[{{ns:4}}:Requirements|Requirements]].
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==Main volunteer categories==
  
To edit, you must register first. If you don't already have a [{{fullurl:Special:CreateAccount}} Free Software Foundation Central Login] ([https://my.fsf.org/join member] or [https://my.fsf.org/user/register non-member]) you need to create one: It is mandatory to allow this wiki software to allow you to edit on it.
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===Software entries===
  
We talk about three things here -- how to submit, update, and delete entries.
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====Custom entries====
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Software entries that are not imported from Debian's meta-data, are added manually to the directory as [[Free Software Directory:Custom entries|custom entries]]
  
== Submit new entries ==
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* Often Check for [[{{ns:4}}:Buggy entries|buggy entries]] and fix them.
  
To submit a new entry to the directory:
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====Meta-data import====
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You must either know or be willing to learn Haskell, or Python, since the source files are written in these programming languages.
# [[Special:UserLogin|Login to the directory]].
 
# Head to our '''[[Form:Entry|'Submit a new entry' page]]'''. (Also linked in the sidebar.)
 
# Enter the name of the package or software program.
 
# You will be brought to a multi-part form -- don't panic! Only the first few fields are required. ([[{{ns:4}}:Workflow/Entry|Form documentation]] helps you to complete the form, but it can also be completed by another volunteer or by the reviewer.)
 
# The final step is to go to the last tab and press the '''save button''' at the bottom.  
 
  
Please note that when you save, your submission won't appear. '''Don't Panic!''' The reason it is not appearing is because updates and new submissions need approval by an administrator before they will appear publicly. Logged-in users can tell if they are seeing the latest version of the page, or if there are newer versions of the page waiting for approval by a message at the top of the page.
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See the [[Free Software Directory:Import|Import]] page.
* Not the latest version message: ''This is the approved revision of this page; it is not the most recent. View the most recent revision.''
 
* Latest version message: ''This is the approved revision of this page, as well as being the most recent.''
 
  
Until approved you can review or improve your submission by editing it  as outlined below.
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===Administration===
 +
Our old backlog is a list with too many entries. So we need to solve the issues in the [[Free_Software_Directory:Issues|Free Software Directory Tracker (FSDT)]] so we can merge the backlog to it. If you want to help, you must either know or be willing to learn Semantic MediaWiki (see [https://www.semantic-mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:User_manual User Manual], since the source files are written in that programming language.
  
== Update an entry ==
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Administration work on this wiki is made the [[Free Software Directory:Backlog Admin Group|Backlog Admin Group]] that is making decisions together with the Free Software Foundation.
  
To update an entry:
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For pages that need to be maintained, see [[Special:SpecialPages#Maintenance reports]].
# [[Special:UserLogin|Login to the directory]].
 
# Click "Edit" at the top-right of the page you'd like to update.  
 
  
When you update an entry, you edit the latest version of the page, approved or not.
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====Administration of [[{{ns:4}}:Participate/MediaWiki|MediaWiki]]====
 +
* '''If you are an administrator looking for directions or scripts''', check out the [[{{ns:4}}:Workflow|workflow page]].
 +
* [[{{ns:4}}:Website guidelines|Website guidelines]] for people who want to make contributions to the layout and the design of the directory.
 +
* [[{{ns:-1}}:Version]] is useful for MediaWiki, and Semantic Forms, and so on, when you need to evaluate version specific syntax.
 +
* Finally, if you have experience and a particular interest that you want to work on, you can start or join a team:
  
To find entries that haven't been updated in a while, check the [[{{ns:4}}:Participate/oldies]] page and [[{{ns:4}}:Broken links]]. You can also see a [[Special:ApprovedRevs|list of approved pages or pages waiting for approval]]. They are often added by people who are new and do not complete the form fully. Please correct and expand these entries to help the reviewers and reduce the review queues!
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{{/teams}}
  
== Guidelines for choosing Version Status of an entry ==
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==Client system requirements==
 +
See also: [[Free Software Directory:Stack|Stack]]
  
* Stable: If it has a release and no indication of the type, choose stable.
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To edit our wiki, you must have an FSF account. If you don't already have a [{{fullurl:{{ns:-1}}:CreateAccount}} Free Software Foundation Central Login] ([https://my.fsf.org/join member] or [https://my.fsf.org/user/register non-member]), create one, and then click <code>Log In</code> on the Directory.
* Historical means no longer works on any currently supported free software distribution. Since that is hard to determine, some hints are:
 
** The last release or source code change is probably older than 2007.
 
** It's not being maintained by Debian (it's not a [https://packages.debian.org/wheezy/allpackages package in wheezy]).
 
** If you are using a GNU/Linux distro, it doesn't compile or run for you.
 
You can always revive historical free software to run again.
 
  
==Friday IRC Meeting==
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===A web browser with JavaScript enabled===
The Free Software Foundation (FSF) that hosts the Friday IRC Meeting might or might not edit the Free Software Directory during the meetings depending on what they need to do on their working time.
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* The Free Software Foundation Central Login requires JavaScript.
 +
* The MediaWiki stack requires JavaScript. We use more than MediaWiki, including Semantic MediaWiki, as well as some other extensions such as the Semantic Forms (see [[Special:Version]] for more information). We once tried doing the form without JavaScript, but to do this we will have to change how the form is built, as well as other templates, and entire namespaces (many pages) that are shown, queried or transcluded by it. It can be done, but it is no trivial/simple task.
  
== Delete an entry ==
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=== Edit the FSD with text editors/browsers ===
 +
See our [[Collection:Text mode browsers, and IceCat WebExtensions for text editors]].
  
If a submission doesn't meet criteria for inclusion in the directory, it can be proposed for deletion, and deleted by an administrator from the drop-down menu. To propose an entry for deletion, edit it's description to start with:
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== Editing multiple pages ==
: <nowiki>[[Category:Candidates for deletion]]</nowiki>
 
:: This is a candidate for deletion: (describe why here) <nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>
 
  
Then it will show up in [[:Category:Candidates for deletion]].
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See [[/Editing multiple pages|the subpage of the same name]] for hints on how to do that, as well as a script to automate part of the process.
  
Please always state "Other/additional reason:" when you delete entries, because when a page is deleted, it will show up in [[Special:Log/delete|the deletion log]] with a stated reason for its rejection, so users trying to submit a project can know how to correct any errors (if possible). Preserve Talk pages when appropriate (eg for malware like [[Blacklist/Web of Trust - WOT]]).
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==Forums==
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Besides this wiki itself, there are two main channels to follow as part of your participation:
  
Check on [https://archive.org archive.org] if a package's homepage is gone.
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===Mailing-list===
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[http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/directory-discuss directory-discuss mailing list]
  
When an entry is deleted, also search for references to it by other entries. For example, it may be listed as a "related project" for some other entries. These references need to be edited out manually; deleting an entry does not automatically remove them. The [[Special:WhatLinksHere|What links here]] tool comes handy when hunting down the links.
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===Friday IRC Meeting===
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For details and time of the meeting, check the [[Main_Page|home page]].
  
If the package is a particularly popular or well-known proprietary package, it might make more sense to have the page redirect to free alternatives already listed on the directory. That way, if a person searches the directory for the proprietary program, they can be directed to free equivalents.
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The [https://www.fsf.org/ Free Software Foundation (FSF)] hosts the Friday IRC Meeting to help new volunteers get started working on the Directory, as well as to discuss ongoing or new Directory projects. See the [[Main Page]] for more details about the next meeting.
 
 
== Donations and Cryptocurrency Donations ==
 
 
 
Entries have a space for listing where users can donate, as well as a checkbox for indicating that the project accepts cryptocurrency donations. The donation text box should be filled with the url to the project's donate page, not the particular cryptocurrency address. This is because the address could change, and it also means that we don't have to verify the wallet address when listing the donations.
 
  
 
== Mentions ==
 
== Mentions ==
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When you mention a user's profile or name, you must always sign. If you forget the signature (which must always be in the form <code><nowiki>
 +
--~~~~</nowiki></code>) make a minor change to add it.
  
When you mention a user's profile or name, you must always sign. If you forget the signature (which must always be in the form "<nowiki>
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In other words, please '''always''' make an internal link to the userpage of the person you are replying to with <code><nowiki>[[User:accountname]]</nowiki></code> ''and'' sign with <code><nowiki>--~~~~</nowiki></code>.<sup>[https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Notifications/Types#Mentions ref]</sup> Unsigned mentions will not produce a notification for the mentioned.
--~~~~</nowiki>") make a minor change to add it. '''Unsigned mentions will not produce a notification for the mentioned!'''
 
 
 
== Project Teams ==
 
 
 
If you have a particular interest that you want to work on, you can start or join a [[{{ns:4}}:Participate/Project Team| Project Team]].
 
  
== Guidelines ==
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This is specially useful because, if you are commenting in a thread inside a talk page and if you follow this advice, you '''don't''' need to comment on the talk userpage of the person you are replying to.
  
Here follows the guidelines for actions beyond managing entries in the directory:
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<center><hr style="width:50%;">Administration</hr></center>
 
 
; [[Free_Software_Directory:Website guidelines|Website guidelines]]
 
: for people who want to make contributions to the layout and the design of the directory.
 
 
 
==Sysadmins==
 
[[Free Software Directory:Participate/MediaWiki|MediaWiki]]
 
 
 
== Extra ==
 
 
 
You can join the '''[http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/directory-discuss directory-discuss list]''' or join us each week for the '''Friday Free Software Directory IRC meeting'''! For details and time (and how to figure it out in your time zone), check the [[{{PAGENAME}}|main page]].
 
 
 
These tools are auxiliary, they do not replace this guide or the requirements.
 
 
 
* Directory import project: The project enables us to import package information from free software repositories. Long ago a friend put together scripts that we used to import thousands of entries. But thousands upon thousands more could be added if we update the import scripts. The project has been sitting idle for a while now at <[https://savannah.gnu.org/p/directory https://savannah.gnu.org/p/directory]>, just waiting for volunteers to jump in and refine it.
 
* [[{{ns:4}}:Participate/Approval script|Automating revision approval]] by [[User:Iank|Ian Kelling]].
 
* Check out the [[{{ns:4}}:Participate/Script aid | script aid]] made by [[User:Adfeno|Adfeno]].
 
* Check for [[Free Software Directory:Buggy entries|buggy entries]] and fix them.
 
* Use Pywikibot to work with entries in the directory: [[Free Software Directory:Pywikibot|Pywikibot]], [[{{ns:4}}:Participate/Using pywikibot | Using pywikibot]]
 
* Set up the [[Free Software Directory:Eggdrop|eggdrop]] IRC bot.
 
* [[Special:Version]] - Useful for MediaWiki, and Semantic Forms, and so on, when you need to evaluate version specific syntax.
 
* If you are an administrator looking for directions, check out the [[{{ns:4}}:Workflow|workflow page]].''
 
* For admins to quickly review and approve many changes, see [[{{ns:4}}:Participate/Approval script | Approval script]].
 
<!-- Move this to the Free_Software_Directory:Workflow/Entry ?
 
== Guidelines for choosing Version Status of an entry ==
 
* Stable: If it has a release and no indication of the type, choose stable.
 
* Historical means no longer works on any currently supported free software distribution. Since that is hard to determine, some hints are:
 
** The last release or source code change is probably older than 2007.
 
** It's not being maintained by Debian (it's not a [https://packages.debian.org/wheezy/allpackages package in wheezy]).
 
** If you are using a Gnu/Linux distro, it doesn't compile or run for you.
 
You can always revive historical free software to run again.
 
-->
 
  
 
== Outreach ==
 
== Outreach ==
  
 
* Tools for getting [[{{ns:4}}:Participate/maintainers | maintainers]] involved.
 
* Tools for getting [[{{ns:4}}:Participate/maintainers | maintainers]] involved.
 +
 +
== Dispute resolution ==
 +
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Dispute_resolution Generic dispute resolution]<!-- "If there's like a policy document from wikipedia that we can reference on the topic [of unresolved disputes] that would be helpful." - Donald Robertson -->
 +
* [[Free_Software_Directory:Administrative_dispute_resolution|Administrative dispute resolution]]

Latest revision as of 10:04, 19 March 2023

The Free Software Directory is edited by a community of volunteers and FSF staff members.

Main volunteer categories

Software entries

Custom entries

Software entries that are not imported from Debian's meta-data, are added manually to the directory as custom entries

Meta-data import

You must either know or be willing to learn Haskell, or Python, since the source files are written in these programming languages.

See the Import page.

Administration

Our old backlog is a list with too many entries. So we need to solve the issues in the Free Software Directory Tracker (FSDT) so we can merge the backlog to it. If you want to help, you must either know or be willing to learn Semantic MediaWiki (see User Manual, since the source files are written in that programming language.

Administration work on this wiki is made the Backlog Admin Group that is making decisions together with the Free Software Foundation.

For pages that need to be maintained, see Special:SpecialPages#Maintenance reports.

Administration of MediaWiki

  • If you are an administrator looking for directions or scripts, check out the workflow page.
  • Website guidelines for people who want to make contributions to the layout and the design of the directory.
  • Special:Version is useful for MediaWiki, and Semantic Forms, and so on, when you need to evaluate version specific syntax.
  • Finally, if you have experience and a particular interest that you want to work on, you can start or join a team:

Project Teams

Client system requirements

See also: Stack

To edit our wiki, you must have an FSF account. If you don't already have a Free Software Foundation Central Login (member or non-member), create one, and then click Log In on the Directory.

A web browser with JavaScript enabled

  • The Free Software Foundation Central Login requires JavaScript.
  • The MediaWiki stack requires JavaScript. We use more than MediaWiki, including Semantic MediaWiki, as well as some other extensions such as the Semantic Forms (see Special:Version for more information). We once tried doing the form without JavaScript, but to do this we will have to change how the form is built, as well as other templates, and entire namespaces (many pages) that are shown, queried or transcluded by it. It can be done, but it is no trivial/simple task.

Edit the FSD with text editors/browsers

See our Collection:Text mode browsers, and IceCat WebExtensions for text editors.

Editing multiple pages

See the subpage of the same name for hints on how to do that, as well as a script to automate part of the process.

Forums

Besides this wiki itself, there are two main channels to follow as part of your participation:

Mailing-list

directory-discuss mailing list

Friday IRC Meeting

For details and time of the meeting, check the home page.

The Free Software Foundation (FSF) hosts the Friday IRC Meeting to help new volunteers get started working on the Directory, as well as to discuss ongoing or new Directory projects. See the Main Page for more details about the next meeting.

Mentions

When you mention a user's profile or name, you must always sign. If you forget the signature (which must always be in the form --~~~~) make a minor change to add it.

In other words, please always make an internal link to the userpage of the person you are replying to with [[User:accountname]] and sign with --~~~~.ref Unsigned mentions will not produce a notification for the mentioned.

This is specially useful because, if you are commenting in a thread inside a talk page and if you follow this advice, you don't need to comment on the talk userpage of the person you are replying to.


Administration

Outreach

Dispute resolution



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The copyright and license notices on this page only apply to the text on this page. Any software or copyright-licenses or other similar notices described in this text has its own copyright notice and license, which can usually be found in the distribution or license text itself.