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Contributor gnarlin on ubuntu.com

Ubuntu Developer Network  
Written by JReagan1990 the 17 Feb 09 at 16:19. Implemented
Just like Microsoft has MSDN, Sun has SDN, why not have a UDN? :)

We have MOTU, but still the wiki pages are scattered and not exactly the best guides on how to begin programming. Beginners would find it troubling on how to begin. Creating a developer community around Ubuntu would be extremely beneficial.
446
votes
implemented
Selected solution (#1): CREATE UDN!
Written by JReagan1990 the 17 Feb 09 at 16:19.
A page could be created on the main ubuntu.com site, and would include sections for "beginners", "experienced developers", etc. This page would have all the resources (or links to wiki pages) to get started developing applications for Ubuntu. Let's face it -- there is no easy guide to creating a simple package for beginning programmers, or guides that might be suitable for such a task. The page could also embed videos from the Ubuntu Developer's channel, and even host the Ubuntu Developer News (the weekly news for ubuntu devs).

It would certainly help improve the image of Ubuntu's development process and show that it is very active. The site would also make it more visible to mainstream developers (game companies, etc.), and it would also help to create a standard around Ubuntu.

Update - added a mockup (screenshot) over on my blog with a more complete writeup:

http://jonreagan.wordpress.com/2009/02/17/ubuntu-developer-network/

You can read the official plan here:

http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dfdw2zz6_155gdk646df
-171
votes
implemented
Selected solution (#2): Make UDN subscription based
Written by 311005901 the 22 Feb 09 at 14:38.
Users can still go to the Ubuntu forums for help, but the UDN network could be more in-depth and require a low monthly fee. The proceeds will go toward upkeep of the site, development projects, or Canonical.
210
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implemented
Selected solution (#3): Make UDN completely free
Written by 311005901 the 22 Feb 09 at 14:43.
Users can access all areas of the UDN website free of charge, always.
47
votes
implemented
Selected solution (#4): Make a learn on your own style course
Written by asdlkf the 2 Mar 09 at 14:53.
While many people that develop for linux/ubuntu have formal education in programming, etc...

We can not expect users who do not know how to make a hello world program to contribute to bug fixing or creation of new content.

Far more work needs to be put into creating an organized, prerequisites-basted, comprehensive, and motivating site/videos/etc. Call it ubuntu classroom or something. Maybe it could be part of edubuntu or just in some way related.

EVERY topic should be touched on and there needs to be quality control and granularity to the subjects included.

A very tree-like structure should be used.

"How to program for ubuntu"
"How to Program for ubuntu in C"
"How to Program in C"
"For loops in C"
"If-then control structures in C"
"binary tree searching in C"
"Basics of data structures"
"Basics of data types"
"How to define data types"
"How to program for ubuntu in php"
"How to program for ubuntu in ..."
"How to port programs to ubuntu from Windows"
"How to port programs to ubuntu from windows in C"
"How to package your program for use with ubuntu"
"How to compile the program for use in a package"
"How to compile the program"
"How to configure an IDE"
"How to obtain/select an IDE"
"How to locate include'ed source packages"
"Settings to use for generic distribution"
"Where to submit completed packages"
"How to get help with your program(ing)"
"Where you can go to find help"
"Where you can go to find help online"
"Where you can go to find help IRL"
"Where you can go to find help in class"
"How to decipher compile errors"
"How to troubleshoot logic errors"
"etc... etc... etc..."
"etc... etc... etc..."

Obviously this list could be 1000's of lines long. But the basic structure should be:
Item
-List of items which [Item] is dependant on
-Information on where/what/how to use [Item]
-List of items which depend on [Item]

This way, when people link to a tutorial "oh, just go here and see how to program in C", they are also linking to all of the tutorial information someone would need to know how to program in C reguardless of prerequisite knowledge.


By providing a complete framework for getting started at ANY point, anyone with any level of educational background could say "I want to learn how to make a program in C and package it for use in ubuntu". Then find how to program in C. Then read how to use data types/control structures/GUI's/etc..

It might take them a few days/weeks/whatever to read up to speed, but in the end, they could do it, for free, open.

-- Chris
25
votes
implemented
Selected solution (#5): Create a UDN Wiki complete with tutorials on GTK, Mono etc.
Written by jamesmcm the 15 Mar 09 at 12:21.
This would make it much easier for developers who haven't used GNU/Linux before to develop applications for Ubuntu. A wiki style system is useful as it is easy to keep up to date and well moderated.
6
votes
implemented
Selected solution (#6): Like Solution #1 and #4 but also with mentors
Written by trumbun the 22 Apr 09 at 15:01.
Sometimes new programmer would like to help but it is difficult to find a project to help in it.

Their should be a page with projects that Ubuntu developers help in.

A subscription page for new programmers that wish to help with their knowledge (like a CV)

When a project is assigned to the programmer he/she can talk to a mentor using voice chat to help out.

See the 14 comments or propose a solution (latest comment the 9 Jul 11 at 16:51) >>

Get more developers reading Brainstorm!  
Written by DanteAshton the 19 Dec 09 at 15:42. Category: Developer feedback. New
In a recent official document, this was stated;

I have yet to find anything interesting on Brainstorm. -
â—¦ Yes brainstorm is useless, the user doesn't know that though, so he posts
stuff or votes there and wonders why we never do anything

It's not exactly pleasant to hear of this in a document, and communication to the community would have been helpful.
434
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Solution #1: Get more developers using Brainstorm.
Written by DanteAshton the 19 Dec 09 at 15:42.
I admit, not all of Brainstorm's ideas may be helpful, or even usable. However, it is the primary location for a user to suggest new things and improvements.
302
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Solution #2: Automate the transfer of Brainstorm ideas into feature-requests on bugtracker.
Written by DanteAshton the 19 Dec 09 at 16:52.
To make it easier on the devs, I beleive Brainstorm should serve as a way for the users to vote upon ideas, until a mod/automated program comes along and dumps popular ideas into the feature-request list of Bugtracker.

This would mean, in the long run, a remake of Brainstorm, turning it into a sort of wrapper for feature requests and improvments, rather then a seperate site.
155
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Solution #3: Make summary of ideas
Written by DrG the 20 Dec 09 at 05:55.
Ubuntu Developers periodically reads BrainStorm ideas and posts 'Developer comments' .
Some solutions are too long and contains good as well as bad ideas .
Make a group of 'Briefers' (Like 'Moderators') and display a brief summary of the relevant solution . This will be comfortable .
Make small icons besides each block of idea to vote for the user , who proposed that solution .

Also see - Better BrainStorming
90
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Solution #4: Highlighting techniques.
Written by DrG the 20 Dec 09 at 16:33.
Use more HTML capabilities in Brinstorm, which to represent ideas better.

1.Table
2.Flowcharts / Mind Maps
3.Text format - Text highlighting , bold , different font etc.
4.Animations / audio & presentations -( Should be limited - considering narrow band users )

These will help others to understand the idea better with ease and in minimal time.

Also see - Better BrainStorming
105
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Solution #5: Cross-reference Brainstorm ideas with project roadmaps
Written by Dataphile the 21 Dec 09 at 06:46.
Users want to see when their proposals might be implemented, and developers have to address dependency complexity in order to implement features that everyone wants. A beautiful crossroads here is the project roadmap, since it can be used to lay out dependencies and rough timelines.
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Solution #6: Send Alerts To The Launchpad Projects
Written by eld1e6o the 21 Dec 09 at 07:25.
Add the hability to interact with launchpad, when the user put the name of any related project in the brainstorm wich is hosted in launchpad (optionally, if is popular) send an alert to launchpad.
72
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Solution #7: Better and faster search capabilities
Written by stoffel the 21 Dec 09 at 21:24.
It should be easier for developers to find all ideas related to a *very* *specific* subject.

It also should be possible to (automatically) embed these *very* specific search results to blueprints, bug entries, forum entries, and so forth. Maybe there even can be an IRC bot that can suggest relevant brainstorm ideas during an ongoing discussion.
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Solution #8: Integrate instant messaging
Written by stoffel the 21 Dec 09 at 21:42.
Integrate real-time communication capabilities using XMPP to make it easier for developers to get additional instant feedback from idea contributors.
47
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Solution #9: Include a session devoted to the brainstorm ideas in the Ubuntu summits
Written by granadajose the 29 Dec 09 at 16:03.
Many new features that are to be included in Ubuntu are discussed in the Ubuntu summits, so it would be logical to include a session to offer an overview of the most important ideas to both developers and planners at the summit.
58
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Solution #10: Involve non english speaking people
Written by ikthus-fr the 30 Dec 09 at 02:15.
Creating brainstorm.es, .fr, .de to involve more people in brainstorming
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Solution #11: Make Brainstorm multilingual
Written by retimer the 30 Dec 09 at 17:37.
According to "The Ubuntu promise" to "provide the best translations and accessibility features that the free software community has to offer" there should be multilingual Brainstorm-sites to collect ideas from all the world. I suppose Canonical can afford it.
31
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Solution #12: Ask software development sites to display a message
Written by Afroman10496 the 31 Dec 09 at 05:43.
My solution is to ask open-source development sites like SourceForge.net and our own Launchpad.net to display a message (not an ad) to get developers to come over here. This would be a great way to attract many developers this way and notify people about Ubuntu Brainstorm and Ubuntu in general.
11
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Solution #14: publicity
Written by bergginu the 8 Jan 10 at 00:27.
It's simple to solve:
You only accurate to a more direct channel to invite users and developers, most of them do not have this system.
You can for example, insert the call message, which appears during the final part of the installation and the pages that refer to the links to download the Ubuntu LiveCD's.
21
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Solution #15: Make Brainstorm More significant .
Written by DrG the 13 Jan 10 at 06:24.
Ubuntu members may get more privilege than normal users in development process of Ubuntu .

But now Brinstorm ideas are not considered when choosing ubuntu members but participation in any of the forum will get .

-
That much inferior is Brinstorm in the eyes of ubuntu ( You can contact the members and verify ) . As per 'lifeless' ( Ubuntu Member ) ( https://launchpad.net/~lifeless ) - "we don't currently really recognise brainstorm activity - both gardening and idea generation - as a significant contribution. " -12/jan/2010 (04:02:38 PM) in IRC #ubuntu-meeting .
-

So
1. Make developers or similar personnel to check brainstorm Ideas at least once in a month
2. Take Brainstorm Ideas when considering for Ubuntu Membership .
20
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Solution #16: Link ideas to bug reports
Written by philip the 13 Jan 10 at 20:40.
For some ideas, there are already related bug reports at their respective projects. Brainstorm should include an extra category of ideas, "bug reported" or something similar, in addition to the "in development", etc., and include links to the related bug reports. Users can then join the discussion at the bug report and alert the developers to the discussion on Brainstorm.
25
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Solution #17: Integrate Brainstorm into Launchpad
Written by xXNeXoNXx the 15 Jan 10 at 13:56.
In my oppinion it would be much easier if there would be only one plattform for developers, so adding an "Ideas-Section" or something like this wouldn't be bad in Launchpad
4
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Solution #18: More involvement into Brainstorm
Written by premamotion the 17 Jan 10 at 22:42.
Make more Ubuntu users involve in Brainstorm to vote/propose ideeas. So many Ubuntu users are not involved in this project... and there are very few new ideeas proposed every week...

See the 12 comments or propose a solution (latest comment the 30 Mar 10 at 22:43) >>

Forums, Brainstorm and Launchpad not directly accessible from ubuntu homepage  
Written by arand the 15 Feb 09 at 16:49. New
I feel that Forums (eng), launchpad, and brainstorm are not as accesible as they could be from the ubuntu homepage.
339
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Solution #1: Quick links menu
Written by arand the 15 Feb 09 at 16:49.
Add an extra menu of "quick links" to these services from homepage, so that one step is sufficient for access.
105
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Solution #2: Add extra links
Written by arand the 15 Feb 09 at 16:50.
Add links to these services at the bottom of existing menus.
68
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Solution #3: Completely redesign the Ubuntu homepage
Written by Rabbid the 21 Feb 09 at 23:47.
The Ubuntu homepage looks old and unpleasant, take some time creating a new appealing user-friendly interface that matches your plans for Karmic Koala.

See the 4 comments or propose a solution (latest comment the 25 Feb 09 at 15:17) >>