RE: Writing for the Open Source Community

["Sean Wheller" <swheller -at- bigpond -dot- net -dot- au>]

> From: Eric L. Dunn, eric -dot- dunn -at- ca -dot- transport -dot- bombardier -dot- com
> Sent: Thursday, February 20, 2003 6:02 AM
> To: TECHWR-L
> Subject: Writing for the Open Source Community
>
> Call me thick, but besides creating portfolio pieces, why bother
> looking into
> open source as a writer? Sure there are hundreds of poorly documented
> open-source projects out there, but I for one would like to get
> paid for my time
> and energy. Good Karma is NOT going to pay the mortgage.
>
> Is there a market of people willing to pay for good documentation for open
> source software? Or, is it much like the open source movement as
> a whole? It's
> great to have 'free' and 'open' software, but there has to be a
> pocket book
> paying for it somewhere. Is there a living to be made at it or is
> it a domain
> for those that love writing procedures so much that they'll do it
> after hours on
> their own time (or heaven forbid steal the time from their real employer).
>
> Eric L. Dunn
>

Hello Eric,

I answer with my point-of-view and experience as a member of the Open Source
"Gift Culture". This message is based on a posting I made to another list.

Like most people, I think that time is money, so a donation of time is the
same as a financial donation. I don't know about you, but I cannot afford to
make substantial donations to charitable causes, but over the year I do
donate a substantial amount of free time (money) to Open Source projects.
Sure my donation will not directly help a child in Africa, but I do know
that many charities use Open Source applications such as Open Office in
classrooms they are funding, mainly because it is free. I have also read of
tools such as Open Office being used in the school systems of many
developing countries.

I get a small satisfaction from knowing that maybe, just maybe, another
person may benefit from the donation of my time. If, because of it, they
learn something or gain a skill and can get a job that improves their life,
I will be over the moon with joy.

In addition to this level of remuneration, I do also admit to indirect
financial gain. Most employers/customers are impressed when I say that I
have documented Operating Systems such as Linux, desktop environments such
as KDE and Office applications such as those found in OO. Having the ability
to put such names on your resume and show the work examples, is definitely a
benefit and can only reflect positively on you. At least, this is my
finding. How many Technical Writers can say they documented an OS or an
Office Productivity Suite?

I also make by not having to pay exorbitant license fees for commercial
products. Why pay when I don't have to, often the Open Source product is
actually just as good at getting the job done. If you are technically
inclined, you can also just open the src, code in a feature you want, ./make
the change and hey presto you have the application you wanted. Then, if you
think that others would like the feature, you can contribute it to the
project. Other project members may even improve upon your original idea. The
result is an application that you want.

Apart from this, I get to meet people from all around the world. Those
relationships stay with me where ever I go. Sometimes, thanks to these
contacts, I also get paying work. Thanks to my work in Open Source projects,
I have continued to make a living in Australia while not being employed. In
fact, for the last six months I have been exporting my skills without
leaving my home. I have, thanks to Open Source, in effect created myself an
international client base simply by referral.

Sure, getting to this has taken time and I have been working at it for
several years, but in my view I have received back four or five times what I
have donated.

I can understand why Technical Authors do not get involved in Writing for
Free, but I it is my opinion (if I may be so bold as to state my opinion
without getting a heap of flame mail) that the motives for not contributing
to Open Source projects is self centered. If there is nothing in it for me,
then I will not do it type of attitude. While I do respect the rights of
others to take this stance, I can't say that I agree with it.

Interestingly I found that Technical Writers who were once code heads or who
work on Linux are more likely to be open to the Open Source "gift culture".
That's not to say there are no Windows users contributing, but they are
fewer than those on Linux.

I think the thing to remember is that people contributing to the "gift
culture" are real. Most of them have jobs, so when their organization needs
a book written, one of the first people that come to mind is the person
contributing to their "pet" Open Source project.

As for people who are new to the business of Technical Authoring. Open
Source certainly gets them some experience. It is an opportunity to break
the scenario, "which comes first, the chicken or the egg?". You often hear
people asking how they can get   their career as a Tech Writer started. Many
state that employers what experience, but to gain experience they need a
job. Many school leavers are also faced with this problem. Well for those
wanting to be Technical Writers, here is a way out. Once again, if they get
a job because of there Open Source projects, they will have indirectly
received payment.

Just some food for thought.

Stay tuned. God Bless.

--
Sean Wheller
swheller -at- bigpond -dot- net -dot- au
XWriter


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
Buy or upgrade to RoboHelp X3 today and receive the WebHelp
Merge Module for FREE ($299 value). RoboHelp X3's all-new
features include conditional text, completely re-engineered
printed documentation output, Context-sensitive Help Toolkit,
single-source layouts, and more!
Order online today at http://www.ehelp.com/techwr-l


---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as:
archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.