Submission + - Best way of making your code a successful OSS proj (bobpitch.com)
goldcd writes: "This is probably under the wrong heading — but I couldn't find an appropriate one.
My situation is that a while back I wrote some pretty reasonable forum code. Backstory is I used to be a member of the popbitch.com forum, had a tiff and decided I could do better myself — so cloned and improved their functionality and created bobpitch.com (no this isn't a plug — so please don't /. my server).
A few years down the line it's pretty stable, I've stopped tinkering with it and it's standing up by itself. I have neither the time, inclination or inspiration to do anything more with it, but would very much like to give the code to the world to use and expand upon. Basically I want to give my code to the OSS world.
Now I could just upload it as it is onto sourceforge, but currently it's very specific in it's usage and I'd be ashamed of what 'proper' coders would think of my amateur offering.
My question is, what do you have to do to make your code 'OSS appealing'? I want people to look at it, be inspired and carry on developing. I have a horrible feeling if I just uploaded my current source it'd be laughed at and ignored. On the other hand I don't just want to waste hours of my own time perfecting it for people just to 'rip off' as is — and never contribute anything.
I want to give the world a PHPBB alternative and want the world to accept it. What do I need to do before releasing my baby? Feel free to edit subject/summary. Just want an answer and sure there must be many many people in the same situation."
My situation is that a while back I wrote some pretty reasonable forum code. Backstory is I used to be a member of the popbitch.com forum, had a tiff and decided I could do better myself — so cloned and improved their functionality and created bobpitch.com (no this isn't a plug — so please don't
A few years down the line it's pretty stable, I've stopped tinkering with it and it's standing up by itself. I have neither the time, inclination or inspiration to do anything more with it, but would very much like to give the code to the world to use and expand upon. Basically I want to give my code to the OSS world.
Now I could just upload it as it is onto sourceforge, but currently it's very specific in it's usage and I'd be ashamed of what 'proper' coders would think of my amateur offering.
My question is, what do you have to do to make your code 'OSS appealing'? I want people to look at it, be inspired and carry on developing. I have a horrible feeling if I just uploaded my current source it'd be laughed at and ignored. On the other hand I don't just want to waste hours of my own time perfecting it for people just to 'rip off' as is — and never contribute anything.
I want to give the world a PHPBB alternative and want the world to accept it. What do I need to do before releasing my baby? Feel free to edit subject/summary. Just want an answer and sure there must be many many people in the same situation."
