Make a Project
From Bob's Basement
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[edit] HOWTO: Make a Bob's Basement Project
So, you've been looking around the wiki, got your account, subscribed to the mailing list and talked to us in #bobsbasement, perhaps even attended a meeting IRL and you've been inspired into doing your own project. What now?
[edit] Talk
Go into the IRC, tell us about your idea, get some immediate reactions from it. Between us all we've got a reasonable amount of experience, so communicating your ideas to the group is crucial for its success. Post something into the mailing list, too, with a more formal description of your idea. Get some reactions from that and take them into account.
[edit] Propose
Go to the wiki and make a page for your project. Fill it with as much information about the project as you can think of, including what resources you're going to use to complete it, the time scale you think it's going to take, how much you expect to spend on it and so on. Also indicate if there are any particular areas that you need help with.
If you need resources which you don't have at the moment, then make sure you've said so. BB may have the resources, or may be willing to obtain them as a group.
Once you've sorted the wiki page out, add it to the Proposed Projects section on the front page.
At this point, you can either embark on the project or rally some more troops. It's up to you. You could, in fact, simply leave the project and come back to it another day. You may well find someone else has shown an interest in it and has contributed to it.
[edit] Do it
Do your thing and make the project happen. Document it on the wiki as you go, tell us about it on the mailing list. If you get stuck, then use the channels provided to get help. That's what they're there for!
If you've started work on your project, make sure you move it to the Developing Projects section on the front page. If you are actively working on it (i.e. in production) then move it to the Active Projects section.
[edit] Document it
This bit is important. The aim of BB is to share knowledge and gain practical experience. If your project has a physical outcome, take photos and put them online. Put as much information online as you can in regards to the project. Not only will this allow all BB members to benefit from your experiences, it will also show a good example to future projects.
Apart from anything, the documentation is a chance for you to show off your project to the world; so take the time to thoroughly document your work and present it well.
