8

I've used Linux Mint for a while now and I'm quite the fan. I'm not expert enough to go messing with the kernel or anything like that, but I've noticed small bugs in a couple of software packages that I feel I would be able to fix. However, I have no idea how to begin contributing to the project.

Here's a simple example: the calculator app in the Ubuntu repositories does not require NumLock to be activated for key presses on the number pad to be interpreted as numbers (rather than the Home and End keys which use the same physical buttons). However, this is not the case for the Del key which also serves as the decimal point. For this, NumLock does need to be activated. I suspect that this is a bug, and I would like to fix it. It ought to be quite simple.

More than simply submitting a bug report, how does one become involved in fixing an issue like this? Would I need to contact the upstream package maintainers directly through the GitHub page?

jasonwryan
  • 71,734
  • 34
  • 193
  • 226
Myridium
  • 171
  • 7
  • It depends, start by fixing your copy. Then you can publish your changes, and ask the upstream developers if they want the fix. – ctrl-alt-delor Jul 23 '16 at 21:39

1 Answers1

7

In increasing order of helpfulness:

  1. if you identify a bug, report it with as much relevant information as possible (to make it easy for the maintainers to reproduce and then fix).
  2. If you can read the source and identify where the bug occurs, include that information.
  3. If you are able to provide a patch that fixes the bug, include that (or open a pull request if the project is hosted on Github)

In the case of either 1,2 or 3: make sure that you subscribe to the bug on the tracker/pull request/mailing list etc., so you can respond to any requests from the developers/maintainers to clarify or test your assumptions and report back with any additional information.

Nothing is worse than a "drive by" bug report that has insufficient information: these just clutter bug trackers/mailing lists, etc., with noise that has either to be ignored or cleaned up at the cost of energy that could be profitably directed elsewhere in the project.

jasonwryan
  • 71,734
  • 34
  • 193
  • 226