Later this afternoon, I plan on submitting 3D Slicer as a project for the Google Season of Docs. See presentation
Below are the answers I plan to submit for the Google Season of Docs: Proposal for comment:
- The OSS project(s) that you represent: 3D Slicer
- Does your OSS project currently have tech writers working on the docs? No, but we have had in the past
- Do you think open source projects in general would benefit from working with experienced tech writers? 5 - Yes, greatly
- Would your organization be able to provide a mentor for a tech writer, based on the above description of a mentor’s duties? yes
- Other comments and ideas: I will add a link to this post
I would be happy to be a mentor. Anyone else is interested ? At that stage, there are no committing answers, I am just probing interest.
More details
Here are more details copied from the presentation linked above:
Apart from the fact that one focuses on docs, the other on code…
Key differences between GSoD and GSoC:
- We’ll be looking for participants who are experienced tech writers who’re keen on contributing to open source docs. They are not necessarily students, although they may be. Note that we welcome everyone who’s interested in docs, but our focus is on experienced writers.
- The relationship between the participants and the OSS projects is even more of a partnership than is the case with GSoC.
- The tech writers already know the business of technical writing (how to architect a doc set, develop docs, structure information, write useful and effective docs, write for an audience).
- The tech writers need an introduction to open source and to writing for a developer audience. They need help with documenting code.
- The OSS projects need ongoing engagement with tech writers to create and curate their docs.
- We won’t pay participants a stipend.
- The participants probably have a day job. The GSoD program needs to build flexibility into the timelines and processes to take this into account.