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RISC OS skills database website launches

Published: 2nd Feb 2008, 16:02:38.

Need help? Want to offer help? Here's the place

A new website to encourage teamwork in RISC OS software projects has launched this week. The RISC OS Connect online skills database allows punters to list their various abilities, from programming to documentation writing, and declare how much free time they can spare a week. Ideally, people looking for someone with a particular skill or experience for a project can then find their man, or woman, in the database and drop them an email to request their assistance.

It is hoped the website, created by Paul Stewart with help from Keith Dunlop, will spark more teamwork and collaborative development within the shrinking RISC OS platform. It is free to sign up to the site and enter your details.

In a statement, the pair said: "RISC OS Connect is a web-based initiative to connect the, as yet, unexploited people of the RISC OS community to each other. The people we are hoping to attract are both programmers and non-programmers - people who want to contribute to the ongoing developments in some way.

"Initially the main focus of the website will be around the skills database. This is a collection of people who have added themselves and described what function they are able to perform. Whether or not this is a success depends on you."

More information including details of the site's mailing list, can be found here.

Links
The RISC OS Connect skills website

Discussion

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Will be interesting to see how many people register and with what skills. Might be a real eye opener as to how much talent is left or not as the case may be.

Jwoody on 2/2/08 4:56PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

Jwoody:

So have you added yourself yet then?

epistaxsis on 2/2/08 6:13PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

No

Sorry don't work for FREE.

Sorry don't work on RiscOS

Jwoody on 2/2/08 6:18PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

"Will be interesting to see how many people register and with what skills."

Paul and Keith demonstrated the test version of the site at ROUGOL's January meeting. Even with test data that was planned for deletion, it was very noticeable that a good number of people had signed up, with a very wide variety of skills on offer. The signing up process is very easy indeed, even if you're only able to offer yourself as a 'Novice' in only one or two areas, with limited time available or even "currently unavailable". So I would encourage people to sign up to the live version, and even more so I would encourage those running projects - or even considering starting them - to check out the resources list a little while from now, and think what they could get out of it.

"Sorry don't work for FREE. Sorry don't work on RiscOS"

So much for your attitude.

dgs on 2/2/08 8:22PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

Shrinking platform? Let's hope not!

AW on 2/2/08 8:58PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

Is it possible to sign up as being available to moan 148 hours a week? :-)

stewart on 2/2/08 10:06PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

Great idea and yes I have signed up as have a few others. Come on people!

A couple of improvements that might be useful. Location e.g. I am in New Zealand and have a 12 hour time difference. A comment field or other skills list might be useful. I am have a Computer Science Degree, MSCE, have extensive SQL development experience and have projected managed a number of Hardware (developing remote data logger hardware) and software projects but can't list those skills because they aren't RISC OS specific but my be very useful depending on the project. I am sure many other people have skills that fall into the same category.

stevek on 2/2/08 10:29PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

In reply to Steve, I added a comments field to database, but never got around to adding it to the webpage. Hopefully this will appear during next week.

sa110 on 2/2/08 10:49PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

in reply to sa110: Thanks I'l update my details when it appears :-)

stevek on 3/2/08 7:08AM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

In reply to Jwoody

RE : "Sorry, don't work for FREE. Sorry don't work on RiscOS"

A strange thing to want to shout about - especially here. Do you consider yourself to be an admirable example that we should all aspire to be like ? Perhaps your comment does not read quite how you intended it ?

Personally, I don't consider anything I do for RISC OS "work" - it's a "hobby" that I enjoy being involved in.

martin on 3/2/08 10:05PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

I've got one or two skills I can offer, but unfortunately its time that is rather lacking. I did some work on one of my RISC OS pass over the xmas holidays, and it only needs a couple of hours to finish it off, but at this rate it will be next xmas before I get a chance.

druck on 4/2/08 8:42AM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

This is an interesting initiative and will hopefully be useful to people - it strikes me that some of the most valuable input could come from those people who've only put down an hour or two of free time but who obviously have a massive amount of experience. Hopefully people with the time to do actual development will be able to draw on their experience without it being too onerous

The only slight niggle is that the website's a bit clunky

(E.g. links in the toolbar disappearing and appearing, confusing access to the database) Perhaps someone who'd listed "web development" as a skill on the site can donate some time

Adam

adamr on 4/2/08 9:02AM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

n reply to RE: "Sorry, don't work for FREE. Sorry don't work on RiscOS"

"A strange thing to want to shout about - especially here. Do you consider yourself to be an admirable example that we should all aspire to be like ? Perhaps your comment does not read quite how you intended it ?"

I did not shout about it. I was asked why I had not registered. You got the straight answer. I have a wife and two kids to support, so I don't work for Free. As there is no money in Risc OS I don't work on it.

Personally, I don't consider anything I do for RISC OS "work" - it's a "hobby" that I enjoy being involved in.

Lucky you, I don't have time for such hobbies.

Jwoody on 4/2/08 11:01AM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

It appears to be a useful initiative as it will allow the range of capability/availability of people with the right skill sets who could then contribute (if they wish) to necessary projects such as the ROOL shared source initiative (it would be interesting if there is an overlap in those who signed up on the new skills site and those who signed up on ROOL's).

AMS on 4/2/08 11:21AM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

AMS: "ROOL's [skills site]" What ROOL skill site?

adamr on 4/2/08 1:23PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

Druck:

You and me both. I have one or two skills to offer, but each comes with the catch that they use up time that I'm *unable* to offer.

I had the initial coding of Seek'n'Link done well before Christmas, but real life and real work got in the way before I had time to write the user guide - I was literally only able to finish it yesterday (along with a couple more minor code changes) and upload it. And I wanted that out of the way before I could do anything more on WebChange - which I'd hoped to be able to release a useable beta of by Christmas. Fat chance.

The way my work is at the moment, the best I can hope is that I'll be demonstrating it at Wakefield, and *possibly* making it available as a beta.

VinceH on 4/2/08 1:57PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

The site also doesn't list other skills - where's the perl or php? If you're going to add Cobol, where are all the other myriad languages : Forth, Lisp Ada - all of which have (or had) RISCOS implementations. Where is databases? - sql or non sql - training is a skill in itself, I've never seen anyone offering help with training but I'm quite sure there are experts out there. Website 'Authoring' is not the same as website 'Design', that's not listed but graphic design doesn't quite cover it. Proof reading and editing of documents are skills in there own rights. Okay I'll stop there, I've already thought of a load more skills that should really be up there.

Whilst this database is okay as a start, it is really woefully inadequate to be of any real substantive use.

DS1 on 5/2/08 8:11AM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

DS1:

Please sign up to the mailing list and put your suggestions there

epistaxsis on 5/2/08 8:23AM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

DS1: its not meant to be some CV boasting arena, only skills which are relevant to ongoing RISC OS development are required. Unless of course you know of any active projects written in Forth, Lisp or Ada which are looking for volunteers.

druck on 5/2/08 8:47AM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

druck: There's at least one important RISC OS project that's implemented in Ada, although I don't think Steffen is looking for help with it.

I was surprised, as well as delighted, to see Lua there, though: my main problem was the axis of skill. Some of the things I felt I had a far better grasp of than "Novice" or "Understanding", and yet wasn't comfortable describing myself as Expert. Perhaps an "Experienced" level needs to be placed before Expert?

rjek on 5/2/08 11:22AM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

rjek:

That is something that others have asked for.

We are lookinhg into it.

epistaxsis on 5/2/08 11:39AM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

In reply to rjek:

"Experienced" has now been added to the list.

sa110 on 5/2/08 12:53PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

In reply to All:

The RISC OS Connect mailing list is the place to discuss related matters, including all aspects of the website. If you feel something is missing or an area could be improved upon, please drop a note about it on the mailing list.

FYI: The table layout on the Skill Resources page has now been fixed in the development version of the site. This along with other updates that people have already suggested will appear over the the coming weekend.

sa110 on 5/2/08 12:59PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

adamr wrote>"What ROOL skill site?"

None, not that you would have known from my comment (dagnabbit).

To clarify - I would be interested in seeing if those who joined the Connect Skill site have any overlap with those who signed up on ROOL's shared source initiative website (are there people in both, exclusively in one - not in the other).

Hopefully that clears it up (I'll get the hang of English one of these days - honest....)

AMS on 5/2/08 1:06PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

AMS: "those who signed up on ROOL's shared source initiative website" You've still got me. The two sites are completely different. One is a web forum and one is a simple database of people & their skills. Why would you want to compare the two?

Adam

adamr on 5/2/08 10:13PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

Adamr> Perhaps because some of the people with appropriate skills may be able to contribute to developing the OS - the shared source being available from ROOL. I was not saying the sites are the same (they aren't) but that the Connect one counts amongst it's skillbase potential developers who *might* be available to contribute to ROOL's efforts - something perhaps you'd agree with?

AMS on 6/2/08 1:19PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

AMS: Of course, that assumes people with the skill set required are willing to work on ROOL's RISC OS, either because of the licence of other reasons. Obviously, just because somebody has signed up for an account on ROOL's site doesn't mean they're interested in contributing anything more than simple discussion.

rjek on 6/2/08 4:44PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

rjek>Agreed. Someone having signed up to *either* site does not mean they'd be necessarily willing or able to do any *work* developing stuff on RISC OS. Mind you that's not to say that *discussion* can't be helpful in clarifying problems or even suggesting solutions.

AMS on 6/2/08 10:35PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

Interesting as of the 14th Feb some 12 days after the initial posting when one expects the majority of people who are going to sign up have. I make adding up the available hours for those with experienced/Expert C or Assembler equal to 25 hours. i.e. Those capable of producing the meat of any useful new application. Well it has to be better than a poke in the eye with a blunt stick but assuming a man year equals 40 weeks * 40 hours say i.e. 1600 hours that means it would take 64 YEARS !!! to complete a Man year of development. Quite a sobering thought. I don't think one is going to see any new developments that would rate as equivalent to commercial ( Assuming the Commercial was good - A lot was not in my opinion )

Jwoody on 14/2/08 12:31PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

Jwoody: Your calculation is wrong.

Using 40 weeks @ 40 hours per week to calculate a man-year is fair enough. So a man-year, using that basis, is 1600 hours.

A quick glance down the list to total up the available time for C/Assempler experts or experienced gives me 25 as well - so again, fair enough.

However, it's actually 25 hours per *week*, so the result of the division (64) is the number of weeks, not the number of years.

VinceH on 14/2/08 2:20PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

In reply to JWoody:

Since you wrote "Sorry, don't work on RiscOS" I am surprised that you contribute here - why not spend the time you use up here to work on RISC OS - starting to learn the correct spelling of the operating system :-)

But then you top it with your remarks where you try to compute how long it takes to fill in a man year of work - was your mis-calculation intended to emphasise your comments?

In any case what are you up to by more often than not offering destructive comments like your initial one about the "eye opener as to how much talent is left or not".

So summing up why do you comment some initiative like this one with a negative comment before it even gets a chance to fly?

hzn on 16/02/08 08:53AM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

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