Very Computer

    I've been fooling around with C and a little bit of C++ for about a
year and I just finished reading a Linux programming book.   I have
messed around with tcl/tk and gtk+ and some other languages but I'm
wondering where I can start using what I know.  Where can a newbie
hacker get started.  Are there any good projects to start out or should
I just pick something I find interesting and start reading the source.

-Nick

Pick something that sounds interesting and start reading the source
is always a good way to start.

Try to mail a maintainer of a package and offer your skills. Check out
http://www.sourceforge.org if you have trouble finding projects to work
on.

Otherwise I guess there must be thousands of small tasks that you
want to be done, just start coding...  :)

Happy Hacking!

/andreas
--
================== I'm powered by Emacs! ======================
          ** the choice of a GNU generation **

=========== Make a choice, protect your Freedom! ==============

Wait until something lacks functionality that pisses you off.
They try to add that functionality. If you succeed, email the
maintainer of the software that you've fixed. Usually he/she
will have a better way to provide the same fix.

If you can't think of anything that lacks adequate functionality,
download alpha software like GNOME or KDE2.0 and try to build
it, then try to use it, then try to fix it.

--
Dave Blake

:     I've been fooling around with C and a little bit of C++ for about a
: year and I just finished reading a Linux programming book.   I have
: messed around with tcl/tk and gtk+ and some other languages but I'm
: wondering where I can start using what I know.  Where can a newbie
: hacker get started.  Are there any good projects to start out or should
: I just pick something I find interesting and start reading the source.

Find a place where "it itches", i.e. problem which bothers you, while
small utility can simplify things a lot. Or find an open source program
which misses some features important to _you_. Then write this utility
or add this functionality to program in question. In later case you
should then write to author or program-specific mailing list and send
your patches. In first case it is enough to publish your code.
If your problem is common one (as I've started with utility to convert
word files to text), you'll get  a lot of feedback from community, and
'll know where to go next.
: -Nick

--
The prayer of serenity applies here.  To both of us.  :-)