[Mesa-dev] Help for a beginner

[Romain Failliot]

Hi Tom, hi Christian,

2011/9/26 Tom Stellard <tstellar at gmail.com>
> Glad you're interested.   We can always use more help.  I think the
> best way to get started is to find something to work on that is
> interesting to you.  So, I have two questions: What hardware do you
> have, and why do you want to contribute to Mesa?

At the moment I have an nVidia G71 [GeForce 7950 GT].
I want to contribute to mesa because:
- I want to participate to an open source project
- I work in the game industry and I hope, one day, Linux will be a
serious platform to consider
- I think that the Floss community have an opportunity here to prove
that we can make these drivers for OpenGL 3 and 4 in less time than we
need to say it! (well maybe a little bit more...)

2011/9/26 Christian König <deathsimple at vodafone.de>:
> 1. On what part of mesa (GLSL, interface, driver, video decoding etc..)
> do you like to work on?

At first, anything that could help me to get into the code.
Then, improve OpenGL compatibility (OpenGL 3 and 4).
And eventually maybe improve performances.

> 2. How much time to you want to spare? Are you a student/professional or
> do you just want to spend some time on a hobby?

I'll do it in my spare time, for me and for free.

> 3. What hardware to you have available?

Only the nVidia G71 [GeForce 7950 GT]

> 4. Depending on question 1: How many experience do you have with
> different parts of programming (OpenGL, D3D, low level hardware hacking,
> etc...) ?

I have some knowledge in 3D programming, but none in low level hardware hacking.
I've done some OpenGL 2 and OpenGL ES code.
I've got really good knowledge in 3D-space programming (if it can help...)

> 5. How many help do you need to get going? That could reach from
> questions like: "How to install a compiler in my distro?" to "Where can
> I find documentation of hardware register xy?

At first, it would be questions like how to run my own compiled mesa drivers?
I should handle getting the code, compiling it and editing it.
Things I've never done (or almost never) is submitting a patch to a
floss project.
But the ultimate first question would be: where is the bug tracker? :)
And the next one: do you have a simple bug to begin with. I'll do it asap.

Creak