Hello Nathan,
> I am really interested in writing some KDE
> applications (as well
> as fixing/modifying/customizing current
> applications). I am a
> > quite able Java programmer (don't kill me, please
> - it's the only
> > one I learned in school...I'm not a
> "programmer"...
I think that there are a lot of similarities between
Java and C++, enough anyway to make the transition
acceptable to you.
If you want to become active on KDE applications, may
I suggest the following route for you :
1. Find Bruce Eckels "Thinking in C++" on the web. It
is excellent and it is free.
http://mindview.net/Books
2. Visit the Qt documentation page. You have to be
aware that although KDE applications is all C++ it is
written with the aid of Qt as application framework.
Read the Whitepaper at least, browse the beginning of
the turorials
http://doc.trolltech.com/3.3/index.html
3. Make sure that you have KDevelop 3.0 installed and
follow the tutorial. Make an 'empty' program. I mean
that you just generate a KDE project. That will give
you a skeleton code that produces standard windows,
menu, etc. Examine the code, try to understand it.
4. Work your way throught the QT tutorial 1 and try to
make it work using kdevelop and turning it into a KDE
project.
5. Do the same for tutorial 2
6. Try to understand the examples that come with the
Qt library.
7. Pick a simple KDE application that you like, any
will do, then go to webcvs (http://webcvs.kde.org)find
the sources and browse the different files. Look at
the different versions of one file and try to get a
feel for the history of the developement. Pick one
area of the application and try to understand it.
8. Read every article on http://developer.kde.org/
9. Go to bugs.kde.org, register and use the querytool
to find the open bugs for the application that you
like and would like to see improved. Find an annoying
bug and start hacking.Be sure to work on a recent
version of the application, check with the cvs is your
code is up to date. Better build an unstable-version.
10. Subscribe to the relevant mailing list for your
application, present yourself, tell what you intend to
do.
10. Post your patch, cross your fingers and hope that
it will get accepted.
And in case you don't want to develop, there are other
ways in which you can help. Visit the KDE Quality Team
Webpage and Wiki to find out what you can do.
http://quality.kde.org/
http://wiki.kdenews.org/
Marc
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