Re: Newbie wants to volunteer for XFree86 Development

On Fri, 26 Aug 2005, Redefined Horizons wrote:

> I would like to offer my assistance with the development of XFree86.
> 
> I am fairly new to Linux, but I have experience programming in Java
> and LISP. I am currently learning C, C++, Assembly Language
> Programming and digital electronics.
> 
> I would like to work in an area that will allow me to gain some
> experience with lower level programming. Is there a need in any of
> these areas? Perhaps porting XFree86 to new platforms or supporting
> new hardware types? I'd really like to try slinging some assembly
> language code, and would be interested in providing an assembly
> language interface to XFree86 if there is not one already.

XFree86 is cross platform, so we don't use assembly language much
(there may be some in the BIOS code - we do emulate an x86 chip to
run the BIOS on non x86 platforms).

XFree86 is almost entirely written in C (not C++) and that is the way it 
is very likely yto stay.

> Is there someone that can take me under there wing and give me some direction?
No. Mentoring is definitely an area where we are very short.

Find an area you want to fiddle, read the code understand it
Maybe ask about the bits you don't understand.
 
> I look forward to joining the XFree86 development team!