Help Wanted

[Xittenn]

I'm always trying to find others interested in similar things as myself to work on projects together. I scour here there and everywhere and honestly have never worked with anyone on anything outside of a professional environment. I'm just curious if anyone here is aware of places that have something which addresses the needs of individuals such as myself. Like a hobbyist projects help wanted adds system but closely nit to the scientific community. I have the added disadvantage of not being educated!

 

For the most part I am looking for others who are interested in Scientific Computing/Mathematics, Robotics and General Engineering. I would like to work on Bio projects but I imagine these would be pretty limited by current laws.

 

I must say not having a degree or a trade makes working on anything with others almost impossible from my standpoint. I thought I would open this thread to see if in fact maybe it is just me and I'm being closed minded. I mean in all actuality I do possess a career certificate in Game Design. One would think this to be an fairly easy hobby to find others to start a project with. Being on other more related sites however I have found that even this is for me at least not in the cards. I'm kind of feeling like the old adage where I am not worth the paper I'm printed on :/ This post is kind of a contrast to the other one currently on page 1 of lounge where the gentleman is looking for ideas ... I'm looking for popples!

Edited October 26, 2010 by Xittenn

[Mr Skeptic]

Maybe you could work on some Open Source software.

[Xittenn]

like some Unix package? It's not really something done as a team though right? I don't know .. the thought had crossed my mind on a few occasions. I could really use some team spirit though you know? I have always done everything myself and have never been on a team. It's funny when I took the course for Game Design the final team project I did was successful and by many considered a superior project done within the class ... It was really too bad it was done completely by myself. All the other students had so much fun working together, this is something I would like to experience as well ...

Edited October 26, 2010 by Xittenn

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

Open-source software is developed almost exclusively in teams. There's some open-source physics simulation software, as well as open-source 3D visualization programs for a variety of purposes. Take a look around. Often they'll have development mailing lists where you can follow the development process, send suggested patches, and report bugs.

[Xittenn]

Open-source software is developed almost exclusively in teams. There's some open-source physics simulation software, as well as open-source 3D visualization programs for a variety of purposes. Take a look around. Often they'll have development mailing lists where you can follow the development process, send suggested patches, and report bugs.

 

So it's pretty hard to get onto a team then I would imagine, especially for someone who is not educated. Oh wells ... just thought I would ask ....

[Mr Skeptic]

Open Source are for the most part volunteer projects. Beggars can't be choosers, so you just have to convince them that you'd do more good then harm. Or, you could start a project of your own and see if anyone wants to join you.

 

Just as an example, check out the game biohack:

http://www.fileplanet.com/216253/210000/fileinfo/BioHack-Demo

 

It's not open source, but it mixes coding, gameing, and biology. But the reason I suggested open source, is because of the teamwork aspect. Getting on a commercial team would be harder and have different objectives; most open source projects need as many volunteers as they can get.

[Xittenn]

I actually do have my own project but have never sought volunteers as I am not confident enough in my abilities to organize a process well enough to not waste anybodies time. I would also like to add to this that I'm doing an all around search for groups even if it is not software. I had posted a thread with regards to a 100GHz Oscilloscope that I would still love to work on but it would be way cooler a project if I could find a group. I'm not asking here that others join my project I am just citing an example of something I'm looking for.

 

Looking for Scientific Social groups on a whole is also something I am finding great difficult in. I have always loved SFN and plan to stick around but again I am always on the hunt for more and right now that more is a higher level of interaction. Forums are a great place for question and answer style communication but forums are not proving to be a great place to find others who have similar interests to work with, irregardless of level of education. Looking up Scientific Socials is proving rather devoid in a world where billions of people are continually striving to find themselves. I find this odd in this day and age and with the access to communication tools being made so readily available and at such low cost. I am finding, as expected, more groups for youth and children but essentially I'm finding that if you are not a teenager and you have not become educated well you are tough out of luck. And even further I mean if you work in one profession and want to enjoy the sciences of another as a hobby there are no portals presently available.

 

That not to say that there isn't anything out there at all ... There are a number of resources for coders and electronics hobbyists but these tend to be small solo projects that require zero organization, dedication and participation on a dependent group level. Again I may be missing something here. As for open source coding projects I will still have to look into it. I must say here though that I have run into a number of coders working on these projects and they are pretty die hard individuals who are generally working towards their degree or have dedicated their life to working the Underground. :/ They also in general, even despite being designated to team participation, worked alone and submitted their portion of the project for it to be incorporated into the whole. I can't say I have met a large number of these individuals but it has been a couple dozen. I had the pleasure of being exposed to the SlimDX team having spent some time on GameDev.Net and these individuals did have a good sense of team focus and camaraderie. This is something that I do wish to find and if open source projects are anything like they were as a team I'm sure that if I was able to join one I would have a great time. : )

Edited October 26, 2010 by Xittenn

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

So it's pretty hard to get onto a team then I would imagine, especially for someone who is not educated. Oh wells ... just thought I would ask ....

 

All you do is see a problem in the code that needs to be fixed, or a feature people want added. Fix the problem, write some code, and send it in. They don't care who you are, so long as your code makes sense and is useful. There isn't usually a formal team that you have to join before being allowed to write code.

[Xittenn]

Well now that kind of defeats all intents and purposes of trying to join a team now doesn't it .... :/

[CaptainPanic]

All you do is see a problem in the code that needs to be fixed, or a feature people want added. Fix the problem, write some code, and send it in. They don't care who you are, so long as your code makes sense and is useful. There isn't usually a formal team that you have to join before being allowed to write code.

Well now that kind of defeats all intents and purposes of trying to join a team now doesn't it .... :/

Maybe you should better define what you would like to do?

 

If you have a desire to "be a part of a group", then you should search for that... But like with any group, newcomers must prove themselves first. It's like that in grammar school, and it's like that in a professional environment. You may consider an organization like the national society of professional engineers, or something similar (I'm assuming you're American here) - but often you need a degree to be able to join that. Search for "society" and then a description of what you like... maybe it exists. They may have sub groups that organize activities and that have projects.

 

If you are interested in the science, then you must (1) choose which field and (2) decide if you want to join something, or start it yourself.

You state that you are not confident that you can organize something yourself, so you must join someone else's project.

 

Joining some other project means that you listen to the project leader of that project (like Cap'n Refsmmat said 2 posts below). It is not a democracy... altough you can probably expect that feedback from experienced people will be appreciated. Projects like these, where anyone online can join, are not likely to have the patience for newbies... so you have to fit in quickly. They also won't take the time to formalize the cooperation - it's online and anyone can just walk in, but also walk out.

 

So, you listen to what a project manager wants, write your code, send it in. It gets reviewed, and if it is good, it is used.

Btw, I do not see how this is any different from any professional environment, with the only difference that this is voluntary and open source.

 

Open source however allows you to form a new branch (use all the existing work, and use it for your own plans)... Just keep to the General Public License (like gnu gpl).

[Xittenn]

I'm really lost here ..... I don't know how many beer leagues exist, how many social swim meets, squash tournaments etc. etc. exist, but they do and they often cover a wide range of participant skill levels. If one wants to join karate they go to a dojo don a white belt and they show up for classes. The fact that the scientific community has essentially closed its doors to anyone who is not uber and often laughs and spits in the face of those who try is rather sad and depraved. In general one doesn't even have to be an Fernando Alonso should one wish to try their skills at race car driving. I'm not talking about having an open source CERN here, I'm talking about openly available programming clubs or electronics or even bio chemist clubs where projects could focus on things such as botany or cool experiments cultivating Streptomycetaceae for their poly-l-lysine secretion in hopes of making an ECM solution.

 

I don't exactly know why these sorts of outlets do not exist. The more fun and creative and positive outlets formed allow for greater growth in communities and the rewards of making such activities available to a much wider community would be enormous. There's a lot that can be said about this. Again, though maybe these places do exist and I'm just missing them, I don't know .... I often look around and see what is happening everywhere and I know what it could be but no one is capable I guess of organizing things in such a way as to make a great future ... doom and gloom, doom and gloom, CaptainPanic, doom and gloom .....

Edited October 27, 2010 by Xittenn