Publication Type

Conference Proceeding Article

Version

acceptedVersion

Publication Date

5-2016

Abstract

Community-based Open Source Software (OSS) projects are usually self-organized and dynamic, receiving contributions from distributed volunteers. Newcomer are important to the survival, long-term success, and continuity of these communities. However, newcomers face many barriers when making their first contribution to an OSS project, leading in many cases to dropouts. Therefore, a major challenge for OSS projects is to provide ways to support newcomers during their first contribution. In this paper, we propose and evaluate FLOSScoach, a portal created to support newcomers to OSS projects. FLOSScoach was designed based on a conceptual model of barriers created in our previous work. To evaluate the portal, we conducted a study with 65 students, relying on qualitative data from diaries, self-efficacy questionnaires, and the Technology Acceptance Model. The results indicate that FLOSScoach played an important role in guiding newcomers and in lowering barriers related to the orientation and contribution process, whereas it was not effective in lowering technical barriers. We also found that FLOSScoach is useful, easy to use, and increased newcomers’ confidence to contribute. Our results can help project maintainers on deciding the points that need more attention in order to help OSS project newcomers overcome entry barriers.

Keywords

Barriers, Beginners, Joining Process, Newbies, Newcomers; Novices, Obstacles, Onboarding, Open Source Software

Discipline

Software Engineering

Research Areas

Software and Cyber-Physical Systems

Publication

Proceedings of the 38th IEEE International Conference on Software Engineering (ICSE), Austin, TX, USA, 2016 May 14-22

First Page

273

Last Page

284

ISBN

9781450342056

Identifier

10.1145/2884781.2884806

Publisher

IEEE Computer Society

City or Country

Los Alamitos, CA

Copyright Owner and License

Authors

Additional URL

https://doi.org/10.1145/2884781.2884806

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