Rethinking Coders

=Comparison with the Build Program= I often compare the Coders program with the Build program as a start to figuring out what might work better for coding at Free Geek.

In the build program, volunteers:


 * can sign up for any of nine shifts per week
 * need to work at Free Geek
 * trade time building and QCing in exchange for something (often a computer, often skills)
 * go through a Prebuild program where they are exposed to skills they'll need later on
 * in prebuild, folks sometimes realize they're in over their head and drop out
 * once you teach someone how to build a computer, they (basically) need to repeat that task several times

In the coders programs, volunteers:


 * can come in once per week, but can work on their own time
 * can work from home or elsewhere if they choose (though some things need to be done at Free Geek)
 * trade time writing code in exchange for skills
 * don't go through any prerequisites program
 * sometimes realize they're in over their head and drop out while coding
 * once you teach someone how to write a program, they cannot repeat that task several times in any kind of a useful way

The build program is quite successful at involving a lot of volunteers at Free Geek, while the coders successer are much more modest (and that may be putting it charitably).

=Some problems=
 * Projects move very slowly -- way more slowly than expected.
 * People who are the impetus for starting a project often move on before it's completed.
 * Volunteer coders often implement changes without much coordination, leading to incompatible code.
 * Entire projects are abandoned (or at least forgotten)
 * New coders are often overwhelmed by the learning curve

=Some analysis=

=Some conclusions=