Getting Recognition for Open-Source Computer Language Projects
- by Jon Purdy
I like language a lot, so I write a lot of language-based solutions for programming, automation, and data definition. I'm very much a believer in open-source software, so lately I've started to push these projects to Sourceforge when I start them. I feel that these tools could be quite valuable in the right hands, and that they fill niches that otherwise go unfilled.
The trouble, for me, is gaining recognition. No matter how useful the software I write, after a certain point I can no longer come up with anything to add or improve. Basically no one but me uses it, so it's not being attacked from enough angles to discover any new weaknesses. I cannot work on a project that doesn't have anything to do, but I won't have anything to do unless I gain recognition by working on it! This is greatly discouraging. It's like giving what you think is a really thoughtful gift to someone who just isn't paying attention.
So I'm looking for advice on how to network and disseminate information about my projects so that they don't fizzle out like this. Are there any sites, newsgroups, or mailing lists that I've been completely missing?