Another level of mentoring involves new members of a project. If they can attach themselves to more experienced contributors, who may or may not be maintainers, they can learn the ropes with less pain. They can learn how to produce patches in the proper form, how to phrase questions and proposals, and acquire realistic expectations of how quickly their work might be considered and whether it has a chance of success. Proper mentoring empowers people, leads to a more efficient workflow, and contributes to long term vitality and growth of a project.
Another level of mentoring involves new members of a project. If they can attach themselves to more experienced contributors, who may or may not be maintainers, they can learn the ropes with less pain. They can learn how to produce patches in the proper form, how to phrase questions and proposals, and acquire realistic expectations of how quickly their work might be considered and whether it has a chance of success. Proper mentoring empowers people, leads to a more efficient workflow, and contributes to long term vitality and growth of a project.