Helping with the Free Software Directory
The Free Software Directory, one of the FSF's major initiatives, needs volunteers to improve it. Here are some ways you can get involved, progressing from simple to complex.
Reporting Errors
If you note an error in the database, please report it by sending email to <bug-directory@gnu.org>. Please include the name of the project and the field that is incorrect. It would be appreciated if you could also include the correct information. However, this isn't required. You can also use the “file a bug” button on the Directory web pages.
Reporting New Releases
One piece of information which is especially hard to keep up to date is the version information. If you are an author or avid user of a particular project, please report new releases as above.
Adding Entries
To add an entry for a program not already in the database, it is best to use the web submission form. But if you don't want to do that, please provide as much of the following information as you can via email to <bug-directory@gnu.org>.
- Project title and homepage
- Link to the source code
- Please list all licenses, including documentation license
- A short description of what the program does
- Current version and maturity level
- Maintainers' names/contact (we will make this info public)
- Any help resources or community resources, such as mailing list archives, IRC or bug lists
- Any developer resources, such as bug reporting lists and public VCS checkout command
- All known dependencies
- Indicate all applicable interface styles: Command Line, Console, Daemon, X Window, Web, Email
To be listed in the Free Software Directory, packages should meet all of these requirements (we may change the criteria if necessary):
- The software is at least of beta quality; users consider it usable and useful. (We also list GNU packages that are in early development, but they are marked as not ready for general use.)
- It is licensed under a free software license as defined in the free software definition and listed as a free software license.
- It does not rely on non-free software, either for significant functionality or normal performance. (Software which depends on a non-free platform is not usable in the Free World.)
- It runs on the GNU system or the GNU/Linux system.
Our aim is to list all free software meeting the criteria, but of course that is a moving target.
Help with Maintenance
The Free Software Directory is now based on a wiki infrastructure. Thus, it is now much easier for anyone to help maintain the Directory by reviewing submitted items, updating stale information, and so on. Please see the Free Software Directory participation page for more.
In whatever form, thanks for your help!