When you download, you accept an agreement to contribute at least something minimal into the user documentation. When everyone contributes only a very small amount, we build a solid foundation without the usual choke points.

The user/contributor contract:

Basis for this contract:

• There is no "they", or "them". We are all contributors, different only by what we contribute.
• Good enough is a very suitable standard for an open source documentation.
• Clarity and brevity is usually better than perfection.
• You enforce your own contract.
  

The contract:

• Look for answers in the docs before you pump out an email.
• If you answer a question, answer it in the Wiki FAQ, sending only a link to the answer in the reply email.
• Two minute improvements are preferred, let the next guy make it perfect..
• RTFM (Read The Fine Manual) is an appropriate answer to any question.
• Fix the manual (FAQ) for the next guy, if it didn't give you what you needed.

Sure, I agree to toss in an occassional sentence into the documentation.

There is no enforcement of the contract, but you may be surprised.
It is so easy to contribute with Wiki docs, you may actually want to do it on your own!

Serious coders:

Keel's loose coupling (Avalon Framework)  provides a safety net  for you to contribute without fear of messing up the system.

You are expected to stick to the Avalon patterns, but they aren't very hard, except for the irritation of having to stick to standard API's intstead of writing your own home-made interfaces.

Jump in. The water is fine.

Wannabe coders:

So you are one of the millions who would like to become a serious coder, but lack the resume? There are a lot of us that fit that description !

The Keel team helps you build your resume by providing a place to jump in and start small. Here are some things you can do that start slow and build your confidence one little bit at a time. These are excellent things to have on your resume, and they help Keel a lot!

• Learn to build Keel. CVS, Ant, build routines, testing.
• Add something to javadoc or the FAQ.
• Write tests! JUnit can be easy to learn.
• Put a package through the paces! Pick one and find the problems.

Need experience on your resume? The Keel team is happy to help!

Fun re-inventing things

Keel discourages its contributors from following the normal human impulse to re-invent everything just because it is more fun.

Re-inventing things is always the most fun for the guy doing the re-inventing.

• fixes any perceived problems
• creates a better interface
• pride of accomplishment
• you know where everything is

For everyone else, the fun is not as obvious.

• creates new problems
• creates (yet another - ugh - interface)
• don't want to hurt the creator's feelings
• you have no idea where anything is

Keel encourages contributors to bring in the most successful package from outside the framework rather than re-inventing yet another one within the framework. If you are already associated with such a package, and it can be brought in under the interface of a standard API, please feel welcome!

If you still want to re-invent, please consider joining the outside package on source forge or where-ever it is sponsored. Most projects welcome the help!