Intro to Kernel Hacking - finding things to work on.
Channel: LinuxConfAu 2018 - Sydney, Australia
Date: 24/01/2018

Tobin Harding

http://lca2018.linux.org.au/schedule/presentation/135/

Finding something to work on is a problem faced by all kernel newbies. The
internet abounds with information on creating your first patch, someone (*cough*
me) even blogs, and presents, on doing your first patch set. But one patch does
not a kernel developer make, nor one patch set.

This talk is aimed at developers wishing to get started working on the kernel
but unable to find things to work on. You will hopefully walk away with
increased enthusiasm and confidence that you can find something interesting and
tractable to work on within the kernel.

We will discuss the idea that barriers to kernel development are primarily
social not technical. You can expect some suggestions on how to manoeuvre within
the kernel development process and some tips for maximizing your chances of
success. Their will be a brief discussion on motivation - nothing hard can be
achieved without the motivation to do so. 

You can hope to learn how to find, and interact with, other more experienced
kernel developers and how that can assist you in finding the solution that works
for you.

You can _however_ also hope to gain some concrete technical suggestions for
getting started with kernel development and finding things to work on.

Tobin is a hobbyist kernel developer. Whilst achieving a very small amount of
success he has experienced many obstacles that can be lumped together under the
problem of 'finding something to work on'. It is his hope that you can gain from
this and find yourself happily hacking away on interesting kernel problems.

This talk was given at Linux.conf.au 2018 (LCA2018) which was held on 22-26 January 2018 in Sydney Australia.

linux.conf.au is a conference about the Linux operating system, and all aspects of the thriving ecosystem of Free and Open Source Software that has grown up around it. Run since 1999, in a different Australian or New Zealand city each year, by a team of local volunteers, LCA invites more than 500 people to learn from the people who shape the future of Open Source. For more information on the conference see https://linux.conf.au/

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