Why Should I Get Involved?

Opticks is an free and open source application. The best part of any open source project is the community, so why not join in? There are a variety of ways to get involved.

I'm a Scientist/Analyst/End-user, How Can I Get Involved?

Step 1: Connect

First, you have to connect to the Opticks community and here's how:

• Download the software, that's a good start.
• Have a question?
  • Use our e-mail list to ask
  • Jump into our real-time chat and ask
• Report any bugs you run across
• Is Opticks missing something? Tell us about it and put in a new feature request.
• Follow the latest developments
  • Subscribe to the latest announcements using any RSS or Feed Reader, here is our Feed
  • Or have the latest announcements e-mailed to you
  • Come back and check out the Roadmap to see the future direction of Opticks.
• Follow the rest of the community
  • Subscribe to the latest Opticks related blogs using any RSS or Feed Reader, here is our Feed
  • Or have the latest blog postings e-mailed to you

Step 2: Collaborate

Now that you've connected, you can help grow and support the opticks community, here's how:

• Answer questions. It's one of the easiest ways to give back and one of the very best ways.
  • You can answer questions on the e-mail list.
  • Or the real-time chat
  • Or Both.
• Tell your friends
  • If you have a blog or start a blog, let us know and we can add your blog to the Opticks Spectrum, a collection of Opticks community blogs. If you want your blog added, please contact Kip Streithorst, kstreith@ballforge.net.
• Help anyway you can
  • Have some sample data? Why not donate it to the community?
  • Have some free time? Why not test the release candidates and let us know what problems you find?
  • Know how to write documentation? Why not help improve the documentation and make it even better for the next new user?

I'm a Programmer, How Can I Get Involved?

• First, check out the above section for ways to get involved. It's a great list of ways to get involved that applies to everyone.
• Write an extension. Check out the Opticks Extension Development for more details on writing an extension.
• Fix an open bug or implement a new feature request. Check out Opticks Development for more details.