Papercuts events are Galaxy CoFests that address annoying, but easy to fix bugs ("paper cuts"). Papercut CoFests run for 24 hours (following the sun) and are collaborative events, dedicated to

• Making the Galaxy experience be a pleasure and be productive by removing and reducing irritants.
• Growing the Galaxy contributor community by holding regular events.
• Identify easy but informative things to fix.
• Work together and enjoy the community.
• Dedicate time together for bug-fixing.
• Make reducing paper cuts fun.

How to get involved with Papercuts CoFests?

First, you can register your interest. We'll send you information and a reminder before the next event. (Registering your interest is optional. You can also just show up.)

I'm interested!

Papercuts CoFests are held regularly (see below), and it's easy to get involved in the very next one.

• Before

  • Each Papercuts event page has links to issues. in different parts of Galaxy, that have been flagged by experienced community members as being "fixable during a Papercuts."
  • Figure out which of these projects interest you the most.
  • Do some (even a little bit is useful) on that project.
  • Each event has conference calls, every 3-4 hours, going around the world. Look at the schedule and figure out which calls you can make it to.

• During

  • Join the discussion on Gitter.
  • People on Gitter will provide guidance and resources, and help connect you to folks who specialize in the area you are interested in.
  • Before the next call, followup with others on Galaxy chat channels.
  • Be on the next call for a follow up.

• After

  • Stay involved. Galaxy has lots of ways to get involved. Leverage your newly acquired knowledge to ask for help, and to help others.
  • Get your fixes integrated! You may or may not get in a fix integrated during the official Papercuts day. If you don't then stick with it until you have the final polish on it, and it goes in.
  • Tell everyone you meet that you are now a Galaxy Project contributor.
  • Join us again for the next Papercuts.

Papercuts for Students?

If you are a learner and you want to learn how a global open source, open science project operates (and become a contributor), then we strongly encourage you to get involved with Galaxy through Papercuts CoFests. See above for how to get started.

Papercuts for Teachers and Student Leaders

If you are a teacher, professor, or student leader, and you want to get your students exposed to open source software development in a globally distributed project then we really want to help you do that. Send us an email, and we will work with you to welcome and integrate your group in to Galaxy during the next event.