On Tue, 2006-09-19 at 17:40 +0200, thomas blomme wrote:
> HI all,
>  
> I'm a 16 year old java user.  I'm trying to write some programs in it,
> mostly on gentoo or another LINUX system.  I'm not too experienced, I
> seriously started about a year ago with java and gentoo.  I did
> however had some small java skills before that, because my dad
> programs in it.

Great keep at it, by the time you are 18 or 21 you will be a pro ;)

> A week ago, I found my way to the java project.  I was wondering if I
> could help and improve my skills.  I joined the channel and the
> mailinglist and looked at the bug list.  There's not much I can do
> there because I can't write ebuilds and the main part of the 'bugs'
> are ebuild proposals.  I would however like to learn it.  I thought
> you guys maybe knew something I could help with: a bug,
> documentation... 

Open source efforts tend to be more of a look for something to do and
jump in and do it. Anything you can do to help with a bug is great.
Test, confirm if you can replicate. Look into possible resolutions or
etc.

Documentation, if it's lacking help improve and file a bug or etc with
improvements. Finding errors or omissions, again filing bugs on that
stuff.

If there is a app or etc you would like but there is no ebuild for it.
Try making one of your own. I used to start with a similar ebuild and
hack it for a given package. ebuilds are just glorified bash scripts, so
don't let them over whelm you.

Look for any area that seems to be behind or lacking, and see what you
can do there. Beyond that it's hard to say specifically on something you
could help with.

When in doubt, you can almost never go wrong with testing stuff ;)
Good luck, and welcome to the community.

-- 
William L. Thomson Jr.
Gentoo/Java