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OSD600 ''Open Source Development'' (CPA Program) and DPS909 ''Topics in Open Source'' (BSD Program) courses enable you to dive into open source and work with developers from around the world on software which is used by millions of people every day. You don't need any open source experience to get started--just curiosity and the desire to work on something real.
If you're considering taking these courses, this page will provide the information you need as well as links to important resources.
This is a project-oriented course working directly with the Mozilla (Firefox/Thunderbird) and OpenOffice.org communities. Each of these communities maintains a huge codebase (millions of lines of code) which has been developed over a number of years and which is being actively improved by hundreds of contributors from many different countries. This software is written in several languages, including C/C++, JavaScript, Java, and various scripting languages (bash, perl, and python). The software is cross-platform and works on a wide range of platforms including Windows, Mac, and Linux systems.
You'll select a project from a list of potential projects developed in consultation with Mozilla and OpenOffice.org -- practical, needed projects -- and work in direct communication with other developers. The potential projects list includes programming, localization, build system, automated testing, documentation, bug-fixing, and feature enhancement projects. Everyone works on something different (i.e., there are no fixed projects).
In OSD600/DPS909 you'll take your project from initial concept through 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 releases. By the 0.3 release your project will be useful and usable state.
== Results and Benefits of Taking OSD600/DPS909 ==
These courses uniquely enable you to gain experience working on massive (multi-million-line) codebases, communicating and collaborating with other developers, and making changes that matter to huge numbers of people around the globe. Along the way you'll gain invaluable experience and make important connections to developers working around the world. Furthermore, Seneca open source students have gone on to internships and full-time employment with open source projects and companies.
== Continuation Courses ==
Upon successfully completing OSD600/DPS909, you'll have the option of continuing work on your project in [[OSD700]]/[[DPS911]], where you will take it to a fully-polished 1.0 release level.
== Links ==
* Course Outlines: [[OSD600]], [[DPS909]]
* [[Project List|Previous and current Seneca open source projects (OSD600, DPS909, OSD700, DPS911)]]
* [http://zenit.senecac.on.ca/~chris.tyler/planet opensource@seneca Blog Planet (aggregated blog postings)]
* [http://cdot.senecac.on.ca/ Seneca Centre for Development of Open Technology (CDOT)] * [http://fsoss.senecac.on.ca Free Software and Open Source Symposium (FSOSS)], a yearly conference held at Seneca, which attracts open source developers and thinkers from across North America. FSOSS is open to students at a discounted rate.
== Taking OSD600 / DPS909 ==
OSD600 and DPS909 will both be offered in '''September 2008 ''' -- sign up via [https://siris.senecac.on.ca/webapps/sirismain/index.html SIRIS] during the summer.
