How can we attract outside programmers to get them to begin using and coding for and on MorphOS. I would like to read ideas and opinions on what things other members here think could be done to bring some new programmers into our tiny niche community. We see one or two new users who also happen to be experienced programmers on other platforms come here each year and ask a few questions, but not many of them stay and actually work at learning how to program for MorphOS. There are many reasons why they don't stay, but I am not really interested in debating why they leave, unless it also contains suggestions on how to resolve some of those reasons for them leaving with good suggestions on what can be done to reduce the number of new users who are also programmers from leaving us. I think that we as a community should attempt to increase the number of new experienced programmers from outside the Amiga and MorphOS community, and also work at making any new users capable of programming to feel comfortable and welcomed here. I think some improvement has been made over the last few years, at making new members of this site feel welcome, but we could also probably do more.

I would like very much to be able to steal as many programmers away from Linux to work on creating new content for MorphOS as we can, but since we can't promise that these new MorphOS programmers will get rich quick from their new efforts, we must make the prospect of programming for MorphOS attractive in other ways to motivate them to come, and once they have shown up here at MorphZone.org, we need to work hard to keep them here and interested. What can we do to increase our numbers of qualified programmers in the future? So far we have mostly only been able to get new programmers by having existing MorphOS users teach themselves how to program, which is good, but getting experienced programmers from other platforms would be better, as it would also be increasing out user base, by bringing in someone from outside our niche community.

The only suggestion that comes to me right away is to improve the friendliness of this site toward new members, and to make it more fun for people to visit and share their stories & questions here. MorphZone.org is a good site, but is not famous for being a fun place to visit, nor is it known as a site that suffers fools, or is overly friendly and helpful. The impression that I think is most often received from new people visiting this site is that of a "no nonsense" kind of group, who are helpful when asked questions, but also can be a little harsh toward uneducated members who don't do their own research before asking simple questions. Maybe my impression is not typical, and I would like to read what other people think is the most common impression that new members to this site observe their first few weeks or months after joining this site.

I don't expect us to gain dozens or hundreds of new programmers over night, but in my mind, every new programmer we attract to MorphOS, is another valuable new user as well as a potential creator of new software for MorphOS.

If there are tangible things we can do as a group or individually to increase our chances to gain more new programmers, I for one will attempt such suggestions on a regular basis, as one way to contribute to this community.

Edit: I try to show MorphOS to as many existing AmigaOS3.x & AmigaOS4.x users each time I set up a display table at the AmiWest Shows. I know that I have gotten many of them to at least try out MorphOS, and several of them are becoming regular users of MorphOS now, even though they have not given up on using their other choices. I will continue my efforts at future AmiWest Shows, but I would like to do more by reaching out to existing Linux programmers and getting them interested in MorphOS. I know this will not be an easy task, as 99% of them would prefer to use cheap x86/x64 hardware, not older & slower Mac PPC systems, but there will be some Linux programmers who were former (or current) Mac users as well, who will be intrigued by the fact that MorphOS has been ported to so many PPC Mac systems. There will also be some who are burned out and no longer interested in programming for Linux, and might like a change to a new and different OS, such as MorphOS. The quirky fact that A-Eon are crazy enough to create new desktop PPC hardware with the X5000, and the fact that MorphOS might be available to run on the X5000 before AmigaOS4.x is completed for it, might also create interest in a few Linux programmers. There must be some programmers who are still working on Linux PPC, which might like the prospect of working on MorphOS software creation, or new drivers, or utilities.

How do we approach these Linux PPC programmers? What about MorphOS can we promote to these Linux programmers, to spark their interest? Those are the kinds of suggestions I am looking for with this thread.

[ Edited by amigadave 11.08.2015 - 00:54 ]