submission-2019-07-06.txt

July 6, 2019

To whom it may concern,

Please find attached a revision to our paper "Ten Simple Rules for Helping Newcomers Become Contributors to Open Source Projects". We are very grateful for the comments made by Reviewer #1 (Erin Robinson), and have incorporated most of them in this revision (see below).

Sincerely,

Dan Sholler, Igor Steinmacher, Denae Ford, Mara Averick, Mike Hoye, and Greg Wilson

gvwilson@third-bit.com

- "Suggested reordering and combining of rules:"

Agreed; rules have been reorganized largely as suggested.

- "Rule 1: Code of conduct is important..."

Reorganized as suggested.

- "Rule 2 -- Make governance explicit is a good point, but muddied with citation and licensing."

Agreed - separated.

- "Would shy away from benevolent dictators as part of any governance"

We have kept the description, since it is a common model, but have explained its weaknesses.

- "Rule 3 -- Be welcoming -- suggest this is swapped with rule 1."

Agreed.

- "Rule 4 -- This rule should really emphasize, what's in it for the newcomer."

Now incorporated in Rule 2 after reorganization suggested by reviewer.

- "Rule 8 -- May consider meet-ups with collocated larger events as an option for projects."

Good point :-)

- "Rule 10 -- Most of what is included here is important as part of Rule 3."

Agreed.

- "I would broaden this last rule to acknowledge ALL contributors to your project."

Good catch.

- "I would recommend ending this paper on individual and collective acknowledgement."

We have instead opted to end on "follow up", since that's the point at which being a newcomer ends and being a regular contributor begins.