"How to contribute" even the author doesn't know

[benkasminbullock]

On the modules it has a link at the right saying "How to contribute". I click on this for my own module but find an empty page.

https://metacpan.org/contributing-to/BKB/Lingua-JA-Moji-0.52

However, even I, the author, don't know what I was supposed to put in the module to make the above not appear. Could someone write just a hint as to what the problem is?

[oalders]

What you're seeing is a result of #2042 and #2061

So, if you have a file matching qr/(CONTRIBUTING|HACKING)/i then it should appear via this link. Having said that, what you're seeing is confusing. Maybe we could add something to that 404 page which clarifies that a CONTRIBUTING.md would be shown if it existed. That might encourage more authors to add them. I'm open to suggestions on how to handle this. Not showing the link at all would be an option too, of course, but encouraging authors to add these files is also not a bad idea.

[oalders]

@zakame FYI ^^

[zakame]

Hi @oalders @benkasminbullock, thanks for the ping!

I have in mind some update for that page to show a short how-to about adding the Contributing file to the dist, perhaps something like in http://neilb.org/2016/01/17/encouraging-contributions.html. Would that work for you?

[oalders]

@zakame that would be a great start!

[zakame]

I've made a start at this:

I think the wording can be further improved; I'll post a WIP PR in a bit.

[oalders]

This is a big improvement. @neilb any thoughts?

[neilb]

Great idea to have placeholder text here!

I like the idea of having the text for authors and getting users to encourage authors.

Given that most distributions don't (currently) have a contributing file, how about changing the tone slightly, to something along the lines of:

This distribution doesn't include its own guidelines for contributors.

If you want to contribute, there are some generic guidelines below, but it's always a good idea
to get in touch with the author, so you don't waste any time working on something that
the author is perhaps already working on, or has specific ideas on how to do it.

[generic guidance]

[zakame]

Thanks @neilb! I've adapted your note above: