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{\titfont Inessential Projects}
{\subtfont Mkgray's Guide to SIPB Prospective Projects}
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\section{Introduction}
So, now you're a SIPB prospective and you want to be useful.  Often, prospectives feel they don't know enough to be useful on a project, and this couldn't be further from the truth.  There are lots of things someone with next to no knowlegde can do and leave the project having been productive and having learned a lot.  Above all, do your best not to be discouraged.
\section{Some General Guidelines}
Getting involved in SIPB projects is not always the easiest task, and this document aims to remedy some of that.  Specifically, here are some guidelines for how to get involved.
\begin{itemize}

\item{Ask dumb questions.}  If you have questions, ask them.  Figure out who is best at answering questions on particular topics.  Some particular tips on asking questions:
\begin{itemize}
\item{Ask in person.}  Complicated explanation of things over zephyr makes things more confusing.  Learning in person is often much more effective.
\item{Start at the bottom.}  If you are trying to figure how something works, start with the very beginning.  It can be very difficult to learn something if it turns out one initial assumption was wrong.
\end{itemize}

\item{Ask members what they are working on.}  Most members are happy to explain what particular things they do in SIPB.  Sometimes they may be busy, but eventually they are prone to be willing to tell you about it.  This helps you figure out what kinds of things you are specifically interested in.  If you are interested, ask them what you can read to learn more.

\item{Volunteer to do people's work for them.}  If your being involved in somebody's project will save them work, they will often be happy to help you learn more about it.

\item{Don't be discouraged.}
\end{itemize}

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So, on to some more specific things.

\section{Learning Stuff}
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Often prospectives don't involve themselves in project because they personally don't feel they know enough, and no matter how many times members say they do, they won't believe it.  So, here are some guidelines on teaching yourself some stuff so that your confidence level goes up.  Remember though, often the best way to learn about something is just to dive in.
\begin{itemize}

\item{Read documentation.}  Read SIPB and Athena documentation, and when you don't understand something, ask someone about it.  Come into the office, sit in the back and read and ask someone when you find something you are unsure of.  When you think you understand, ask if your understanding is correct.

\item{Play around.}  Mess around on Athena.  Ask people how they do things.

\item{Read net stuff.}  Read documents like "Zen and the Art of Internet", or "The Big Dummy's Guide to the Internet" or any of the dozens of cool documents out there.  Ask a member to show you how to get at them.

\item{Work on a project.}  This is still one of the best ways to learn things.  Ask questions.

\end{itemize}

Again, there is no minimum knowledge requirement or anything like it.

\section{Projects}
Ok, specific kinds of projects.  Projects are changing all the time but there are some broad categories that remain the same, and often more appropriate for prospectives.  Certainly, some kinds of projects require specific kinds of knowlege, but many require knowledge that you can easily learn on your own.

\subsection{Documentation}
One of the services the SIPB provides.