With KnitML Core Tools 0.5.0 coming out in the next few weeks along with the new Editor 0.2.0, it's a good time to stop and reflect about the project and where we want to go next.

I've learned quite a bit about myself over the years I've worked on KnitML. (Yikes, has it really been years? It will be 2 years in September.) Anyways, there are some things I'm good at, and there are some things I'm just not all that great at (lousy, in fact). Sparing you my personality quirks, here is what I've come up with.

I feel that I'm pretty good at:

• Designing software for flexibility and change
• Thinking through scenarios
• Project Scoping

I've learned that I am inexperienced in the following areas:

• Graphic Design
• Pattern Design
• Documentation
• Internationalization (i.e. dealing with multilingual issues)

Susan has helped improve the editor far past what I would have been able to do myself. While it's still very much a work-in-progress, version 0.2.0 of the editor is not only starting to pass for decently configurable software, but it's also starting to look and feel really nice. If you are a graphic designer (or you just have strong opinions about how your UI feels), please give us your thoughts!

Janet has brought the pattern designer's perspective to the project, and it's been extremely valuable (not to mention eye-opening). If you are a designer and have thoughts about the project, please make your voice heard!

As for documentation, I can certainly write manuals in a way that I can understand them. This is, in fact, a pretty useless skill. :) Certainly the reference table for Knitting EL is comprehensive, but it's not clear to me that it's actually usable. I get the feeling that people want to learn about KnitML, but they open up the User's Guide, read a bit, and then just give up.

If you feel you have good writing and documentation skills, and if you are curious about KnitML but have been unsure about where to start, this is your chance! I'm looking for people to dive in feet first, ask any and all questions when they get stuck, and keep track of how they are approaching KnitML. Click here to send me a note.

Multilingual support is also an area I need help with. While the approach I've been taking works, it's pretty clear I need a better system for long-term maintenance of language files. If you are a professional translator, I need to hear your perspective about translating documents and software. I've been trying to glean some of these things by doing online research, but I really am not an expert here. Any advice at all would be most welcome.

And, of course, I'm always looking for programmers to lend a hand. Some previous Java experience is very helpful, but if you have skills in other technologies that you think can bring value to the KnitML Project, please share your ideas!

Got other skills another area you can help out with? Just let me know.

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