Anyone is welcome to work on this, but this bug is mostly a reminder to myself. The "Contributing page" which we ripped off from Cocoon. Well no offense to the author but it scares me from contributing. The words are all cramped together and it doesn't give a clear path. Its "information dumping" at its worse. We need to create a page that welcomes people into the project, walks them through it step by step, explains things like: 1. Don't work in the dark (commit or patch often) 2. how to create a patch 3. Where to get Excel 97 Developer's kit for HSSF contributers/other docs 4. links to other docs for other formats and other file format resources 5. yes you REally truly can just start sending in patches and we'll apply them 6. link to the POI "coding standards" resolution 7. Explanation of how to have a productive conversation. (ie.don't start a discussion about coding standards, just try to set a good example and hope others follow) 8. Pointers to project vision Basically the page should say welcome, please send in your patches and we'll be happy to apply them (you can leave out the obvious like: if they don't suck). Want to get involved but don't know where to start? Why thats a great place to get involved, write a page of what you find you need. Anyhow look at these things that need to get done: etc etc. But it needs to be in a clear and conceise format that doesn't case MEGO syndrome (my eyes glaze over). It probably needs to be in multiple pages. . . . wow this is sounding like that "developer's guide".. . Anyhow first problem -- "contributing" page needs to change to not be how it is now. Next problem: need a "contributer's guide"... -ACO