On most projects, reasonable, considerate, and cooperative behavior is a basic expectation from every single contributor. While most contributors are proud of their work, some of them decide to point their contributions to others instead of spending that time contributing to the project. This often comes across as self-serving and often results in some frustration from others, and the the whole project suffers.

Contributing involves more than just making commits, edits or helping others; it means doing so in a way that respects other's time and resources. Too much self-promotion or highlighting one's achievements can come across as though one is looking for validation rather than genuinely wanting to improve the project. True recognition comes from a continued and long-term pattern of high-quality contributions and the net impact they have on the community.

Instead of seeking immediate praise or acknowledgment, one should concentrate on the actual contributions. Good work will naturally attract attention and respect over time. For instance, instead of pointing out every commit or edit you make, let others see that themselves and point it out to you and others. A lot of those who seek validation often desire to move up the hierarchy in the project they are active in, such as getting extended permissions that are normally not available to other users. This is known has hat collecting and is often looked down upon, especially on wikis.

Drawing excessive attention to your work can and will be often seen as distracting and unproductive. It shifts the focus from the contribution to the contributor responsible for them. Instead, focus on the actual work and leave recognition and praise up to others, good contributions will be appreciated, it goes without saying.

Being constructive is the key to making a positive contribution to a project. Good engagement is more than just making changes yourself It includes giving your feedback to other's work, participating in discussions with the intent to understand and improve the project and respect of time and effort of others. When feedback is given, it should be aimed at the quality of the contribution and not the one making it, focusing on individuals in debates is a very surefire way for things to get heated and toxic.

Likewise, being open to constructive criticism and feedback is important. If others reasonably suggest you are doing something wrong, it is not unwise to listen and take it seriously. There is clear difference with those who want to point something out and those who are just trying to be a dick, and is not hard to tell.

Simply put, it's normal to be proud of one's work, however, one shall not treat their contributions page as a personal hall of fame. Let the quality, not quantity speak for itself and others will notice. Over time a good pattern will be recognized and appreciated without the need for one to point it out to others, people will see and point it out.

Released under the GNU Free documentation license. Last edited on 2024-05-28 by Felenov