Write a "Day 1 with the repo" tutorial (no hardware required)

[dblizinski]

What this is

A clean, opinionated walkthrough that takes a brand-new contributor from git clone to running the simulator/mock pipeline locally, with screenshots and exact commands. The whole point is that someone without any hardware can be productive in their first hour.

Why this matters

Documentation drift is real. The current README assumes a lot of context that new contributors don't have. A fresh-eyes pass surfaces dozens of small fixes that the regulars stopped noticing. The output is both a tutorial and a punch list of issues to file against the repo.

What to do

1. Comment to claim.
2. Set up a local environment following only the public docs — no help from a maintainer until you're stuck for more than 15 minutes.
3. Write a step-by-step tutorial: every command, every screenshot, every "if this fails, try this" note.
4. Every time you hit friction — anything that took you more than 5 minutes to figure out — file a separate issue against the repo with the title "Friction point: [thing]" and link it from the tutorial.
5. Submit the tutorial as a PR to the wiki under "Tutorials" or "Getting Started."

Definition of done

• Tutorial walks from git clone through running the simulator/mock pipeline without referencing any hardware.
• At least three screenshots showing key steps.
• All commands tested and known-good on a fresh machine.
• Friction-point issues filed for every spot that took >5 minutes to figure out.
• Reviewed by a maintainer.

Skills

• Technical writing
• Willingness to follow instructions exactly and notice when they break
• A computer you can install fresh dependencies on

Scope estimate

6–8 hours.

Helpful starting points

• Repo: https://github.com/OpenwaterHealth/opw_neuromod_sw
• Wiki: https://wiki.openwater.health
• Current CONTRIBUTING.md and README.md — start there and note where they're unclear

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How to claim this issue

1. Comment "I'd like to work on this" — we'll assign it to you.
2. Open a draft PR within ~2 weeks of being assigned.
3. Ask any setup questions on this issue or in our Discord #contributing channel.

Contact: community@openwater.health

By contributing, you agree to our Contributor License Agreement. (If the CLA isn't yet live when you start, we'll handle it once the flow is up.)