User:Ashh87: Difference between revisions

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= Public application template =
== A: An introduction ==
This part is answered in public on your [[Special:MyPage|user page]]. Please copy its source ('''edit''') and then fill. Delete any examples and annotations (''this markup'') afterwards. Same for questions that do not apply to your situation.
I am an English speaking postgraduate student at the University of Edinburgh studying statistical signal processing in the Engineering school. My interests include mathematics and programming and I am always trying to learn more. This has led me to take online courses on Coursera in various subjects.
 
I would like to participate as I enjoy contributing to open source projects, particularly to projects I have used and will use in the future/ The benefit is of course two-way: I contribute useful code and gain experience working on a large project, which also helps me understand how they work at a low level. I have no previous experience with GSoC.


== A: An introduction ==
I am choosing Octave as it is a software package that I have used in the past. Because I find it useful, it makes sense to me to help out.
* Please describe yourself in three sentences, one of them regarding your current studies.
** Which languages do you speak?
** What's your overall background? ''The general field you work in or are studying, e.g. computer science, physics, artificial intelligence, control theory...''
* Why do you want to participate in the Google Summer of Code? What do you hope to gain by doing so?
** Please also describe your previous experience with the GSoC, if any. ''Includes any community-bonding, mentor experience or application, not necessarily accepted. We use this subquestion to identify which students are unfamiliar with how the program goes, providing further support. It has no negative impact on your rating!''
* Why are you choosing Octave?


== C: Contact ==
== C: Contact ==
* Please state the (unique and identical where possible) nick you use on IRC and any other communication channel related to Octave. ''We really want unique nicks. You might want to bold it.''
On IRC, I use '''ashh87'''. My time zone is currently BST (UTC+1). I can code from midday to about 22:00 on most days except Saturdays, however I can't dedicate every day to GSoC as PhD students don't get a summer break!
* Which time zone do you live in? Will that change over GSoC duration? ''Perhaps DST adjustment or a relocation. Note that both UTC and GMT are not aware of daylight saving time! Please state UTC+x or -x.''
* Please state the timeframe (in UTC+0) when you feel most comfortable working during GSoC. Where are your time buffers? ''Example: I usually code around 9.00 to 18.00 and could also try to start earlier (~7.00) for few days ;-)''


== E: Coding experience ==
== E: Coding experience ==
Line 25: Line 19:
== F: Feeling fine ==
== F: Feeling fine ==
* Please describe (in short) your experience with the following tools: ''We only use this question to determine where you need guidance, not for rating!  We by no means expect you to be familiar with all of these and you'll won't necessarily need them while working with us.''
* Please describe (in short) your experience with the following tools: ''We only use this question to determine where you need guidance, not for rating!  We by no means expect you to be familiar with all of these and you'll won't necessarily need them while working with us.''
** IRC and mailing lists
** IRC and mailing lists - I have used these briefly
** Mercurial or other source code management systems
** Mercurial or other source code management systems - I have not used Mercurial, but I regularly use git and svn.
** Mediawiki or other wiki software
** Mediawiki or other wiki software -  little experience - I have edited a wiki page on NAS central...
** make, gcc, gdb or other development tools
** make, gcc, gdb or other development tools - Familiar with make, gcc, gdb, valgrind, etc.
* What will make you actively stay in our community after this GSoC is over? ''You can also tell us after applications close and we'll happily try to fulfill :-)''
* What will make you actively stay in our community after this GSoC is over? General interest - once involved, I'd like to help out in my spare time!


== O: Only out of interest ==
== O: Only out of interest ==
* Did you ever hear about Octave before?  
* Did you ever hear about Octave before? Yes!
** If so, when and where? How far have you been involved already?
** If so, when and where? How far have you been involved already? I have used Octave as an open source replacement for MATLAB during my time at university.
** If not, where would you expect or advise us to do advertising?
* What was the first question concerning Octave you could not find an answer to rather quickly? I couldn't immediately find the ideas list from the main page. It wasn't a problem really, I just went to the SOCIS page and clicked on the relevant link.
* What was the first question concerning Octave you could not find an answer to rather quickly? ''Of course more than one question can be stated. We try to improve based on this each year! Includes learning how to use it, code, website, GSoC application, …''


== P: Prerequisites ==
== P: Prerequisites ==
* Please state the operating system you work with.
* I have full access to Linux and Windows machines.
** If you have access to more than one, please state them and the conditions under which you are granted this access.
* Please estimate an average time per day you will be able to ''(if separated)'' access
* Please estimate an average time per day you will be able to ''(if separated)'' access
** an internet connection
** an internet connection - all day!
** a computer
** a computer - almost all day
** a computer with your progressing work on
** a computer with your progressing work on - almost all day
* Please describe the degree up to which you can install new software on computers you have access to.
* I can install new software on any of the machines I will be working on.


== S: Self-assessment ==
== S: Self-assessment ==
* Please describe how useful criticism looks from your point of view as committing student.
* Please describe how useful criticism looks from your point of view as committing student.#
* How autonomous are you when developing? ''If you answer both subquestions with "Yes, definitely", we are a tad confused. ;-)''
  Criticism is very useful, it helps catch bugs and improve the quality of the software. Even simple code style advice is good, keeping new code in line with the existing code.
** Do you like to discuss changes intensively and not start coding until you know what you want to do?
* How autonomous are you when developing?
** Do you like to code a proof of concept to 'see how it turns out', modifying that and taking the risk of having work thrown away if it doesn't match what the project or original proponent had in mind?
I am reasonably autonomous when developing. Most of my previous contributions to open source projects have been developed without guidance and then submitted. Feedback has been received and acted upon and the process repeated. I tend to think about the task and come up with a solution on paper and then start to code it up. With a mentor, I can see that this process may well be improved by running ideas past them first to avoid going down dead ends.
 


== Y: Your task ==
== Y: Your task ==

Revision as of 20:15, 1 August 2013

A: An introduction

I am an English speaking postgraduate student at the University of Edinburgh studying statistical signal processing in the Engineering school. My interests include mathematics and programming and I am always trying to learn more. This has led me to take online courses on Coursera in various subjects.

I would like to participate as I enjoy contributing to open source projects, particularly to projects I have used and will use in the future/ The benefit is of course two-way: I contribute useful code and gain experience working on a large project, which also helps me understand how they work at a low level. I have no previous experience with GSoC.

I am choosing Octave as it is a software package that I have used in the past. Because I find it useful, it makes sense to me to help out.

C: Contact

On IRC, I use ashh87. My time zone is currently BST (UTC+1). I can code from midday to about 22:00 on most days except Saturdays, however I can't dedicate every day to GSoC as PhD students don't get a summer break!

E: Coding experience

This part is one of the more important ones in your application. You are allowed to be as verbose as you want, as long as you stay on topic ;-)

  • Please describe your experience with C++, Octave or Matlab m-scripts, OpenGL and Qt.
  • Please describe your experience with other programming languages.
  • Please describe your experience with being in a development team. Do you have experience working with open source or free projects?
  • Please describe the biggest project you have written code for and what you learned by doing so. Also describe your role in that project over time.
  • Please state the commits and patches you already contributed to Octave. This question (one of the most important parts by the way) is the only part of your application our wiki admins will edit for you even after the application deadline. Code sometimes speaks louder than many words do.

F: Feeling fine

  • Please describe (in short) your experience with the following tools: We only use this question to determine where you need guidance, not for rating! We by no means expect you to be familiar with all of these and you'll won't necessarily need them while working with us.
    • IRC and mailing lists - I have used these briefly
    • Mercurial or other source code management systems - I have not used Mercurial, but I regularly use git and svn.
    • Mediawiki or other wiki software - little experience - I have edited a wiki page on NAS central...
    • make, gcc, gdb or other development tools - Familiar with make, gcc, gdb, valgrind, etc.
  • What will make you actively stay in our community after this GSoC is over? General interest - once involved, I'd like to help out in my spare time!

O: Only out of interest

  • Did you ever hear about Octave before? Yes!
    • If so, when and where? How far have you been involved already? I have used Octave as an open source replacement for MATLAB during my time at university.
  • What was the first question concerning Octave you could not find an answer to rather quickly? I couldn't immediately find the ideas list from the main page. It wasn't a problem really, I just went to the SOCIS page and clicked on the relevant link.

P: Prerequisites

  • I have full access to Linux and Windows machines.
  • Please estimate an average time per day you will be able to (if separated) access
    • an internet connection - all day!
    • a computer - almost all day
    • a computer with your progressing work on - almost all day
  • I can install new software on any of the machines I will be working on.

S: Self-assessment

  • Please describe how useful criticism looks from your point of view as committing student.#
 Criticism is very useful, it helps catch bugs and improve the quality of the software. Even simple code style advice is good, keeping new code in line with the existing code.
  • How autonomous are you when developing?

I am reasonably autonomous when developing. Most of my previous contributions to open source projects have been developed without guidance and then submitted. Feedback has been received and acted upon and the process repeated. I tend to think about the task and come up with a solution on paper and then start to code it up. With a mentor, I can see that this process may well be improved by running ideas past them first to avoid going down dead ends.


Y: Your task

  • Did you select a task from our list of proposals and ideas?
    • If yes, what task did you choose? Please describe what part of it you especially want to focus on if you can already provide this information. Please also wiki-link the page for your elaborated proposal here.
    • If you apply for a task you have added yourself instead, please describe this task, its scope and people you already talked to concerning it. What field of tasks did you miss on the list?
  • Please provide a rough estimated timeline for your work on the task. This should include the GSoC midterms and personal commitments like exams or vacation ("non-coding time"). Optionally include two or three milestones you expect.