Summer of Code - Getting Started: Difference between revisions

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→‎Steps Toward a Successful Application: Start overhaul section.
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= Steps Toward a Successful Application =
= Steps Toward a Successful Application =


== Help Us Get To Know You ==
# We want to get to know you. Communicate with us 😉💬
* If you aren't communicating with us before the application is due, your application will not be accepted.
#* Join [https://octave.discourse.group/ '''Octave Discourse'''] or our [https://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=#octave '''IRC channel''']
*:* '''Join the [https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/octave-maintainers maintainers mailing list]''' or read the archives and see what topics we discuss and how the developers interact with each other.
#* We are interested in you as motivated developer 💻  There is no need to present an overwhelming CV with prestigious universities 🏰 and programming contest awards 🏆 in it.  We are very fine if you just communicate using a nickname with us.  
*:* '''Hang out in our [https://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=#octave IRC channel]'''. Ask questions, answer questions from users, show us that you are motivated and well-prepared. There will be more applicants than we can effectively mentor, so do ask for feedback on your public application to increase the strength of your proposal!
#* If your first question is "Hi I'm new to Octave. What should I do?" '''you are out''' 🤦
* '''Do not wait for us to tell you what to do'''
#* '''Remember, we are mentors and not your boss 🙂'''
*: You should be doing something that interests you, and should not need us to tell you what to do.  Similarly, you shouldn't ask us what to do either.
# Tell us what you are going to do 📝💡
*:* When you email the list and mentors, do not write just to say in what project you're interested. Be specific about your questions and clear on the email subject. For example, do not write an email with the subject "GSoC student interested in the ND images projects".  Such email is likely to be ignored.  Instead, show you are already working on the topic, and email "Problem implementing morphological operators with bitpacked ND images".
#* When you contact us for the first time, do not write just to say in what project you're interested in. Be specific about what you are going to do, post many links 🔗, show us you know what you are talking about 💡, and ask many [http://www.catb.org/esr/faqs/smart-questions.html smart questions] 🤓
*:* It is good to ask advice on how to solve something you can't, but you must show some work done.  Remember, we are mentors and not your boss.  Read [http://www.catb.org/esr/faqs/smart-questions.html How to ask questions the smart way]: <blockquote>''Prepare your question. Think it through. Hasty-sounding questions get hasty answers, or none at all. The more you do to demonstrate that having put thought and effort into solving your problem before seeking help, the more likely you are to actually get help.''</blockquote>
# Get your hands dirty 👩‍🔬
*:* It can be difficult at the beginning to think on something to do.  This is nature of free and open source software development.  You will need to break the mental barrier that prevents you from thinking on what can be done.  Once you do that, you will have no lack of ideas for what to do next.
#* We are curious about your programming skills ⌨️
*:* Use Octave.  Eventually you will come across something that does not work the way you like.  Fix that.  Or you will come across a missing function.  Implement it.  It may be a hard problem (they usually are). While solving that problem, you may find other missing capabilities or smaller bug fixes.  Implement and contribute those to Octave.
#** Try to [https://savannah.gnu.org/bugs/?group=octave fix Octave bugs] or [https://savannah.gnu.org/patch/?group=octave submit patches] '''before''' the end of the application deadline.
*:* Take a look at the [[Short projects]] for something that may be simple to start with.
#** Take a look at the [[Short projects]] for simple bugs to start with.
 
#* '''Use Octave!'''
==  Find Something That Interests You ==
#** If you come across something that does not work the way you like ➡️ try to fix that 🔧
*: It's '''critical''' that you '''find a project that excites you'''.  You'll be spending most of the summer working on it (we expect you to treat the SoC as a job).
#** Or you come across a missing function ➡️ try to implement it.
*: Don't just tell us how interested you are, show us that you're willing and able to '''contribute''' to Octave. You can do that by [https://savannah.gnu.org/bugs/?group=octave fixing a few bugs] or [https://savannah.gnu.org/patch/?group=octave submitting patches] well before the deadline, in addition to regularly interacting with Octave maintainers and users on the mailing list and IRC. Our experience shows us that successful SoC students demonstrate their interest early and often.
# Prepare your proposal with us 📔
== Prepare Your Proposal With Us ==
#* By working with us to prepare your proposal, you'll be getting to know us and showing us how you approach problems.
*: By working with us to prepare your proposal, you'll be getting to know us and showing us how you approach problems. The best place for this is your Wiki user page and the [https://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=#octave IRC channel].
==  Complete Your Application ==
==  Complete Your Application ==
*: Fill out our '''''public''''' application template.
*: Fill out our '''''public''''' application template.
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