User:Ben zen: Difference between revisions

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778 bytes added ,  5 March 2012
Finally think my GSoC public app is looking good!
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(Finally think my GSoC public app is looking good!)
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Hi, I'm Benjamin Lewis, a.k.a. ben_zen on Freenode; I'm a McGill student applying for GSoC 2012, and my public application's below.
'''Don't mind the state of the page, I'm assembling it (just getting it started, I'll fill in some more details soon.)''' (I'll also remove all the markup as it suggests, once I make sure it's in a worthy state!)
'''Don't mind the state of the page, I'm assembling it (just getting it started, I'll fill in some more details soon.)''' (I'll also remove all the markup as it suggests, once I make sure it's in a worthy state!)


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* Please state the (unique and identical where possible) nick you use on IRC and any other communication channel related to Octave.
* Please state the (unique and identical where possible) nick you use on IRC and any other communication channel related to Octave.
* Which time zone do you live in? Will that change over GSoC duration?
* Which time zone do you live in? Will that change over GSoC duration?
* 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 ;-)''
* Please state the timeframe (in UTC+0) when you feel most comfortable working during GSoC. Where are your time buffers?


On Freenode, I'm user blewis, with nicks ''blewis'', '''ben_zen''' (my main) and ''zen_ben'' (when I'm not on my main computer). It is not an overestimation to say that I'm connected to IRC for ten hours a day. I live in UTC-5, and if I'm able to work on SoC, that's where I'll stay. As for when I'm comfortable coding, w.r.t. UTC+0, I'm comfortable working from (this will look odd) 14h00 to 0h00 (the next day, in UTC+0; 9h00 to 19h00 in local time) I'm also willing to code later, if I need to until 3h00 UTC+0. I really don't do well getting up early and coding before my coffee, unfortunately.
On Freenode, I'm user blewis, with nicks ''blewis'', '''ben_zen''' (my main) and ''zen_ben'' (when I'm not on my main computer). It is not an overestimation to say that I'm connected to IRC for ten hours a day. I live in UTC-5, and if I'm able to work on SoC, that's where I'll stay. As for when I'm comfortable coding, w.r.t. UTC+0, I'm comfortable working from (this will look odd) 14h00 to 0h00 (the next day, in UTC+0; 9h00 to 19h00 in local time) I'm also willing to code later, if I need to until 3h00 UTC+0. I really don't do well getting up (really) early and coding before my coffee, but for me 8h00 local time is early enough for coffee and getting started (so it's not like I'm talking about mid-afternoon here.)


== E: Coding experience ==
== E: Coding experience ==
When it comes to coding experience, I am unfortunately not knowledgeable in C++; I intend to learn what I can this semester — I already understand most basic programming skills, and how to manage objects, I simply (or not so simply) need to learn memory management. I have, however, used Octave and Matlab for a few years, and I know how to use m-scripts.
In short, I'm really really green at the serious development. I'm aware that this is a limitation, and I'm working as much as I can to overcome it; since my interests are focused almost entirely on implementing a solution method and not a core element of the software, however, I don't see this as being quite as much of an impediment.
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 ;-)
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 C++, Octave or Matlab m-scripts, OpenGL and Qt.
* Please describe your experience with other programming languages.
* 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 your experience with being in a development team.
* 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 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.''
* Please state the commits and patches you already contributed to Octave.
 
In general, I'm lacking in experience in coding in a group of any sort; I'm somewhat new to programming, and before now I haven't been involved in a project either as a group or individually.  When it comes to coding experience, I am unfortunately not knowledgeable in C++; I intend to learn what I can this semester — I already understand most basic programming skills, and how to manage objects, I simply (or not so simply) need to learn memory management. I have, however, used Octave and Matlab for a few years, and I know how to use m-scripts. My particular project is aimed more at m-scripts, so it shouldn't need as much C++ as it otherwise might; since I'm not working in graphics or interfaces, either, I don't think my lack of knowledge of OpenGL and Qt should be much of an impediment either. Most of my programming knowledge is focused on Java, and almost all working independently.
 
In short, I'm really really green at the serious development. I'm aware that this is a limitation, and I'm working as much as I can to overcome it; since my interests are focused almost entirely on implementing a solution method and not a core element of the software, however, I don't see this as being quite as much of an impediment to my work.


== F: Feeling fine ==
== F: Feeling fine ==
I'm quite used to IRC/mailing lists and wiki/Mediawiki/etc. (Apparently not Mediawiki so much, but I know my way around it for the most part.) I'm not as up to speed on source code management as I've not worked on a large project before, but I think I can catch on fairly quickly. I've used make and gcc before; having worked mostly in Java I've not needed them too regularly, so I'll need to learn some more, but again, I don't think that will take much.
* Please describe (in short) your experience with the following tools:
 
* 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
** Mercurial or other source code management systems
** Mercurial or other source code management systems
** Mediawiki or other wiki software
** Mediawiki or other wiki software
** make, gcc, gdb or other development tools
** make, gcc, gdb or other development tools
* 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?
 
I'm quite used to IRC/mailing lists and wiki/Mediawiki/etc. (Apparently not Mediawiki so much, but I know my way around it for the most part.) I'm not as up to speed on source code management as I've not worked on a large project before, but I think I can catch on fairly quickly. I've used make and gcc before; having worked mostly in Java I've not needed them too regularly, so I'll need to learn some more, but again, I don't think that will take much. Also, since my project is aimed at writing an Octave-Forge package, I don't think these tools will be as necessary. As for staying in the community, if I feel like I can contribute, I'll stay active if you don't chase me away with pitchforks! Otherwise I'll hang around, but I might not be super-active.


== O: Only out of interest ==
== O: Only out of interest ==
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== P: Prerequisites ==
== P: Prerequisites ==
I'm running Mac OS X 10.7 on my personal machine, and I can run pretty much any linux distro in LiveCD format, with enough available RAM to compile software effectively. I'm almost always within reach of the internet, and the only computer I'm working on right now is the one with all my active work. (So, ten hours at least, generally.)
I'm running Mac OS X 10.7 on my personal machine, and I can run pretty much any linux distro in LiveCD format, with enough available RAM to compile software effectively. I'm almost always within reach of the internet, and the only computer I'm working on right now is the one with all my active work. (So, ten hours at least, generally.) Otherwise, if I get an additional machine, I will try to keep them as close to in synchronicity as possible.


== S: Self-assessment ==
== S: Self-assessment ==
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I'm expecting to get up to speed on the relevant documentation and papers through late April, and after finals (which finish 25 Apr.) I'll be going on vacation for about two weeks; after that, I'll be available for pretty much the rest of the summer solid — I'll be going on vacation again near the end of August, but other than that I can expect three to four months solid of availability. (The suggested finishing date is the 13th of August; I'd expect to be able to make that deadline, possibly with a little time to spare. I won't be going on vacation until shortly after that.)
I'm expecting to get up to speed on the relevant documentation and papers through late April, and after finals (which finish 25 Apr.) I'll be going on vacation for about two weeks; after that, I'll be available for pretty much the rest of the summer solid — I'll be going on vacation again near the end of August, but other than that I can expect three to four months solid of availability. (The suggested finishing date is the 13th of August; I'd expect to be able to make that deadline, possibly with a little time to spare. I won't be going on vacation until shortly after that.)


The largest initial point is going to be comprehending the C/R code; after that, probably most of my work will be in writing a safe package — the actual implementation shouldn't be very long, but let's call it a milestone too; the rest is making sure that the code will catch any errors in what data is fed into it.
The largest initial point is going to be comprehending the C/R code; after that, probably most of my work will be in writing a safe package — the actual implementation shouldn't be very long, but let's call it a milestone too; the rest is making sure that the code will catch any errors in what data is fed into it (according to one source, the actual LSSA implementation can be about a printed page, but that was for a specific instance! It'll be a little more code to handle any inputs, and a lot more to make sure it's correct, but that is, of course, the rub.)




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