GSoC 2013 application: Difference between revisions

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Octave has participated during the last two years with four students under the
Octave has participated during the last two years with four students under the
auspices of the GNU project. Due to the success of those experiences, where many
auspices of the GNU project. Due to the success of those experiences, where many
members of the Octave community helped mentor the student, we are trying again.
members of the Octave community helped mentor the students, we are trying again.


We hope to get good code from interested students and ideally establish a line
We hope to get good code from interested students and ideally establish a line
of collaboration with them for the future. We also want to raise awareness of
of collaboration with them for the future. We also want to raise awareness of
Octave amongst the free software community.
Octave in the free software community.


Google Summer of Code represents a unique opportunity to pump up work into
Google Summer of Code represents a unique opportunity to improve both core Octave and domain-specific functionality. We believe the interaction with fresh minds will bring not only new code to Octave but also will augment the developers group.
highly needed low level improvements to Octave, as well as high level
field-specific functionality. We believe the interaction with fresh minds will
bring not only new code to Octave but also will augment the developers group.


=== Did your organization participate in past Google Summer of Codes? If so, please summarize your involvement and the successes and challenges of your participation. ===
=== Did your organization participate in past Google Summer of Codes? If so, please summarize your involvement and the successes and challenges of your participation. ===
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Yes, during 2011 and 2012, under the GNU umbrella. Four students have
Yes, during 2011 and 2012, under the GNU umbrella. Four students have
successfully completed projects for us in the past, all of which is live and in
successfully completed projects for us in the past, all of which is live and in
our main source tree. In addition, we mentored two students in 2012 through the
our main source tree. In addition, we mentored two students in 2012 through the Summer of Code In Space
European's Space Agency independent Summer of Code In Space.
project run by the European Space Agency.


The challenges have been about managing very diverse problem domains and finding
The challenges are managing very diverse problem domains and finding
people who are competent in all of them.  We have not had trouble keeping
people who are competent in all of them.  We have not had trouble keeping
students interested, although we have seen lulls in their productive output a few
students interested, although we have seen lulls in their productive output a few
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=== What criteria did you use to select your mentors for this year's program? Please be as specific as possible. ===
=== What criteria did you use to select your mentors for this year's program? Please be as specific as possible. ===


Every single project includes at least one core Octave developer as mentor. These
Each project includes at least one core Octave developer as mentor. These
are proved, veteran members of the project, active on its development, and familiar
are proven, veteran members of the project, active in its development, and familiar
with the code base.
with the code base.


But GNU Octave is a project with applications in very diverse domains so each
GNU Octave is a project with applications in very diverse domains so each
project also includes mentors with expertise in the related field. All of these
project also includes mentors with expertise in the related field. All of these
have previously contributed with code, have commit access to either Octave or
have previously contributed with code, have commit access to either Octave or
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First, make all reasonable efforts to accommodate the student and make them feel
First, make all reasonable efforts to accommodate the student and make them feel
welcome. Frequent contact with the student, prompt response to student queries,
welcome. We will engage the students frequenty by email and IRC, provide prompt response to student queries,
periodic status reports from mentors about the contact of the student. Also
and expect periodic status reports from mentors about the project status. We will also
encourage the student to participate in the public mailing list and IRC channel,
encourage the student to participate in the public mailing list and IRC channel,
with or without mentor. Their progress should be regularly applied to our source
with or without the mentor. Their progress should be regularly applied to our source
tree, if necessary, in a feature branch. All of these have shown to be effective
tree, if necessary, in a feature branch. All of these have shown to be effective
with all students in previous years.
with all students in previous years.
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=== What is your plan for dealing with disappearing mentors? ===
=== What is your plan for dealing with disappearing mentors? ===


Distribute the workload amongst the remaining mentors. The mailing list is
Distribute the workload among the remaining mentors. The mailing list is
active enough and questions almost never go unanswered. Reassign the student to
active enough and questions almost never go unanswered. Reassign the student to
a backup mentor. In the worst case, the project admin can become a mentor for
a backup mentor. In the worst case, the project admin can become a mentor for
the student until another backup mentor is found.
the student until another backup mentor is found.


This should be infrequent and we hope to prevent this to begin with by selecting
This situation should be infrequent and we hope to prevent it by selecting
mentors with proven involvement in Octave or other free projects. We are also
mentors with proven involvement in Octave or other free software projects. We are also
pairing new mentors with older ones.
pairing new mentors with more experienced ones.


=== What steps will you take to encourage students to interact with your project's community before and during the program? ===
=== What steps will you take to encourage students to interact with your project's community before and during the program? ===


Invite them to IRC, be nice and friendly. Set clear expectations on the minimum frequency of email
We will encourage them to join us on our IRC channel and mailing list. We will set clear expectations on the minimum frequency of email
progress updates of every two to three days. Longer updates, should be done on a
progress updates of every two to three days. Longer updates, should be done on a
blog and aggregated at http://planet.octave.org.
blog and aggregated at http://planet.octave.org.

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