Summer of Code - Getting Started: Difference between revisions

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==  Help Us Get To Know You ==  
==  Help Us Get To Know You ==  
*: If you aren't communicating with us before the application is due, your application will not be accepted.
* If you aren't communicating with us before the application is due, your application will not be accepted.
*:* '''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.
*:* '''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.
*:* '''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!
*:* '''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!
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*: 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.
*: 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.
*:* When you email the list and mentors, do not write it 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 be ignored.  Instead, show you are already working on the topic, and email "Problem implementing morphological operators with bitpacked ND images".
*:* When you email the list and mentors, do not write it 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 be ignored.  Instead, show you are already working on the topic, and email "Problem implementing morphological operators with bitpacked ND images".
*:* 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]:
*:* 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>
*:*: <blockquote cite="http://www.catb.org/esr/faqs/smart-questions.html">''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>
*:* 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.
*:* 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.
*:* 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.
*:* 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.