Re: [boost] [gsoc15] Attn: We need 2015 mentors and project ideas for Boost!

Subject: Re: [boost] [gsoc15] Attn: We need 2015 mentors and project ideas for Boost!
From: Niall Douglas (s_sourceforge_at_[hidden])
Date: 2015-02-11 08:04:27

On 11 Feb 2015 at 10:25, Thorsten Ottosen wrote:

> >> I think the old idea of a boost::devector container would be a very use
> >> contribution. It's a bit like std::deque, but with much more control
> >> over the buffers. It should be described in one of the old GSOC pages.
> >
> > Sounds like a great student project. However, the format for project
> > ideas has been significantly tightened recently and so therefore the
> > scope for copying old GSoC ideas reduced. In particular, ideas ought
> > to have a programming competency test written with someone willing to
> > mark it (usually the volunteer mentor(s)).
> 
> So each proposal needs a seperate competency test?

Not necessarily. If the student has already written a library 
exceeding 1000 lines then we can examine that in lieu of an exam. The 
library just needs to be verifiable as not copy and pasted from 
someone else. Past GSoCs count too of course.

Usually for the competency test one asks for some small part of the 
overall proposal. You're basically just checking if they can figure 
out on their own how to build Boost, how to use Boost.Test etc. and 
to get some look at their C++ ability e.g. do they understand 
exception safety? If they can't manage that on their own, the chances 
are low they would complete a GSoC anyway.

> > We also need someone to step forward and volunteer to mentor such a
> > project. Would you?
> 
> I can do that, although the time difference, if it's a US student,
> can give problems. It all depends on the student I guess.

That would be fantastic Thorsten. Thank you.

BTW a little over half the mentors are European/White Russian 
usually, I assume because we have sane working hours here. If you 
include Europeans who have temporarily sold their souls to the 
American machine, the number approaches two thirds. Americans don't 
seem keen to mentor, at least for Boost. I know the proportions are 
similar for KDE, another large GSoC org, but maybe that's just 
coincidence (e.g. I have no idea about Apache).

Also nowadays most students are Asian, then European, and the fewest 
are American especially Latin American. I think the stipend isn't 
enough for American students given the opportunity costs. After all 
any US tech company will pay you per month for a summer what Google 
pays you for the entire summer. Conversely, out in India the Google 
stipend is a fortune.

Niall

--- 
Boost C++ Libraries Google Summer of Code 2015 admin
https://svn.boost.org/trac/boost/wiki/SoC2015