Re: [boost] [gsoc17] Apply for the ticket to Project static_map

Subject: Re: [boost] [gsoc17] Apply for the ticket to Project static_map
From: Niall Douglas (s_sourceforge_at_[hidden])
Date: 2017-03-17 13:43:08

> -       I’ve developed an open-source Header-Only, Strong-Typed,
> Compile-time Object Relation Mapping (ORM) in Modern C++, available
> at https://github.com/BOT-Man-JL/ORM-Lite  (over-1000-line
> non-coursework library, first committed 5 months ago and iterated
> over time) (surprisingly meeting the requirements) lol

Not bad. Your lack of programming and design experience is obvious, but
you have also clearly studied Boost code and learned from it. You also
have good attention to detail, and the code is not sloppy.

> I’m a bit confused on some items on the main page of Boost GSOC 2017,
> and I will appreciate it very much if anyone could answer these
> questions:
> 
> -       I am very interested in generic/meta programming and willing
> to apply for Project static map. My question is should I still post a
> solution of the competency test of this project?

Ordinarily no you would not, as that library of yours above proves you
can program.

However that static map project idea has proven to attract some very,
very good student programmers. At least two students have already
implemented a complete constexpr static map with:

* fully working O(1) in compile time execution and storage implementation

* working on GCC and clang with constexpr compile time iterators,
hashing and compile time string support

* mapped values are mutable without causing non-constexpr lookup

So, basically their competency test is a full if toy implementation of
the proposal already. When the wider Boost community comes to vote and
rank student proposals, they are naturally going to float to the top. If
your application is to be competitive, unfortunately I think you'll need
to match them.

> -       There are 3 suggested proposals on the main page. Are they
> the project we should do in GSOC 2017, or we can do other projects if
> applying for the ticket to a certain project of three?

You can scare up your own proposal IF you can find a mentor willing to
mentor it.

> -       How could I find a mentor if I have the ticket? Posting
> something like this or contact one on the email list?

In the past, students have looked through Boost libraries, decided which
ones they like the most and reached out to that library's maintainer to
see if there was some summer work the maintainer would be willing to mentor.

Very rarely a student proposes a project so amazing that people auto
volunteer as mentors. Boost.Hana is an example, it started life as an
out of the blue GSoC proposal. But you're a bit too late in the year for
that now, December is a better time to start custom projects.

Niall

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