How to work on Sparse for Summer of Code 2008

[Josh Triplett <josh@freedesktop.org>]

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Sparse did not get accepted as a mentoring organization for Google
Summer of Code 2008.  However, Portland State University has
graciously agreed to accept applications for Sparse projects under the
PSU banner.  Thus, any student wishing to work on Sparse for Summer of
Code 2008 should apply to Portland State University.  (You do not need
to attend PSU or have any affiliation with PSU.)

Some application guidelines you should follow to improve your chances
of getting accepted (some reiterated from my previous mail):

* Clearly state that you want to work on Sparse; don't make the
  mentors figure it out from context.  PSU will have many different
  applications for different projects.

* Explain your project as concretely as you can.  Don't just give an
  abstract idea like "Improve Sparse's support for $FOO."; give a
  concrete proposal for what Sparse or a technology built on Sparse
  will do at the end of the summer that it can't do at the beginning
  of the summer.

* If your project relates to making Sparse handle a new C construct,
  or detect a new type of problem, give code examples for the
  construct or the problem.

* Set realistic goals.  You don't have talk big to get accepted; you
  have to convince us you have a project you can complete.  Feel free
  to set ambitious goals, just convince us you can accomplish them.

* Point to any examples of projects you have worked on in the past.
  Bonus if you point to particular instances of contributions you made
  and the interactions you had with the project's community to get
  those contributions merged.  Note that this in no way means you have
  to have this type of experience in order to get accepted; on the
  contrary, Google Summer of Code exists in part to help people new to
  the Free and Open Source Software process.  This just means that
  *if* you have such experience, you should call attention to it, and
  that will help us evaluate your ability to succeed with your
  proposal.

* Release early, release often.  Please get comfortable with the idea
  of releasing your work to the Sparse mailing list, regardless of the
  current state of that work.

* Explain how you plan to keep your mentor informed of your status.

* Explain how you would stay in contact with your mentor if something
  happened to make you unable to get connectivity for a while.

- Josh Triplett


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