Re: Sparse and the Google Summer of Code 2008

["Christopher Li" <sparse@chrisli.org>]

Hi,

I am glad to mentor some projects with sparse.

Here is some project ideas for the checker. I really want to implement some
thing like the Stanford Checker. Here is some hand waving road map:

- Inside function check. I already have some patch does that.
- serialize the compiled c type and linearized byte code so you can
load it as module.
- cross file symbol dictionary look up and reference. aka linker.
- cross file function check.

I can write it into more detailed project requirement and mile stone if there
is interest on this.

Chris


On Tue, Mar 11, 2008 at 11:20 AM, Josh Triplett <josh@kernel.org> wrote:
> Alexey Zaytsev wrote:
>  > Is sparse going to participate in this year's soc?
>  > I e-mailed Josh a day or two ago, but got no answer,
>  > and the org application deadline is May 12, 12:00 PDT.
>  >
>  > I know, last year was not all that successful, but maybe
>  > there will be more applications this year. I've got some
>  > ideas about abstract interpretation for one. I can't promise
>  > that I'll choose sparse, there should be lots of interesting
>  > projects this year, but there are other people as well.
>
>  At least one other person has asked about Sparse and SoC, which
>  suggests that some interest exists.  I'll work on getting the
>  org forms filled out today.
>
>  If anyone else on the Sparse list has an interest in mentoring, please
>  let me know as soon as possible.
>
>  For anyone thinking about project ideas, I'd like to make two general
>  recommendations:
>
>  * Have specific goals, rather than just "improve support for $FOO".
>
>  * 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.
>
>  Regarding specific project ideas, I would have a particularly strong
>  interest in projects related to improved context checking (including
>  via abstract interpretation or similar), projects to make it easier to
>  add new checks to Sparse or maintain the existing checks, or projects
>  attempting to port C test suites (such as GCC's) to Sparse.
>
>  (In that last case, many tests will not apply due to the lack of code
>  generation, but if you want to write a code eneration backend do feel
>  free. :)  Also, many tests would still not apply due to lack of
>  specific optimizations.)
>
>  - Josh Triplett
>
>