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digitalmars.D - More mentors needed

reply Andrei Alexandrescu <SeeWebsiteForEmail erdani.org> writes:
Hello,


We have been blessed with quite a few strong proposals, actually more 
than mentors (unlike last year).

If anyone here is willing to mentor a D project, please let let us know. 
We're looking for competent and established community members who are 
willing to guide a student through the hoops of a real project.

Mentoring a GSoC project on D is a great way to make a lasting positive 
impact on the language. It is hard but rewarding work. Please consider 
applying, and ask here any questions you might have.


Thanks,

Andrei
Apr 10 2012
next sibling parent reply "Nick Sabalausky" <a a.a> writes:
"Andrei Alexandrescu" <SeeWebsiteForEmail erdani.org> wrote in message 
news:jm1n44$2ian$1 digitalmars.com...

 Hello,


 We have been blessed with quite a few strong proposals, actually more than 
 mentors (unlike last year).

 If anyone here is willing to mentor a D project, please let let us know. 
 We're looking for competent and established community members who are 
 willing to guide a student through the hoops of a real project.

 Mentoring a GSoC project on D is a great way to make a lasting positive 
 impact on the language. It is hard but rewarding work. Please consider 
 applying, and ask here any questions you might have.


I feel like a hypocritical flake for saying this mere days after affirming 
my commitment to my HaxeD/Goldie projects over in the thread "Goldie Parser 
Generator. Haxe language definition."...But unless there are strong 
objections (doubtful), I'd be willing to put those projects on a summer 
hiatus to mentor a DWT, wxD or Android (or *maybe* even iOS) project for 
gsoc since I'm convinced those *are* more important to D.

Here are the reasons a *better qualified mentor than myself* should step up:

    - I haven't actually used DWT or wxD yet. I've never used wxWidgets 
either, and it's been ages since I touched SWT.

    - I'm very new to Android/iOS development myself, and haven't yet tried 
the existing "D on Android/iOS" stuff. Or [the modern incarnation of] GDC or 
LDC at all for that matter.

    - I've barely even touched druntime, other than the little bit involved 
for this trivial core.time pull request: 
https://github.com/D-Programming-Language/druntime/pull/188

    - I'm awful at scheduling and gauging timeframes longer than a few 
hours.

Here's why I might at least be better than nothing:

    - I'm not likely to overstate my qualifications for this ;)
    - I'm an active, committed, longtime member of the D community.
    - I'm not afraid of writing non-code when needed (really is a skill you 
have to work at).
    - I've been planning to eventually start using SWT or wxD anyway, and I 

    - I *am* going to be doing Android/iOS development this summer anyway 
(albeit in C++), and have already gotten started (via Marmalade).
    - I've contributed to other D projects besides my own ones: Such as DVM 
and RDMD, and a little bit with Phobos (And I feel fairly comfortable with 
Phobos code.)
    - Back in college, I spent some time as a computer science tutor for the 
freshmen.
    - On my last big "real world" project, I was the 
primary-programmer/tech-lead, but we also had a student intern programmer I 
worked with.
Apr 10 2012
next sibling parent reply Jacob Carlborg <doob me.com> writes:
On 2012-04-10 23:30, Nick Sabalausky wrote:


 I feel like a hypocritical flake for saying this mere days after affirming
 my commitment to my HaxeD/Goldie projects over in the thread "Goldie Parser
 Generator. Haxe language definition."...But unless there are strong
 objections (doubtful), I'd be willing to put those projects on a summer
 hiatus to mentor a DWT, wxD or Android (or *maybe* even iOS) project for
 gsoc since I'm convinced those *are* more important to D.


Cool. I'm always here to help with DWT, but not as a mentor.

-- 
/Jacob Carlborg
Apr 11 2012
parent "Nick Sabalausky" <SeeWebsiteToContactMe semitwist.com> writes:
"Jacob Carlborg" <doob me.com> wrote in message 
news:jm3eka$2cgr$1 digitalmars.com...

 On 2012-04-10 23:30, Nick Sabalausky wrote:


 I feel like a hypocritical flake for saying this mere days after 
 affirming
 my commitment to my HaxeD/Goldie projects over in the thread "Goldie 
 Parser
 Generator. Haxe language definition."...But unless there are strong
 objections (doubtful), I'd be willing to put those projects on a summer
 hiatus to mentor a DWT, wxD or Android (or *maybe* even iOS) project for
 gsoc since I'm convinced those *are* more important to D.


 Cool. I'm always here to help with DWT, but not as a mentor.


That would be great. In fact I meant to add that if I mentor one of those 
things, then due to my inexperience with those specific projects, it would 
be perfect if there were an "inside man" (ideally the project's primary 
maintainer(s) or at least someone intimately familiar with the project), 
that could act as a "sub-mentor" of sorts, or really I guess a "technical 
contact": Ie, not a formal mentor, but reliably available for under-the-hood 
questions about the project and getting up-and-running with it.

Of course, I'm new to the whole GSOC thing, so I don't know if that even 
makes any sense...? Maybe that *is* a key aspect of the mentor's role in the 
first place? But from the GSOC docs, I get the impression that the mentor 
role is much more than that.
Apr 11 2012
prev sibling parent reply Andrei Alexandrescu <SeeWebsiteForEmail erdani.org> writes:
On 4/10/12 4:30 PM, Nick Sabalausky wrote:

 But unless there are strong
 objections (doubtful), I'd be willing to put those projects on a summer
 hiatus to mentor a DWT, wxD or Android (or *maybe* even iOS) project for
 gsoc since I'm convinced those *are* more important to D.


Thanks Nick! This is a great offer. The timing is a bit unfortunate 
because by the time I sent this last call for arms, student applications 
were already closed.

The slot allocation has ended (I'll send results with a separate post) 
and we have enough mentors for the projects granted, but definitely 
let's start preparing earlier on for project ideas on the likes of 
DWT/wxD/Android.


Thanks,

Andrei
Apr 11 2012
parent "Nick Sabalausky" <SeeWebsiteToContactMe semitwist.com> writes:
"Andrei Alexandrescu" <SeeWebsiteForEmail erdani.org> wrote in message 
news:jm59i3$mr9$1 digitalmars.com...

 On 4/10/12 4:30 PM, Nick Sabalausky wrote:

 But unless there are strong
 objections (doubtful), I'd be willing to put those projects on a summer
 hiatus to mentor a DWT, wxD or Android (or *maybe* even iOS) project for
 gsoc since I'm convinced those *are* more important to D.


 Thanks Nick! This is a great offer. The timing is a bit unfortunate 
 because by the time I sent this last call for arms, student applications 
 were already closed.

 The slot allocation has ended (I'll send results with a separate post) and 
 we have enough mentors for the projects granted, but definitely let's 
 start preparing earlier on for project ideas on the likes of 
 DWT/wxD/Android.


Understandable. And just as well I suppose: since I'll be dealing with 
Android/iOS soon, with some luck maybe I'll be able to find some time to 
lend a hand on that front anyway. Seeing as I'll be doing it in C++, god 
knows I'll certainly have the motivation for it! (At least it's not some 
super-dynamic non-systems thing like PHP or AS2 though...)

I'm definitely looking forward to seeing the final list of GSOC projects 
whenever those get decided.
Apr 11 2012
prev sibling parent reply "Jesse Phillips" <jessekphillips+D gmail.com> writes:
On Tuesday, 10 April 2012 at 16:28:52 UTC, Andrei Alexandrescu 
wrote:

 Hello,

 Mentoring a GSoC project on D is a great way to make a lasting 
 positive impact on the language. It is hard but rewarding work. 
 Please consider applying, and ask here any questions you might 
 have.


 Thanks,

 Andrei


My main conserns are,

I don't have any experience in truely managing a project with 
goals.
Many things will go over my head

But it would probably be great learning and start for getting 
this experiance. And for others interested in reading more:

http://en.flossmanuals.net/GSoCMentoring/what-makes-a-good-mentor/

I think evaluation could be challenging to decide what criteria 
would create failure. Does the evaluation form ask questions that 
make this choice easier?

I'll consider submitting an official request.
Apr 10 2012
parent Andrei Alexandrescu <SeeWebsiteForEmail erdani.org> writes:
On 4/10/12 10:13 PM, Jesse Phillips wrote:

 I think evaluation could be challenging to decide what criteria would
 create failure. Does the evaluation form ask questions that make this
 choice easier?

 I'll consider submitting an official request.


Thanks Jesse. Once we choose this year's projects, feel free to apply as 
a co-mentor to ease into things.

Simpler yet, just let me know if you want to be on the project mailing 
list (I'll create a mailing list for each approved project). This 
suggestion applies to everyone.


Andrei
Apr 11 2012