The Google Summer of Code sponsors students to work on Open Source
projects over each summer. This RFC introduces guidelines and goals
involving how we handle the SoC process.
Synopsis:
-------------
Nominate an administrator early, encourage idea development year
round, and focus on nominating current contributors over new ones.
The Administrator:
-------------
The SoC Administrator is designated - hopefully before February 1.
Administrative duties:
-------------
- organize the ideas page with summer long tasks
- evaluate PHP project contributors for possible mentors and students
- mind all official SoC guidelines/timelines
- begin process for the following year
Choosing projects:
-------------
An official goal[1] of SoC is to encourage new contributors to the
Open Source world. This RFC selfishly proposes an alternative yet
defined angle for accomplishing this goal. We first encourage
students to become accustomed to the PHP process, peers, and learn
the quirks that go on around here. And later, they may apply for an
SoC project.
Benefits:
- efficiency - can start work today
- in-house feel
- better retention
- a higher bus factor
Downsides:
- distracted by other php.net tasks
- encourages less outside proposals
- delays - "i'll wait for the summer"
The benefits are good, and while kept in mind the downsides can be
dealt with.
Dealing with the downsides:
-------------
- students are discouraged by peers to work on other parts of the PHP
project
- peers are encouraged to take on the students current php.net tasks
- be clear that all ideas by anyone are accepted, but in-house is
preferred
- maintain a "How can I help PHP today?" guide with HOWTO:
- create and submit a patch
- resolve bugs
- help maintain a pecl extension
- write unit tests
- write documentation, and/or translate
- deal with user notes
- ...
Ideas:
-------------
Idea generation and brain storming is encouraged all year, and ideas
may be implemented at any time by any person. But once the summer
nears, they (the ones not yet started) essentially become reserved as
possible SoC proposals. Ideas that directly help php.net operations
receive moderate preference.
Eventually idea management becomes its own beast, with SoC ideas
being only a small part of that task.
This year:
-------------
This year we assign both new and current people, but in future years
encourage people to join the PHP project first, and then potentially
utilize the Google SoC later.
Regards,
Philip
[1] http://code.google.com/soc/2008/faqs.html#0.1_goals
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