Re: RFC: How PHP utilizes the Google SoC

Hello Philip, first of all I filled in the application after I informed the people running the program. As soon as we get approved you will hear more from me. Until then I am happy that you do all this work and collect ideas. marcus Tuesday, March 4, 2008, 11:17:45 PM, you wrote: > 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 Best regards, Marcus