GSoC07 -Diff-
Google Summer of Code 2007
STUDENTS
Plan 9 is an excellent environment to learn about many aspects of computing: operating systems, distributed systems, programming languages, network protocols, etc.
Plan 9 is not a difficult environment, and simplicity is its main quality, but it is very *different* from anything else you might be used to!
Fundamental requirements:
- A very open mind to explore and embrace very different concepts and environments.
- To enjoy challenges that stretch your preconceptions to the limit.
General recommended skills:
- Understanding of basic Unix principles and philosophy.
- Some programming experience, ideally with C but other languages are fine.
If you have any questions you can check our irc channel #plan9-gsoc in irc.freenode.org or join the Plan 9 Google Summer of Code mailing list.
PROJECTS
Here is a list of projects we suggest, even if they seem complex and difficult, they are probably much simpler than you think, in Plan 9 everything is simpler ;)
Please don't hesitate to check with us to discuss projects and feel free to suggest any new project that is both exciting and innovative.
Misc and various projects:
- Cross domain authentication
- General purpose boot loader based on Plan 9 kernel and /dev/reboot
- Ssh2 client/server (complete native implementation or port a new one from another system)
- System for automatic detection/selection of screen resolution
- Zeroconf network configuration support (ideally, with a Plan 9 twist)
User space native Plan 9 applications:
- Bugfs: a bug tracking system with an fs interface
- Complete native dis (to run Inferno applications like native apps)
- CSS rendering for abaco web browser
Port of foreign applications:
- Video player (eg., port mplayer)
- Update GCC port and have it accepted upstream
- Do a port of the Erlang language (including appropriate parts of the library support).
Kernel related work:
- Write a driver for a piece of hardware of your choice
- OLPC port
- Finish Inferno port to the Nintendo DS
9P related projects:
- fs driver for Solaris, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD, Windows, BeOS, or any other operating system (a Linux filesystem already exis)
- 9P implementation in your favorite programming language.
- A framework to test the interoperativity of all existings 9P implementations.
- Implement 9P extension for 'batch requests'
- 9P client implementation in JavaScript, so that a browser can access resources sensibly (ie, not using HTTP/XML).
- Firefox (and/or other browser plug-in) implementing 9P server(s) to make browser resources visible with 9P
Plan 9 from User Space or other work in foreign systems:
- Add missing kencc extensions to GCC
- Port compilers to Linux or BSD
Please add any other project suggestions to the list, see also:TODO.
MENTORS
- John-Galt: fbsdaemon AT gmail.com
- npe: noah.evans AT gmail.com
- maht: Maht.Lawless AT gmail.com
- garbeam: garbeam AT gmail.com
- newmanbe: btd.newman AT gmail.com
- fgb: benavento AT gmail.com
- uriel: uriel99 AT gmail.com
(We expect to have a few more mentors in the next few days)
TIMELINE
- March 14: List of accepted mentoring organizations published on code.google.com; student application period opens
- March 24: Student application deadline
- April 9: List of accepted student applications published on code.google.com
- May 28: Students begin coding for their GSoC projects; Google begins issuing initial student payments
For a more detalied timeline see the official GSoC site.
SEE ALSO
Our syster project Inferno is also participating in GSoC07, see: http://code.google.com/p/inferno-os/wiki/SummerOfCode_Applicants.
