Google Summer Of Code 2010 news!!!

4) Build a continuous integration server using Seaside, Iliad or AidaWeb.  Build an interface to version control systems (possibly supporting both independent systems such as Monticello or file-based such as svn/CVS/git) that can be used from Smalltalk and integrate it with Smalllint code reports.  For a more ambitious project, the server should be able to start a new image, upgrade the package, run SUnit tests there and communicate back the results---the time to upgrade the package should be minimized of course!

5) Work on a cross-dialect foreign function call interface and implement it in at least two dialects.  Candidates include Alien and GNU Smalltalk's CObject (using existing implementation has the advantage of having to implement in only _one_ other dialect!).  Bonus points for implementing a C parser that would be able to construct bindings.  GNU Smalltalk already contains a C preprocessor implementation.

Hi smalltalkers. I have been asked to be the admin of GSoC 2010. The backup or second admin is Janko Mivšek. As you may know, Squeak has participated in GSoC 2007, 2008 but failed (not accepted) in 2009. We are not sure if we will succeed this year but we will try to do as much as possible.

We think that one of the most important reasons why we failed in 2009 is that Google was looking for bigger communities that Squeak. This is why this year we all go under the ESUG umbrella. We present ESUG as the mentor organization and we cover ALL open-source Smalltalk dialects, not only Squeak. Pharo, Smalltalk/X, GNU Smalltalk, Cuis..they are all invited to participate. Also cross platform projects like Seaside, AidaWeb, Magma, etc are welcome.

<forThoseWhoDoesntKnowWhatGSoCIs>
It is a Google program that support (money) students to work on different open-source projects. Google doesn't talk or manage directly to the students but trough "Mentoring Organisations". Those organizations have to apply to GSoC. They have to give a lot of information, included a list of ideas/projects. Each project has a description and a mentor. Then the students apply for each project. If the organization gets selected by Google they will tell you how many "slots" they give. Suppose they give 5 but we have 20 projects....then we vote and the most voted projects win. The student has to do the project and the mentor has to help and guide him. The mentor receives 500 USD and the student 4500USD.
For more information read: http://code.google.com/soc/
</forThoseWhoDoesntKnowWhatGSoCIs>

The most important thing is the deadlines we have. We started late so we are very near to the first deadline which is 12/03/2010 (less than one week). For that deadline we need to submit all the information of the mentor organization (answering several questions) and give the list of ideas/projects and the mentors of that.

We have created a webpage (Thanks Janko!!) where we will put all the information. We will make this page public soon (we still need to review a couple of things).
But for the moment we would REALLY appreciate if tell us your ideas. To do this, just answer to this email. Then we will collect the information and put in the website. For each idea you need:  a short title and a paragraph (for the moment) explaining the idea.
After, we need that the people that are willing to be mentors start to apply as mentors...please, consider yourself being mentor. Sometimes it is not that difficult. I mean, don't be shy as sometimes being helpful, being aware of the dates, answering emails, etc is more important than the Smalltalk knoweldege. We can have a lot of ideas, but we need also mentors for that. We even would need a "substitute" for each mentor...

Just as an example you can see the ideas of the previous years:
2007: http://wiki.squeak.org/squeak/5936
2008: http://wiki.squeak.org/squeak/6031
2009: http://wiki.squeak.org/squeak/6120

That's all for the moment.

Cheers

Mariano

5) Work on a cross-dialect foreign function call interface and implement it in at least two dialects.  Candidates include Alien and GNU Smalltalk's CObject (using existing implementation has the advantage of having to implement in only _one_ other dialect!).  Bonus points for implementing a C parser that would be able to construct bindings.  GNU Smalltalk already contains a C preprocessor implementation.

I'm all for it, and hope that John or Eliot can mentor. Datapoints I'll add:

There is some support for parsing C headers in the Newspeak system.

Aliens have been ported to Strongtalk as well as Squeak.

 

Finally - what licensing would apply if GNU Smalltalk were used?  GPL is a big problem. Even LGPL elicits an immune response in a lot of commercial contexts.  Is there a GSoC policy on this?

On Sun, Mar 7, 2010 at 3:09 PM, Mariano Martinez Peck <[hidden email]> wrote:

5) Work on a cross-dialect foreign function call interface and implement it in at least two dialects.  Candidates include Alien and GNU Smalltalk's CObject (using existing implementation has the advantage of having to implement in only _one_ other dialect!).  Bonus points for implementing a C parser that would be able to construct bindings.  GNU Smalltalk already contains a C preprocessor implementation.

I think this project could be a good idea for GSoC.  As I said, I would love if it (optionally at least) could not to block the complete VM while a function is being called.

I would also love what you said: parse .h of libraries and automatically create the wrapper for Smalltalk. At least create the invocations to the functions, and map the structures to objects...

We need to write a title, a little description and if possible titles like "technical details", "benefits to the students" and "benefits to the community".

If you are interested please send it to me and I add it to the list.

We also need a mentor (and a student, of course)...anyone is willing to do it ?

Cheers

Mariano

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Cheers, Gilad