[GRASS-dev] Soc - wxNviz proposal

[Hamish]

Martin wrote:
> probably it would be a good idea to continue in wxNviz [1] development
> which started as Google SoC 2008 project [2].

of course!

> Improved wxNviz should completely replace TCL/TK-based Nviz in GRASS 7.0.

when the wx one is ready. I think it is slightly distracting for us to
think of them as in competition too much. they are passing the baton.

> The upcoming Soc 2010 is good occasion for that.

absolutely.

> I wonder if there is a student who is interested to do the job. I
> started working on wxNviz two years ago, the last year I participated
> in the SoC program as a mentor. Some weeks ago I started thinking to
> downgrade myself to be a student and to complete the unfinished job. I
> know that student->mentor->student is acceptable for Google (but still
> not "kosher" for me). So I would like to ask the community (you) first
> if you agree that I submit the proposal.

I see no problem or taint with you going back to student-mode. If anything
it will give you a better perspective on the process. The choice is open
to you. The one think you can not do is register to be a mentor for 2010
and then decide to be a student as well, I think that breaks Melange.


random food for thought:
One of the long-term goals of SoC is to bring new devels into projects.
You obviously do not tick that box, but I expect you would be 500-1000%
more productive than a random assignee who starts from zero, and the
chance of post-summer student retention might be only as high as 15-20%.
(I'm sure you wouldn't mind more wxPyGui experts around though :).

For my 2c the "add great code to FOSS projects" SoC goal probably outweighs
the gamble of gaining a new dev in this case. As there are other wxGUI
projects which a SoC student could be assigned to it does not make the
other goal impossible.


A question for all SoC post-grad students-
As PhD students do not really get any time off, would taking time out to
work on SoC be good or bad for you in the long term? Are your advisor(s)
supportive? Can the two run side by side? (e.g. I get a lot of small
side-tasks done while I wait for big model runs to complete. my little
rule is if the CPU monitor is not pegged at 100% I should not be working
on out-of-scope things until it is ;)

?


Hamish