Re: GSoC applications

[Urs Liska]

Am 09.01.2018 um 22:50 schrieb Karlin High:
> On 1/9/2018 2:53 PM, Urs Liska wrote:
> > On 
> > https://github.com/wbsoft/frescobaldi/wiki/GSoC-Guidelines#user-content-community-mentors 
> > I outlined a new inofficial GSoC role that I would like to install 
> > for this year: Community Mentors.
>
> I think you're on to something here, Urs. I was thinking over past 
> GSoC project results. Has there been a pattern where the student 
> reaches the end of the project period, and then needs to return to 
> their studies just when the LilyPond community begins integrating 
> their code? And suddenly lots of additional requirements appear, 
> unforeseeable without extensive experience in LilyPond development?

Yes, that may well be true.
I'm still struggling with the fact that "my" student's code of 2017 
hasn't been merged into Frescobaldi yet.
There's a number of reasons for this problem, and a Community Mentor is 
no guarantee for a better outcome, but ...

> If so, that might be the place where the community mentor could take 
> over and say, "Thanks for the code, good luck with your degree. If you 
> need to move on, we can take care of it from here."

... yes, but I think the benefits should become visible much earlier. 
One thing I have seen with nearly all GSoC projects (mine and others') 
is that they are much too detached from the community. The community 
barely takes notice of a project's progress (or lack thereof), and it 
isn't integrated in discussion. Last year's Chord symbols project was 
sort of an exception, but I think it is crucial that interaction 
increases - from both sides: the student and mentor should stay in touch 
with others, and the community should be more involved in the GSoC 
projects. This is where a dedicated third party - who explicitly has no 
responsibility for coding - may be a blessing.

Urs