With summer just a few months away, students the world over are gearing up for exams and starting to think about what to do during summer 2009. While some will be enjoying a much needed break, others will be looking at ways to make extra money in what is shaping up to be one of our worst ever recessions.
But there is an alternative for the geeky set: Google’s Summer of Code. Now in its fifth year, the Summer of Code will match 1000 students to 150 mentors from around the globe, and give them a chance to work on projects such as WordPress, Mozilla Project, GNOME, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Chromium, Creative Commons, Berkman Center at Harvard University, even the project’s own collaborative software, Melange.
Leslie Hawthorn, program manager for open source at Google, told ReadWriteWeb that the Summer of Code has been so successful, with complementary programs sprouting up in the most interesting of places such as the New Zealand Summer of Code, and the Women’s Summer of Code, that the other projects kept asking to use their infrastructure. And until now, that has been difficult because it was all tied into Google’s internal system.
Melange: Half CMS, Half Workflow Software
This year, Google will debut Melange, which comprises half workflow software, half content management software. “It’s unlike any other product currently out there,” explained Hawthorn. When asked for a comparative product she came up with Atlassian’s Confluence but even that, she said, is not a “good match.”
Melange began as an open source program, managed by Google engineers when it was determined they needed to improve infrastructure. Paying homage to the science fiction world, the name Melange comes from the movie Dune and means ‘spice of creation.’
“Melange is particularly exciting because Google recently turned it over to the community and it is being run by volunteers who now make all the decisions,” said Hawthorn. Reviewing of patches, deciding which feature requirements will be implemented; all of these decisions are now made by former Summer of Code mentors and students.
Tips for Students
- Try not to get intimidated: Passion counts more than experience
- Go hang out in the project’s IRC channel
- Take a look at project documentation and see how it’s been evolving.
According to Hawthorn, it’s very important to begin a dialogue with mentors. “Each mentor has included a list of ideas and it’s a good idea to begin getting involved early. Not only does it make you look invested in the process but it also helps you decide whether you want to work with them,” said Hawthorn.
Additionally, while it is competitive, try not to get intimidated, suggests Hawthorn. Angela Byron, a student from 2005, had no previous open source experience. “She came from a community college, and now she’s the maintainer of Drupal 7,” Hawthorn said.
Last week Google published the list of accepted mentoring organizations for the Summer of Code 2009, and will begin accepting applications from students today. Check out the Frequently Asked Questions and User’s Guide if you’re interested in applying.
Google’s Summer of Code is open to all students over the age of 18.
