[L2Ork-dev] Purr Data Google Summer of Code 2018: Call for Mentors

[Jonathan Wilkes]

Hello,
I'd like to open an invitation for Purr Data mentors for Google Summer
of Code 2018.

Now, I'm sure everyone's first response will be, "But I don't know every
single thing there is to know about Purr Data. Thus, I cannot be a
mentor."

Let me attempt to divide and conquer that response by breaking the
call into two pieces:

1. Call for project ideas and review:

There is an initial list of project ideas here:

https://git.purrdata.net/jwilkes/summer-of-code-ideas-list

These are the ideas I gathered initially to apply for GSoC as
a mentoring organization.

Here are a few ways in which you can help:

* suggest a new project idea
* give feedback on existing project ideas
* help reformat the project ideas so that they are easier to browse. I'm
thinking short descriptions at the top of the document with links to
expanded sections at the bottom of the document
* add "entry points" in the expanded section of each project idea. This
would link to the files, functions/methods, and/or documentation where
a student can begin investigating the idea. For example, a natural "entry
point" for changing to double precision would be the
definitions in m_pd.h related to `t_float`

Now, one type of project that I've overlooked so far is a project that
could be completely using the Pd language. I think there are quite
a few worthwhile areas there-- useful DSP abstraction libraries,
convenience abstractions, demos, etc.

2. Sign up to be a mentor

If you'd like to be a mentor, please let us know.

Being a mentor doesn't mean being an expert in all domains
of Purr Data's codebase. It really means that you have experience
working with the software, creating things with it, and that you know
how to accurately describe problems as they occur and seek out
answers from others.

I think this combined with the possibility of project ideas that can be
written completely in Pd open things up to more potential mentors.

If you might be interested in helping out, you can use the list here.

Best,
Jonathan