[geeklog-devel] Google Code-in: Tasks and Mentors wanted!

[Dirk Haun]

We are going to apply for participation in the Google Code-in[1]. For those who haven't heard of it yet, this is the equivalent of GSoC for students between age 13-18 (formerly known as GHOP).

As usual, Google provides an extensive FAQ[2]. Here's a quick summary:

Google Code-in focuses on smaller tasks that can usually be done in a few hours or days. Tasks are rated easy, medium, and hard and can be from 8 categories: Code, documentation, outreach, QA, research, training, translation, user interface. So unlike GSoC, this is not restricted to coding. Points are given based on how hard a task is.

Due to the complications of paying minors, Google Code-in has the form of a contest: A student can claim a task. For every 3 completed tasks the student gets $100, up to a maximum of $500 (i.e. 15 tasks). Above that, there will also be some grand prices winners who collect the most points (students can complete more than 15 tasks).

As a participating organisation, we would have to provide a list of tasks (the more the better!) and mentors.

Our task list is under heavy construction here:

  http://wiki.geeklog.net/index.php/Google_Code-in

Additions welcome! We seem to be missing "hard" tasks at the moment, as well as those from categories like training, user interface, outreach, and also research (but any additions are welcome). Please see the notes about Adding Tasks at the top of the page.

Also, we could need some more mentors. So far, only Vinny, Cordiste, and myself have signed up. I think this would be a good opportunity for some of our former GSoC students to try their hands on mentoring: Pick a task or two and see how you like mentoring a student. Who knows, you may want to become a GSoC mentor next year [standard disclaimer: should Google decide to run GSoC again, etc. pp.]

So, who's in?

bye, Dirk

[1] http://code.google.com/opensource/gci/2010-11/
[2] http://code.google.com/opensource/gci/2010-11/faqs.html