GSoC2007 D1180528416 Auriel #Google Summer of Code 2007 # #GSoC2007 Inferno and Plan 9 [projects | #http://gsoc.cat-v.org/projects/] and [participants | #http://gsoc.cat-v.org/people/] now have their own website including #[blogs | http://gsoc.cat-v.org/blog/] and [source code repos | #http://gsoc.cat-v.org/hg/] at [gsoc.cat-v.org | #http://gsoc.cat-v.org]. # #------------------------------------------------------ #STUDENTS # #Plan 9 is an excellent environment to learn about many aspects of #computing: operating systems, distributed systems, programming #languages, network protocols, etc. # #Plan 9 is not a difficult environment, and simplicity and elegance #are its main qualities, but it is very *different* from anything #else you might be used to! # #Fundamental requirements: # # * A very open mind to explore and embrace very different concepts # and environments. # * You must enjoy challenges that stretch your preconceptions to # their limits. # #General recommended skills: # # * Understanding of basic Unix principles and philosophy (but note # that Plan 9 is *not* Unix. Plan 9 is meant to *replace* Unix.) # * Some programming experience, ideally with C, but other languages # are fine. # #Recommended Reading # # * [The Plan 9 Documentation | # http://cm.bell-labs.com/sys/doc/index.html], particularly the [Plan # 9 from Bell Labs | http://cm.bell-labs.com/sys/doc/9.html] intro. # * [The Inferno Operating System | # http://www.vitanuova.com/inferno/papers/bltj.html], [A Descent into # Limbo | http://www.vitanuova.com/inferno/papers/descent.html] by # Brian W. Kernighan and [The Limbo Programming Language | # http://www.vitanuova.com/inferno/papers/limbo.html] by Dennis M. # Ritchie. # * Rob Pike's [comments on style | # http://www.lysator.liu.se/c/pikestyle.html], as well as Russ Cox's # [more recent ones | http://swtch.com/~rsc/worknotes/] # * The Practice of Programming, and The UNIX Programming # Environment, by Brian W. Kernighan, and Rob Pike, published by # Addison-Wesley. # * The [recommended readings] wiki page # #If you have any questions you can check our irc channel #plan9-gsoc #in irc.freenode.org or join the [Plan 9 Google Summer of Code | #http://groups.google.com/group/plan9-gsoc/] mailing list. # #To apply follow the instructions in the [Guide to the Google Summer #of Code Student Applicants | #http://groups.google.com/group/google-summer-of-code-announce/web/guide-to-the-gsoc-web-app-for-student-applicants] at the [GSoC website | http://code.google.com/soc/]. # #All participating students will also receive an exclusive [Glenda | #http://plan9.bell-labs.com/plan9/glenda.html] T-Shirt and an #especial surprise gift! # #And because we obviously won't be able to accept as many students as #we would like to, as consolation we will give away a few extra #t-shirts randomly among the applications that didn't get accepted. # #PROJECTS # #We like to find a project that ideally suit the students who take #them on. For that reason we are very happy to hear (on #plan9-gsoc #on Freenode or the [plan9-gsoc | #http://groups.google.com/group/plan9-gsoc] Google group) your #particular areas of interest and expertise. Because Plan 9 is a #complete system, which expands beyond a single OS, no matter what #your interests, we should be able to find a project that makes you #happy (we know that happy developers make for happy projects). # #Here is a list of project ideas we have come up with as examples, #Even if they seem complex and difficult, they are likely much #simpler than you think. In Plan 9 everything is simpler ;) # #Misc: # # * New window manager different from rio(1), experiment with new # window management ideas. Maybe, turn acme(1) to full-blown UI # w/graphics: get inspired from old Native Oberon UI (not Gadgets # GUI) http:www.oberon.ethz.ch/native . Write programs using acme as # UI, like /acme/mail/ does! Resizeable tagline. Hideable columns and # frames. # * CSS rendering for abaco web browser # * General purpose boot loader based on Plan 9 kernel and /dev/reboot # * [Zeroconf | http://www.zeroconf.org] network configuration # support (ideally, with a Plan 9 or Inferno twist) # * Framework of scripts and tools to automatically detect and # configure hardware (screen resolution, keyboard, mouse, etc.) # * Reincarnation of 'pico' image manipulation language, or native # graphics functions like those in NetPBM. # * Documentation framework: a set of scripts to make certain that # all documentation, including man pages, is up to date and in sync # with the tools and APIs, and to help manage and organize a # centralized 'handbook'. # #Security: # * Ssh2 client/server (complete native implementation or port a new # one from another system.) # * Add support for Inferno auth to Plan 9. # #File servers (for Plan 9 or Inferno, but probably best implemented #in Limbo): # # * fs interface to a version control system(gitfs, hgfs or svnfs; # cvsfs already exists.) # * Ircfs or imfs. # * Bugfs: a bug tracking system with an fs interface. # * webdavfs. # * rssfs/webfeedfs. # * ldapfs. # * iPodfs. # * cdfs(4) support for writting DVDs. # * bluetoothfs. # #Port of foreign applications to Plan 9: # # * Video player (eg., port mplayer). # * Update GCC port and have it accepted upstream. # * Update X11 port. # * Update python port. # * Port Erlang. # * Update [APE | http://plan9.bell-labs.com/sys/doc/ape.html] to be # a more complete POSIX environment. # * Finish qemu port. Work on this project would require a good # understanding of x86 assembly language and interest in learning [a # non-gcc dialect of C | # http://plan9.bell-labs.com/sys/doc/comp.html]. # #Kernel related work: # # * Write a driver for a piece of hardware of your choice (eg., # [finish ipw2200 wireless driver | # http://plan9.bell-labs.com/sources/contrib/rsc/ipw2200/]) # * OLPC port. # * Profile and optimize a kernel component of your choice (IP stack, # vm, ...) # * Increase "dynamicity" of network stack, including [detaching # devices in kernel | # http://groups.google.com/group/comp.os.plan9/msg/8d847c80107e3f34] # and appropriate user-space reactivity (e.g., dhcpclient deciding # whether to re-bind or destroy an existing network stack, for # possible inspiration see [Plan B /net paper | # http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/iel5/9476/30062/01377320.pdf?tp=&arnumber=1377320&isnumber=30062]). The kernel part and the user-space part are probably each large enough to qualify as independent projects. # * Update SPARC or MIPS ports. # * Kernel regresion and stress testing framework. # #[9P | http://cat-v.org/9p/] related projects: # # * fs driver for Solaris, FreeBSD, NetBSD, BeOS, or any other # operating system (for projects related to the existing Linux driver # see [v9fs | http://swik.net/v9fs/Summer+of+Code+2007+Ideas]). # * 9P implementation in your favorite programming language. # * A framework to test the interoperativity of all existings 9P # implementations. # * Implement a 9P interface to your favorite (non-plan9) application. # * Implement 9P extension for 'batch requests' and improve # performance over high latency links. # * 9P implementation in JavaScript, so that a browser can access # resources sensibly (ie, not using HTTP/XML). # #[Inferno | http://www.vitanuova.com/inferno/papers/bltj.html] and #[Limbo | http://www.vitanuova.com/inferno/papers/limbo.html]: # # * Complete 'native' [dis | # http://www.vitanuova.com/inferno/papers/hotchips.html] and improve # Inferno/Plan 9 integration so Inferno apps work like native Plan 9 # apps. # * Improve Inferno integration with Unix or Windows host OSes (allow # Inferno apps to be managed by native window manager, etc.) # * A [fossil | # http://plan9.bell-labs.com/magic/man2html?man=fossil]-like ([paper # | http://www.cs.bell-labs.com/sys/doc/fossil.pdf]) snapshot file # server in Limbo using [venti | # http://plan9.bell-labs.com/sys/doc/venti.html] as backend. # * Port [Omero | http://lsub.org/ls/export/omero.pdf] to Limbo. # * PS3 port w/ppe file system interfaces and support for ps3 devices # (controllers) - either hosted on Linux and/or native on the PS3 # hypervisor. # * Finish Gumstix port. # * Port [Inferno-plugin | http://code.google.com/p/inferno-plugin/] # to Mozilla/Firefox. # * Native support for hypervisors (eg, Xen, PAPR, KVM, ...) # * 64 bit Inferno. # * [Other Inferno projects | # http://code.google.com/p/inferno-os/wiki/Project_Suggestions]. # * Web application development framework. # * New window manager to replace wm. # #[Plan 9 from User Space | http://plan9.us] or other work in foreign #systems: # * Add missing kencc extensions to GCC. # * Port [the Plan 9 compilers | # http://plan9.bell-labs.com/sys/doc/compiler.html] to Linux or BSD. # * Glendix: Build a minimal Linux or BSD distribution using [Plan 9 # from User Space | http://plan9.us]. # * Package [Plan 9 from User Space | http://plan9.us] and Inferno # for your favorite Linux or BSD distribution. # * Mozilla/Firefox 9P Protocol Handler (i.e. 9P client XPCOM # component). # #Please add any other project suggestions to the list, see #also:[TODO]. # #MENTORS # # * Dave Eckhardt (from [CMU | http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~davide/]) # * Devon H. O'Dell # * Fariborz "Skip" Tavakkolian (from [9Netics | # http://www.9netics.com]) # * Francisco J Ballesteros (from [LSUB | http://lsub.org]) # * Charles Forsyth ( from [Vitanuova | http://www.vitanuova.com]) # * maht # * garbeam # * newmanbe # * Uriel: uriel99 AT gmail.com # * And others... # #Please, if you have any questions for the mentors, join the #[plan9-gsoc | http://groups.google.com/group/plan9-gsoc] mailing #list or #plan9-gsoc in irc.freenode.org. # #TIMELINE # # * March 14: List of accepted mentoring organizations published on # code.google.com; student application period opens # * March 26: Student application deadline # * April 11: List of accepted student applications published on # code.google.com # * May 28: Students begin coding for their GSoC projects; Google # begins issuing initial student payments # #For a more detalied timeline see [the official GSoC site | #http://code.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=60325&topic=10729]. #