[edit] Google SoC Student application

This is our proposed application form for students applying to the Bongo Project.

[edit] Name & Contact Details

Please provide your contact details: at the minimum, a name and e-mail address.

Name:

E-mail:

Address/location:

Phone:

[edit] A Short Bio

Please tell us a little about yourself. In particular, what you're studying (and how far into your course you are), and detail any previous experience in the free software community or participation in a free software project.

The Bongo Project prides itself on fun and friendliness: as well as technically adept students, we also want people who will fit our culture. So, remember, we're not just interested in your technical skills, but also your "people skills".

[edit] Your Proposal

What would you like to do? Please give us a high-level description (what functionality and/or end-user use cases you're addressing) and a more detailed technical discussion (protocols that might be implemented, for example). Point out which areas you have existing knowledge and/or experience, and which areas will be novel either for you, for the Bongo Project, or present novel ideas/functionality in general. What technical skills would you use doing the project, and what skills would you gain?

Outline a project plan as best you can. This should begin with a period of some research and/or planning, end with a brief project report, and have a number of stages in between by which progress can be measured. Goals should be simple and measurable: for example, having code reaching a certain point in terms of functionality. If you have specific dates in mind, please include them.

Whereever possible, define the outputs you envisage, and how much effort each output would require in your estimation. Include time for writing status reports for the project, the final report, time spent with your mentor - particularly if you see specific points during the project where close mentorship would be especially important. Define the code output as clearly as possible: calculate the work effort for each feature, the supporting test suite, etc. If possible, include estimates of risk with each work product, to show how confident you are in your estimate.

There is no right and wrong with a project plan: for example, saying that you are not confident with certain aspects of your plan is fine. We're much happier with a realistic and honest approach to planning, rather than one which tries to convince us of how successful you will be. Remember, success isn't just the avoidance of failure: success is anticipating and encountering failure, and making progress regardless - in many ways, we'll be more impressed by your plans for failure. You may also want to think about having some kind of "Plan B" where there is a risky part of your plan.

[edit] Some Specific Questions

There are a number of questions we'd like all potential students to answer, to help form a picture of who you are, what you want to do, and why we might want to pick you.

• Why should we pick this proposal? We want the best students and the best ideas - what makes your project the ideal combination?
• What impact would your project have on Bongo, and what (if any) impact would it have on free software more widely?
• How do you see your day-to-day work progressing, and how many hours do you estimate you will be working on your project per week?
• What other commitments on your time will you need to manage during the programme?
• Ideally, your participation in Bongo would begin before your project starts, and we hope that you would continue to participate well after your project finishes. However, nothing is guaranteed - if your participation finished with the project, how would your contribution live on?