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    <div class="moz-cite-prefix">Hi sev, Strangerke, criezy,<br>
      <br>
      Thanks for your ongoing feedback in helping me to understand how
      the current process works, so that I can understand better how the
      suggested changes differ from what is happening now. I think I
      didn’t explain thoroughly what I was looking for with those
      questions, so apologies for any confusion in that regard.<br>
      <br>
      bgK has proposed some specific items like “The student and the
      mentor periodically decide on the next tasks. Each task is
      designed to take at most 2 or 3 days of work”, and “A task is
      'done' when the associated pull request has been approved by the
      mentor (or a co-mentor) and at least one other team member”. I’m
      still struggling somewhat to understand how these proposals differ
      from how things are today (if they even do differ at all), as the
      information in the wiki is not so specific in its instruction.<br>
      <br>
      In general when doing information gathering like this I am always
      looking for the Five Ws: Who is responsible, What should be done,
      Where should it happen, When should it happen, Why is it done/done
      in this way. Trying to discuss using personal assumptions on what
      subjective terms like “comprehensive and detailed” or “polished”
      mean usually ends up with people talking past one another or a
      false understanding that everyone is on the same page when they
      are not (and then someone ends up surprised/frustrated/upset later
      when someone else says or does something that violates this
      apparent agreement), so I am working to avoid this on my end.
      Making sure the Five Ws are answered for all the information on
      the wiki should also result in better applications from the start
      and less work for the GSoC mentors overall, so I hope that
      everyone can understand the value in this. (If not, please let me
      know that too, since I don’t want to create work which nobody
      finds value in.)<br>
      <br>
      Here is a hypothetical answer which is maybe more illustrative in
      getting across what I’m looking for:<br>
      <br>
      * What is the way in which work units are allocated?<br>
      <br>
      During the application process, GSoC applicants give links in
      #scummvm or on scummvm-devel to their working proposals on Google
      Docs, and the GSoC mentors give feedback to students on these
      plans. When finished, the plans need to include a series of tasks
      of no more than 8 hours per task, to ensure that the whole project
      has been thought through in sufficient detail to reduce the risk
      of large time overruns or failure. Here are some past examples of
      excellent project plans that show what we aim for: <link>.<br>
      <br>
      At the start of the project, the tasks from these plans are added
      as cards to Trello, since this keeps managing the work simple and
      easy, and gives experience to students with real-world project
      management tools. The student usually picks one or two cards in
      Trello to work on at a time, and talks with their mentors/the team
      on #scummvm or scummvm-devel whenever help is needed making a
      decision on how to move forward or switch to something else.
      Occasionally a mentor will give specific tasks to a student to
      complete or ask them to switch to something else, but it is
      usually expected that the student will self-manage this process.<br>
      <br>
      ---<br>
      <br>
      I hope this makes sense, and thanks again for your patience with
      my questions as I try to understand everything. I’ve run out of
      time for any more feedback today on this topic, and, it does
      continue to look like there are already some things which are
      agreed on and just not fully written down, so I will try to note
      those specifically when I’m next available.<br>
      <br>
      Best,<br>
      <br>
      On 2018-01-17 12:08, Eugene Sandulenko wrote:<br>
    </div>
    <blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid:CAJG28-b2L2TBujcQrA_K_eaeoZt9BS01KzgkT9HK+FXDYW4DqA@mail.gmail.com">
      <div dir="ltr">OKAY. I'll do it.
        <div class="gmail_extra"><br>
          <div class="gmail_quote">On 17 January 2018 at 18:58, Colin
            Snover <span dir="ltr"><<a
                href="mailto:scummvm-devel@zetafleet.com"
                target="_blank" moz-do-not-send="true">scummvm-devel@zetafleet.com</a>></span>
            wrote:<br>
            <blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px
              0.8ex;border-left:1px solid
              rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
              <div bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
                <div class="gmail-m_-5119148477050559137moz-cite-prefix">Unfortunately,
                  I still do not see the answers to the specific
                  questions I asked about the way ScummVM’s GSoC
                  operates. Those questions are again:<span
                    class="gmail-"><br>
                    <br>
                    * What is the way in which work units are allocated?<br>
                  </span></div>
              </div>
            </blockquote>
            <div><br>
            </div>
            <div><span
style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana,tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12px">..prepare
                a </span><b
style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana,tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12px">comprehensive
                and detailed plan for all 12 weeks of your project</b><span
style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana,tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12px">.
                Include risk mitigation (you might fall ill, a phase in
                your project be more complicated than anticipated, etc.)
                and any existing commitments such as exams, vacations
                etc.</span>
              <ul style="list-style-type:square;margin:0.3em 0px 0px
1.6em;padding:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana,tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12px">
                <li style="margin-bottom:0.1em"><i>This plan will help
                    you and us to decide at any time during the project
                    how well you are progressing. It forces you to think
                    about what you need to do beforehand, and provides a
                    guideline for you while GSoC is progressing.</i></li>
              </ul>
            </div>
            <div><br>
            </div>
            <div><span
style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana,tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12px">Create
                a timeline for the project</span>
              <ul style="list-style-type:square;margin:0.3em 0px 0px
1.6em;padding:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana,tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12px">
                <li style="margin-bottom:0.1em">Again, we don't expect
                  you to have a full-on, hour-by-hour break down.</li>
                <li style="margin-bottom:0.1em">We assume that the
                  schedule <i>can</i> and <i>will</i> change as the
                  project goes on.</li>
                <li style="margin-bottom:0.1em">That said, we want to
                  make sure everything can fit into the GSoC timeline
                  and that you think about how long things will take.</li>
              </ul>
            </div>
            <div> </div>
            <blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px
              0.8ex;border-left:1px solid
              rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
              <div bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
                <div class="gmail-m_-5119148477050559137moz-cite-prefix"><span
                    class="gmail-"> * How and where is the work progress
                    tracked?<br>
                  </span></div>
              </div>
            </blockquote>
            <div><span
style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana,tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12px">...
                we ask you to </span><b
style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana,tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12px">keep
                a weblog</b><span
style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana,tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12px"> (BLOG)
                with posts on a weekly or more frequent basis detailing
                your progress and experiences with your project/GSoC.</span>
              <ul style="list-style-type:square;margin:0.3em 0px 0px
1.6em;padding:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana,tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12px">
                <li style="margin-bottom:0.1em"><i>This provides a
                    valuable avenue for feedback and helps involvement
                    of the wider community. It also helps you to sort
                    your thoughts and determine your own progress. Note
                    that the blogs will be aggregated onto <a
                      rel="nofollow" class="external gmail-text"
                      href="http://planet.scummvm.org/"
style="color:rgb(90,54,150);background:url("http://wiki.scummvm.org/skins/ScummModern/scummmodern/external.png?8ea75")
                      100% 50% no-repeat;font-size:11px;padding:0px 13px
                      0px 0px" moz-do-not-send="true">ScummVM's Planet
                      site</a> so language and tone should be set
                    accordingly.</i></li>
              </ul>
              <div><span
style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana,tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12px">...
                  we expect you to </span><b
style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana,tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12px">commit
                  early, commit often</b><span
style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana,tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12px">.</span>
                <ul style="list-style-type:square;margin:0.3em 0px 0px
1.6em;padding:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana,tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12px">
                  <li style="margin-bottom:0.1em"><i>We judge students'
                      code based on what is checked in and take the view
                      that 'if it's not checked in it does not exist'
                      for the purposes of GSoC reviews. Don't be shy
                      about this. You may feel your code is not 'good
                      enough', but the best way to learn whether it
                      actually is good or not, and also to get valuable
                      hints on how to improve it, is to show it to us.
                      Trust us, we will give you constructive feedback
                      and won't bash you for what you produce.</i></li>
                </ul>
              </div>
            </div>
            <div><br>
            </div>
            <div> </div>
            <blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px
              0.8ex;border-left:1px solid
              rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
              <div bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
                <div class="gmail-m_-5119148477050559137moz-cite-prefix"><span
                    class="gmail-"> * What is the process for making
                    adjustments to the scope of the work if it appears
                    that the schedule is too aggressive and milestones
                    are not being met?<br>
                  </span></div>
              </div>
            </blockquote>
            <div><span
style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana,tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12px">...
                we require you to </span><b
style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana,tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12px">communicate
                with your mentor</b><span
style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana,tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12px"> every
                second day. </span><b
style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana,tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12px">Failing
                to do so for more than three days without arrangement
                will cause you to be dropped from the program.</b><span
style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana,tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12px"></span>
              <ul style="list-style-type:square;margin:0.3em 0px 0px
1.6em;padding:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana,tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12px">
                <li style="margin-bottom:0.1em"><i>Consider that GSoC is
                    a full time obligation. If you don't show up on a
                    regular job for three days in a row, without any
                    prior notice or reporting in as ill, you also run a
                    high risk of being fired. Now, this is not exactly a
                    regular day job and you don't have to come into an
                    office every day. But communication is absolutely
                    essential to a successful GSoC project and
                    experience has shown that students that do not check
                    in with their mentors (and the wider community) tend
                    to struggle and produce weaker outputs. <span
                      style="background-color:rgb(255,255,0)">In
                      particular, if you feel you are behind your
                      schedule or otherwise in troubles, talk to us as
                      soon as possible.</span> Do not hide from your
                    mentor -- they are here to help you at all times.
                    Finally, this obligation doesn't have to be a
                    burden, but rather should be a fun opportunity to
                    chat with a nice fellow coder about interesting
                    topics.</i></li>
              </ul>
            </div>
            <div><br>
            </div>
            <div> </div>
            <blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px
              0.8ex;border-left:1px solid
              rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
              <div bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
                <div class="gmail-m_-5119148477050559137moz-cite-prefix"><span
                    class="gmail-"> * Is there a set criteria for a task
                    to be considered completed successfully?<br>
                  </span></div>
              </div>
            </blockquote>
            <div>
              <ol style="margin:0.3em 0px 0px
3.2em;padding:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:verdana,tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12px">
                <li style="margin-bottom:0.1em">
                  <ul style="list-style-type:square;margin:0.3em 0px 0px
                    1.6em;padding:0px">
                    <li style="margin-bottom:0.1em">Using the skelton, <span
                        style="background-color:rgb(255,255,0)">create
                        Milestones</span> for the project. IE:
                      <ul style="margin:0.3em 0px 0px 1.6em;padding:0px">
                        <li style="margin-bottom:0.1em">The engine can
                          read .scr files</li>
                        <li style="margin-bottom:0.1em">Create API for
                          creating a hardware accelerated texture</li>
                        <li style="margin-bottom:0.1em">The engine can
                          move the character</li>
                      </ul>
                    </li>
                    <li style="margin-bottom:0.1em">This is makes sure
                      we all understand the complexities of the project</li>
                  </ul>
                </li>
                <li style="margin-bottom:0.1em">Create a timeline for
                  the project
                  <ul style="list-style-type:square;margin:0.3em 0px 0px
                    1.6em;padding:0px">
                    <li style="margin-bottom:0.1em">Again, we don't
                      expect you to have a full-on, hour-by-hour break
                      down.</li>
                    <li style="margin-bottom:0.1em">We assume that the
                      schedule <i>can</i> and <i>will</i> change as the
                      project goes on.</li>
                    <li style="margin-bottom:0.1em">That said, we want
                      to make sure everything can fit into the GSoC
                      timeline and that you think about how long things
                      will take.</li>
                  </ul>
                </li>
              </ol>
            </div>
            <div><br>
            </div>
            <div> </div>
            <blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px
              0.8ex;border-left:1px solid
              rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
              <div bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
                <div class="gmail-m_-5119148477050559137moz-cite-prefix"><span
                    class="gmail-"> <br>
                  </span> Since I am still not seeing what you are
                  seeing, could you please help me and cut and paste the
                  specific text from the project rules which answers
                  each of these questions in a response to this email?<br>
                </div>
              </div>
            </blockquote>
            <div>I did that, hope it is clearer now.</div>
            <div><br>
            </div>
            <div><br>
            </div>
            <div>Eugene</div>
          </div>
        </div>
      </div>
      <br>
      <fieldset class="mimeAttachmentHeader"></fieldset>
      <br>
      <pre wrap="">_______________________________________________
Scummvm-devel mailing list
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:Scummvm-devel@lists.scummvm.org">Scummvm-devel@lists.scummvm.org</a>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://lists.scummvm.org/listinfo/scummvm-devel">http://lists.scummvm.org/listinfo/scummvm-devel</a>
</pre>
    </blockquote>
    <p><br>
    </p>
    <pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">-- 
Colin Snover
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://zetafleet.com">https://zetafleet.com</a></pre>
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