/[dms]/gnomejournal/SoC/SoCInterviews.txt
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revision 1.9 by darktigrou, Mon Aug 29 23:12:32 2005 UTC revision 1.10 by darktigrou, Tue Aug 30 22:48:21 2005 UTC
# Line 9  that would make the project shine even m Line 9  that would make the project shine even m
9  research-oriented.  research-oriented.
10    
11  Then, Students submitted applications to Google. By the middle of  Then, Students submitted applications to Google. By the middle of
12  June, mentors and projects were assigned to the ones that were judjed  June, mentors and projects were assigned to the ones that were judged
13  to have the best potential.  to have the best potential.
14    
15  Summer of code is over, it's now time for us to unveil the GNOME  Summer of code is over, it's now time for us to unveil the GNOME
# Line 22  before. By now, most of them have a work Line 22  before. By now, most of them have a work
22  initial plan.  The projects' topics range from music sharing  initial plan.  The projects' topics range from music sharing
23  integrated to the desktop to live edition and version control of  integrated to the desktop to live edition and version control of
24  developer documentation.  There's even a Firefox extension that will  developer documentation.  There's even a Firefox extension that will
25  help you to share tips for mastering google searches.  help you to share tips for mastering Google searches.
26    
27  In this article, you'll also learn about streaming and sharing some  In this article, you'll also learn about streaming and sharing some
28  music with your GAIM buddies, hiding your personal data from others by  music with your GAIM buddies, hiding your personal data from others by
29  encrypting folders in one click from nautilus, using your web cam and  encrypting folders in one click from nautilus o using your web cam and
30  your head as an input device and much more !  your head as an input device.
31    
32  h3. Music integration  h3. Music integration
33    
34  Ttwo projects gh the Google application process :  Two projects were dedicated to music integration into the GNOME desktop :
35  shared music spaces in Gaim and play lists sharing with RhythmBox.  shared music spaces in Gaim and play lists sharing with RhythmBox.
36    
37  The first one, called gShrooms, was carried on by Raphael Slinckx. His  The first one, called gShrooms, was carried on by Raphael Slinckx. His
# Line 42  integration which was not planned initia Line 42  integration which was not planned initia
42  As for now, "The application has reached a point where it works when  As for now, "The application has reached a point where it works when
43  the situation is perfect."  the situation is perfect."
44    
45  FIXME  FIXME add screenshots that Raphael might send me later.
46    
47  gShrooms is not finished yet.  Raphael "plans to move to a better  gShrooms is not finished yet.  Raphael "plans to move to a better
48  streaming protocol when Gstreamer will be ready, and [to] improve  streaming protocol when Gstreamer will be ready, and [to] improve
# Line 53  faced was "lacking, or even missing docu Line 53  faced was "lacking, or even missing docu
53  "astonished by the GNOME community."  "astonished by the GNOME community."
54    
55  Charles Schmidt applied to the summer of code with the idea to go on  Charles Schmidt applied to the summer of code with the idea to go on
56  an existing project he start on October 2004.  an existing project he started on October 2004. As he says, "It's not just RhythmBox being able to share playlists
   
 As he says, "It's not just RhythmBox being able to share playlists  
57  with iTunes, but also RB sharing its music to other RB clients on the  with iTunes, but also RB sharing its music to other RB clients on the
58  network".  At first, he "had suggested doing this using a DAAP module  network".  
59    
60    FIXME: add one representative screenshot of the app running.
61    
62    At first, he "had suggested doing this using a DAAP module
63  for GNOME VFS.  So that you could hand GnomeVFS a URI like  for GNOME VFS.  So that you could hand GnomeVFS a URI like
64  "daap://Lyndsey's music" and it would return a directory full of  "daap://Lyndsey's music" and it would return a directory full of
65  music.". But quickly enough, he "was convinced by others that the DAAP  music.". But quickly enough, he "was convinced by others that the DAAP
# Line 68  to. Moreover, "several Rhythmbox develop Line 70  to. Moreover, "several Rhythmbox develop
70  changes to Rhythmbox were not out of the question." and finally, he  changes to Rhythmbox were not out of the question." and finally, he
71  points out that "GnomeVFS is a pain in the ass to program".  points out that "GnomeVFS is a pain in the ass to program".
72    
 FIXME : add why it is so (waiting for an answer to this from Charles).  
   
73  So far, this move "has definitely paid off", and he was able to "push  So far, this move "has definitely paid off", and he was able to "push
74  out a patch last night that other people were able to get  out a patch last night that other people were able to get
75  working". Charles doesn't want to stop here, he "definitely see  working". Charles doesn't want to stop here, he "definitely see
# Line 82  h3. GNOME core projects Line 82  h3. GNOME core projects
82    
83  The core of the GNOME desktop has received a lot of attention  The core of the GNOME desktop has received a lot of attention
84  too. Three students pushed it to places where it hasn't been  too. Three students pushed it to places where it hasn't been
85  before. Mentored by Christian Kellner, John Manning hacked the GNOME  before.
 VFS layer to bring you encrypted folder support out of the box.  
   
86  FIXME  FIXME
87    
88  Every GNOME user uses applets. Mentored by Havoc Pennington, Travis  Every GNOME user uses applets. Mentored by Havoc Pennington, Travis
89  Vachon worked on a easy way to setup and publish panel applets : the  Vachon worked on a easy way to setup and publish panel applets : the
90  so called panel bundles. "Eliminating the need to build tools and  so called panel bundles. "Eliminating the need to build tools and
91  package maintainers was one of the main goals behind this project",  package maintainers was one of the main goals behind this project",
92  says Travis. So, even if he had "originally thought of the extensions  says Travis.
93    
94    Even if he had "originally thought of the extensions
95  as written in either C or Python. The major problem [with C] is that  as written in either C or Python. The major problem [with C] is that
96  this would make it necessary to have build tools installed". Luckily,  this would make it necessary to have build tools installed". Luckily,
97  "Python is a whole lot more fun to write, and allows a developer to  "Python is a whole lot more fun to write, and allows a developer to
# Line 123  and translating things from Python to C Line 123  and translating things from Python to C
123  meantime, Travis offers a tutorial about bundles.  meantime, Travis offers a tutorial about bundles.
124  http://www.gnome.org/~tvachon/ .  http://www.gnome.org/~tvachon/ .
125    
126    Lorenzo Colitti, mentored by Owen Taylor, worked on improving the
127    GNOME desktop's startup time. The project's focus has a bit shifted
128    from the initial proposal, since Lorenzo's mentor was more interested
129    in "producing solid methodology and results than getting patches in".
130    
131    Lorenzo thinks "Owen has been a great mentor". They were able able to
132    meet : "he even put me up at his place, and we hacked together a couple
133    of days !", says Lorenzo. He learned that "Performance monitoring is
134    hard" and that "performance and flexibility can be conflicting goals".
135    
136    "most of the ideas put forward in [his] proposal and in [his] first
137    couple of discussions with [his] mentor actually happened." However, the
138    project is not done yet "because it's so broad", and Lorenzo
139    "definitely hope to continue hacking on it in the future.".
140    
141    
142  FIXME.  FIXME.
143    
144  h3. Sharing of Google searches  h3. Sharing of Google searches
# Line 135  over the world. Type your search on the Line 151  over the world. Type your search on the
151  IRC-like server, being notified of other people's successful attempts  IRC-like server, being notified of other people's successful attempts
152  at searching similar information.  at searching similar information.
153    
154    FIXME: add reference to search_party_thumb_0.png and search_party_thumb_1.png.
155    
156  The project takes the form of a Firefox extension on the client  The project takes the form of a Firefox extension on the client
157  side. On the server side, Sanford had "initially intended to write the  side. On the server side, Sanford had "initially intended to write the
158  Search Party Protocol directly over TCP, and have a Java server  Search Party Protocol directly over TCP, and have a Java server
159  somewhere that took care of matching up users with the proper chat  somewhere that took care of matching up users with the proper chat
160  room, ". However, he changed his plans when Seth Nickell "pointed out  room, ". However, he changed his plans when Seth Nickell "pointed out
161  early on that this might make the extension unusable for those behind  early on that this might make the extension unusable for those behind
162  various firewalls". He then chose XML-RPC, which uses the HTTP  various firewalls". He then chose XML-RPC, which uses the firewall-compliant HTTP
163  protocol as a transport medium, which makes it firewall-compliant.  protocol as a transport medium.
164    
165  One of the main difficulty was to "teach the extension to speak  One of the main difficulty was to "teach the extension to speak
166  XML-RPC", because "Firefox's included implementation is broken". As a  XML-RPC", because "Firefox's included implementation is broken". As a
# Line 156  re-factoring" apart from "the work he wo Line 174  re-factoring" apart from "the work he wo
174  matching algorithms.".  He can't wait "for people to download it from  matching algorithms.".  He can't wait "for people to download it from
175  the wiki, try it out, and tell [him] what they think!".  the wiki, try it out, and tell [him] what they think!".
176    
177  Finally,  Adam McCullough  and his  mentor Johnathan  Blanford, worked  Finally Adam McCullough and his mentor Johnathan Blanford worked
178  together  to  make GNOME  more  accessible.  Their  work is  aimed  at  together to make GNOME more accessible. Their work was aimed at
179  allowing any GNOME user to use a  web cam and her facial motions as an  allowing any GNOME user to use a web cam and her facial motions as an
180  input device.  input device.
181    
182    The system has been divided in two components : the tracker and the
183    input method. The tracker tries to recognize and match facial motions
184    with events (maximizing a window for example). The input
185    device is in charge of forwarding the events to the X Window system
186    and GNOME.
187    
188    Though his "original proposal was mainly concerned with the details
189    and capabilities of the tracker itself", Adam needed to create a
190    simple and usable system. This lead to "both a reduction in complexity
191    and a broadening in scope."
192    
193    In his opinion, "the attention paid to accessibility in GNOME is more
194    noticeable than in any other environment". He goes on saying that
195    "It's been surprisingly simple to add a completely new interface to
196    the GUI". Overall, he has been very impressed by GOK.
197    
198    Adam likes to think that he's "contributing to technology and widening
199    access" and "intend to keep developing it for some time". Adam points
200    out that "the system is usable", but he would like to make "a long
201    list of improvements, as well as a lot of tidying up needed and
202    probably some bug squashing".
203    
204  FIXME.  FIXME.
205    
# Line 167  Unfortunately, some students haven't had Line 207  Unfortunately, some students haven't had
207  questions yet. However, it doesn't make their work less valuable in  questions yet. However, it doesn't make their work less valuable in
208  any way.  any way.
209    
210  John Manning has worked on getting the folder encryption feature  Mentored by Christian Kellner, John Manning hacked the GNOME
211  closer to the user. He has posted the mockups below to his weblog on  VFS layer to bring it encrypted folder support out of the box.
212  July the 13th. We didn't find any more information to tell you about  He has posted the mockups below to his weblog on
213  this project.  July the 13th.
214    
215    FIXME : add references to "mockup_encrypted_folder_thumb_0.png" and
216    "mockup_encrypted_folder2.png".
217    
218  However, one can see that although the UI changes might be quite  One can see that although the UI changes might be quite
219  small, the feature provided is exciting. It also leaves many  small, the feature provided is exciting. It also leaves many
220  unanswered questions regarding its integration into the GNOME  unanswered questions regarding its integration into the GNOME
221  desktop. Among them, we might be able to know, in the near future, how  desktop. Among them we might be able to know, in the near future, how
222  it will use the GNOME keyring and if it will be able to decrypt  it will use the GNOME keyring and if it will be able to decrypt
223  folders on the fly.  folders on the fly.
224    
225  FIXME : add references to "mockup_encrypted_folder1.png" and  We didn't find any more information to tell you about
226  "mockup_encrypted_folder2.png".  this project.
227    
228  Something that GNOME developers and users should appreciate, Danilo  Something that GNOME developers and users should appreciate, Danilo
229  Segan tried to find a way to provide live editing to the GNOME  Segan tried to find a way to provide live editing to the GNOME
230  documentation. For instance, it would be possible to read the  documentation. For instance, it would be possible to read the
231  evolution manual, find some content that is not up to date, and modify  evolution manual, find some content that is not up to date, and modify
232  it in the same graphical interface. It wouldn't be necessary to go  it on the fly. It wouldn't be necessary to go
233  through the tedious process of editing the documentation source code  through the tedious process of editing the documentation source code
234  stored on the GNOME CVS server.  stored on the GNOME CVS server.
235    
236  By reading the wiki page dedicated to his project (see  By reading the wiki page dedicated to his project (see
237  http://live.gnome.org/LiveDocumentationEditing), Danilo has chosen to  http://live.gnome.org/LiveDocumentationEditing), we know that Danilo has chosen to
238  use the Python programming language. He has also already set up a list  use the Python programming language. He has also already set up a list
239  of the steps to fo through to accomplish his work.  of the steps necessary to accomplish his work.
240    
241  This list mentions some exciting features, such as "support  This list mentions some exciting features, such as "support
242  authentication and user privilege management", "establishing direct  authentication and user privilege management", "establishing direct
# Line 203  version control systems" or "integrating Line 246  version control systems" or "integrating
246  Unfortunately, one can't say what has been done so far and can only  Unfortunately, one can't say what has been done so far and can only
247  hope for the best.  hope for the best.
248    
   
249  h3. Conclusion  h3. Conclusion
250    
251  Overall, it seems that both students  and mentors had a very good time  Overall, it seems that both students  and mentors had a very good time
# Line 214  to  bring new features  to the  GNOME de Line 256  to  bring new features  to the  GNOME de
256    
257  For students, working with the GNOME community revealed to be a  For students, working with the GNOME community revealed to be a
258  pleasent experience: "Everyone has been very helpful, friendly, and  pleasent experience: "Everyone has been very helpful, friendly, and
259  enthusiastic", says Travis. As Raphael put it: "GNOME rocks!"  enthusiastic", says Travis. As Raphael puts it: "GNOME rocks!"
260    

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