The Perl Foundation took part in Google's Summer of Code program and managed to get 8 projects funded. This is the third in a series of informal interviews finding out more information about these projects. Up now is David Buchman with "Perl Megadistro".
Hi there! Tell us a bit about yourself, including age, where you
are a student and what you are studying
I am currently 20 years old, and am currently a student at Middlesex County College, in New Jersey.
I am currently studying Computer Science, in a degree program -- I have been interested in computer-related courses for some time, both hardware and software related -- additionally, I am interested in network administration.
I am also a big supporter of open source projects, and appreciate all the work that the community has done thus far, in a multitude of aspects.
You've had a Google Summer of Code project funded. What will you be
doing? How will you be doing this? What's the final product?
I will be creating a megadistro, so to speak, of Perl, which will encapsulate lots of useful modules (essential and additional) -- after which, I will create Makefile to build the install -- finally, after testing the install, ensuring that everything passes `make test`, I will package it.
The intent for the final product, will be a nice and thorough package, of perl, built for each and every major distro.
How did you get interested in this topic?
I was quite interested in developing a project for the SoC (Google - Summer of Code 2005), namely with TPF (The Perl Foundation). This past semester I had just completed a course in perl, and became quite interested in the language; moreover, this past semester, I was busily developing my own, personal projects, some of which utilized perl and many perl modules.
After trying to think of a feasible project to develop for TPF, I thought of this as the best project, in which I could benefit TPF, as well as, the community, as I had recently experienced the complexities and complications that can go into installing perl and many modules, which I needed to acquire and install (when working on personal projects, using perl).
Where do you see your project going after this summer?
Honestly, I have not really sought past this summer, as much work awaits, but hopefully, this project will be continually built on; the Makefile updated appropriately, more modules added here and there, repackage, and redistribute ;)
Is there any way to track your progress over the next few months?
Got a blog?
Although, at the moment, I had no plans with regard to that aspect, I will try to get some sort of page up, which will track my continual work on this project -- personally, I am not one to blog, anything -- I am more typically accustomed to the developer and commit e-mail lists.
Did you expect to get funded?
Honestly, I really didn't have any expectations as towards whether or not I would get funded; I merely entertained the idea that I would be working on a project for TPF.
Though I have experience with open source projects, and had the opportunity to take courses related to some of the material I actually work on, whether it be perl or another area, I did not think that it would give me a better shot at getting my project funded over that of any other ambitious student.
However, now that my project is funded, I eagerly await the mountain of work that lies ahead :)
Got a silly fact about yourself or the project?
As for myself, nothing comes to mind, presently -- though if there any developments on that front, I'll make sure to let the community know ;)
With regards to the project, I cannot think of anything particularly silly,... yet -- check back with me in a week or two, I'm sure we'll have much to talk about then.
Re:So...
drhyde on 2005-07-13T10:02:05
he's been given a grant to create Bundle::?I approve of your cynicism and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.
Re:So...
nicholas on 2005-07-13T15:43:46
he's been given a grant to create Bundle::?Google chose which projects got funding, not The Perl Foundation. You would need to ask Google about their choices.
Given that it's Google's money that is paying for all this, to me it seems reasonable that they get to decide where it goes. But as the SEC notes, Google is not the most transparent of organisations, so it wouldn't surprise me if they declined to explain anything.
