GSOC2010StudentGuide

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ns-3 is applying to GSoC 2010. Check back to this page for updates. If you want more information about possibly participating in the ns-3 GSoC program, read the below information.

• GSoC Frequently Asked Questions
• GSoC Mentors Guide
• GSoC Student guide
• GSoC Student application template
• GSoC 2010 Ideas page
• GSoC 2009 Ideas page
• Get in contact with the ns-3 team: ns-developers mailing list | IRC #ns-3 on freenode.net

Note: ns-3 hasn't yet been accepted to GSoC 2010, so of course, participation is conditional on our acceptance into the program. Also, feel free to work on these projects outside of the GSoC program; we would be happy to mentor them as time permits.

Student Guidelines

This webpage highlights the expectations and requirements for student applicants for ns-3's Google Summer of Code 2010 effort.

Project Expectations

The ns-3 team is looking for three things from every successful GSoC project:

• Developing code that can be incorporated back into the main codebase and utilized by a variety of users.
• Developing new members that will remain part of the team and contribute to the ns-3 effort even after GSoC ends.
• Providing GSoC students with experience and ideas that will be useful to them in their careers and/or research.

Student Expectations

It is also important for every student to commit fully to the effort. Applicants should recognize that being accepted into GSoC is a serious commitment and will be the focus of their time over the duration of the program. Any existing commitments for class, other jobs, etc should all be discussed as part of your application.

The Selection Process

Selection of students for GSoC is competitive; last year, this project saw a roughly 10% acceptance ratio. The students will be selected by a selecction committe which will consist of the candidate mentors and selected active maintainers. Students projects will be evaluated and scored according to the following criteria:

• 1) overall technical quality of application, including whether the project seems feasible and properly scoped, whether the student appears knowledgeable about ns-3, C++, the models that are being proposed, and the project plan including proposed milestones
• 2) relevance of project proposal to ns-3 project goals
• 3) availability of a mentor for the suggested project.

High scoring applicants may be asked to discuss their project details over email or IRC. When the evaluation process concludes, the organization administrator will determine the highest ranking applicants and if there are close rankings or concerns, hold a meeting among selection committee members to resolve tiebreakers.

A piece of advice

Based on the ns-3 team's experiences in the 2008 and 2009 Google Summer of Code, the most important factor in the success of an application and project is communication. That process begins in the application phase. Without joining the mailing list and starting some discussion of your ideas, it is unlikely your application will be complete or rich enough to be competitive. Please feel free to discuss your proposed technical approach, plan, and other factors on the mailing list while developing your application. In addition to helping you develop the necessary details, focus, and priorities to write a good application, that will also demonstrate your commitment and willingness to dedicate time to the effort. During the program, every student is expected to communicate regularly with their mentor, as well as to participate on the development mailing list and IRC chats.

Additional information about ns-3

Additional slides about the ns-3 GSoC project (from last year) are also available, from a GSoC Infosession at the University of Washington on March 5th, 2009.