[haiku] Google Summer of Code Introduction
- From: Scott Jacovidis <scottybe2012@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: haiku@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2012 21:58:17 -0400
Full name: Scott Jacovidis
Timezone: US/Eastern
Email address: ScottyBe2012@xxxxxxxxx
Trac username (dev.haiku-os.org): ScottyBeGSOC
IRC username (freenode.net): ScottyBe2012
GitHub repository: spiceweasel
Will you treat Google Summer of Code as full time employment? Yes
How many hours per week will you work? 35-45 hours week.
List all obligations (and their dates) that may take time away from
GSoC (a second job, vacations, classes, ...): June 2nd Wedding out of
state (2-3 days). A vacation with unknown date will take place lasting
no more than 3-4 days.
Are you using Google Summer of Code to fulfill a university
requirement -- internship, class credit? No
Introduction
I am Scott Jacovidis. A self-taught programmer who has been computing
as a hobby for over 15 years. I have completed many projects for
personal use, family and friends, and for profit. Even with extensive
computer knowledge and lots of demonstrable experience, I was unable
to open the doors to advance my career. I then made the decision to
get a degree in computer science. I am currently finishing my
Sophomore year at West Virginia University Institute of Technology in
Montgomery, WV.
I choose Haiku for a Google Summer of Code project for one reason--the
Be Operating System is still my favorite operating system of all time
and Haiku is recreating the experience that I love. Back in the days
when BeOS was up and coming, I had dreams of software that is still
unmatched by commercial products today. I know that the only way to
reach my goals is to build on the core functionality that BeOS (and
subsequently Haiku) have laid out so effectively. I would like to take
part in making Haiku a success.
I have experience programming a variety of languages on 3 main
platforms (Microsoft Windows, BeOS, Linux). I have written software
for a hair salon in Visual Basic 6 along other utilities in 1999. I
learned C++ around the same time and wrote Matching Columns and
Batl3092 for the BeOS. I later learnend PHP and MySQL in 2004 to
facilitate the construction of an auction website. In 2005 I found
Django for web development, learned Python, and have been building web
applications ever since. Accomplishments in Django include: An
auction/barter website (never published), A work order, payroll, and
inventory system for satellite dish installation companies
www.jacovidis.com, a tool for amateur radio operators www.ai3tx.com
(currently down due to server change over), and www.myfloodalert.com
which was built for a client who wanted an easy way to collect data
from the National Weather Service and display flood information on
Google Maps. I have experience in graphics design, user interface
design, and coding.
I am experienced in many flavors of Linux. My favorite version is
Slackware. I enjoy configuring my servers and other software manually
for the educational experience. As such, I was able to gain experience
with the source code to many different open source projects and have
compiled many pieces of software that didn't have packaging for the
system. I can track down missing dependencies and fix many errors that
occur during compilation.
GSOC Projects of Interest
Although I am not including proposals in this introductory post, I
would like the community to know where my interest are. Ideas at the
top of this list represent highest interest and are the ones that I
have thought about more extensively. I will be posting the proposals
as they are completed and would love to have both positive and
negative feedback on each.
*** Code View (Modular Edit View) - as proposed on haiku-os.org with
features that extend the base functionality. Will meet the criteria
of a project that I planned for the BeOS until Eclipse stole my
thunder.
*** Graphical Project Manager - as proposed on haiku-os.org. I
understand the need to have an easy to use project manager. BeIDE was
quite helpful in relieving the stress of learning compilers when I was
first learning to program C++.
*** Tracker Add-on for Source Control - as proposed on haiku-os.org.
Thoughts of this would also include the possibility of completing the
haiku-os.org proposal for the Track Plugin for "Test and Commit
Patches".
*** Miscellaneous Original Ideas - combined into one proposal for GSOC
Tab Manager - allows the user to arrange two or more windows and
designate them as a set. Then subsequently added windows would behave
much like the layered tab views bringing a row of tabs to the front
when one tab in that row is clicked. This would require alterations to
to the window manager.
Window Group Manager - allows the windowing system to remember
the positioning of windows as they correspond to a project or task.
Desktop Icon Manager (Replicant) - Allow the user to manage
desktop links in a scrolling view.
*** Preflet GUI Refactoring Haiku-os.org idea. Along with the 6 ideas
listed, I would add more by gathering requirements from the user
community as to make this project big enough to last all summer.
I look forward to being part of your community and hope that you can
see that I share the excitement that the Haiku Operating System is
poised to bring.
Scott Jacovidis
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