[Tux4kids-discuss] [Tuxmath-devel] [fwd] Invitation: Apply to be a Mentoring Organization for GCI [Google Code-In; like GSOC, but for teenagers]

[David Bruce]

Hi Brendan et al,

On Wed, Oct 27, 2010 at 2:27 PM, Brendan Luchen <bml4633 at rit.edu> wrote:
> All,
>
> Looks like the deadline for orgs is tomorrow. Sounds like the consensus is,
> let's do it, but I don't believe we've applied (although I haven't been able
> to confirm by seeing a list of applications).

No, I haven't done an application.

> Do we have something resembling a task list?

Not really. At the mentor summit, there was a discussion of this.  We
just need to post a list of an initial group of tasks.  We can add
more tasks throughout the project.  They can be of widely differing
difficulty, but from a time perspective they should be something an
experienced dev could complete in a full day.  It is expected that the
students will take longer than a day per task.

Some initial thoughts on non-programming tasks:
- provide a new language translation for a Tux4Kids app
- convert the factoroids *.png images to svg images
- convert tuxtype's images to svg (might be more than one task)
- find more suitably-licensed game music files for either app
- create word lists, phrase lists, typing drills, or other "content"
for tuxtype.
- create documentation for tux4kids-admin.

Code stuff - unfortunately, a lot of difficult and invasive changes
are going on right now.
However, "factoroids" is fairly self-contained, and I think could be improved:
- replace tuxmath-style LED monitor with "prime number guns", with new
artwork for a "2-gun", "3-gun", "5-gun", and so forth up through maybe
11 or 13.
- have the gun shoot a numeral-labeled projectile instead of the laser.
- arrange the waves in order of prime factors - first wave powers of
2; second wave multiples of twos and threes; third wave twos, threes,
and fives; etc.
- there is also a need to create a graphic screen in tuxmath's LAN
game to select a server if more than one tuxmathserver instance is
found on the network (I've procrastinated on that for a year).

> I could take care of the application paperwork if needed...

That would be extremely helpful.  I've come back into the thick of
things after the mentor summit, although I may have some time tomorrow
morning.

David