MelangeIntro.wiki - wiki - Git at Google


            
            #summary An introduction to Melange

            
            #labels Contents-Draft,Phase-Guidelines,Importance-Overview


            = Melange, the Spice of Creation =


            == What is Melange? ==


            Melange is the combination of a [SoCOverview framework] and multiple web

            
            applications (including [GSoC GSoC] and [GHOP GHOP]) implemented to be

            
            [AppEngine deployed on Google App Engine].


            === Replacing the GSoC web application ===


            Originally, Melange was envisioned as an effort to produce an

            
            open-source implementation of the [GSoC Google Summer of Code]^TM^ web

            
            application.  At first, the GSoC web application appears to be part

            
            [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Content_management_system content management system],

            
            part

            
            [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ticketing_system issue tracking system],

            
            and part

            
            [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Customer_relationship_management customer relationship manager].


            But, while the GSoC web application shares some features in common with

            
            those systems, it is quite different in its purpose.  The purpose of GSoC

            
            (which is facilitiated by the web application) is to serve as a catalyst

            
            for introducing college students to open source and free software

            
            communities, in the hopes that these students would find a homes in those

            
            communities and thrive.  To that end, the GSoC web application tends to

            
            be more specific and less general than existing systems like those

            
            mentioned previously.


            As much as GSoC attempts to inspire new open source developers, it has not

            
            previously been able to actually embrace them in the development of the

            
            GSoC web application itself.  Initially, with the launch of the enabling

            
            [http://code.google.com/appengine/ Google App Engine], the plan was to create

            
            an open-sourced GSoC web application.  It would have to be created from

            
            scratch, because the existing code is (unfortunately) wired directly to

            
            Google infrastructure interfaces, which are old enough to be quite

            
            unlike AppEngine.


            The [http://code.google.com/opensource/ Open Source Programs Office (OSPO)]

            
            at Google believes in promoting the release of Google source code under

            
            open source licenses.  [GSoC Google Summer of Code]^TM^ is a major

            
            program for the OSPO team.  So, it makes sense for the OSPO team to

            
            develop the GSoC web application as open source and in the open.  And,

            
            now that hosting infrastructure with Google scalability is available

            
            via AppEngine, we intend to do just that.


            === Moving beyond the GSoC web application ===


            It seems there are other real-world programs and sponsors that are

            
            interested in a workflow similar to that found in the GSoC web

            
            application.  In order to take advantage of hosting on AppEngine,

            
            the existing GSoC web application needs to be rewritten from scratch.

            
            Given that necessity, _now_ seems like the ideal time involve the

            
            community of users (mentors, students, and organization administrators)

            
            of the existing web application in the creation of something that can

            
            be used not just by Google, but by anyone, to host programs like the

            
            [GSoC GSoC] and [GHOP GHOP], to the continued benefit of open source

            
            and free software.


            So, the goal of this project is not merely to open-source the GSoC web

            
            application, but to create a framework for representing open source and

            
            free software contribution workflows. Using this framework, and copying

            
            and modifying the Melange web applications built upon it, it should be

            
            possible for anyone to host future programs similar to

            
            [GSoC GSoC] and the

            
            [GHOP Google Highly Open Participation]^TM^ Contest) on the

            
            [http://code.google.com/appengine/ Google App Engine].


            This project will be a success if these real-world programs continue

            
            to bring students and other open source and free software contributors

            
            together with existing open source and free software organizations.

            
            As previous years of _Google Summer of Code_ have shown, the open source

            
            and free software communities benefit greatly from the catalyst for

            
            development that these programs provide.


            === Building a community to help open source and free software build theirs ===


            This project is not just about code.  It is about forming a thriving

            
            community. The results of the Melange project will not be

            
            [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtYJoatnHb8 thrown over the wall or worked on in secret],

            
            with only occasional releases and annual sponsorship of

            
            _Google Summer of Code_ programs. Instead, we will actively engage the

            
            open source and free software community to continue to make these

            
            programs, and the web applications that make them possible, better and

            
            more effective at welcoming new contributors to the community.


            === Contributing ===


            To expand the usefulness of the fruits of this development effort, we

            
            seek suggestions, guidance, and contributions (in the form of source

            
            code, of course!) from the open source and free software community.

            
            Please see the [ContributionTerms guidelines for contributors] if you are

            
            interested in contributing to the design and development of Melange and

            
            the [SoCOverview SoC framework].


            === Concept Diagram ===


            [http://soc.googlecode.com/svn/wiki/images/MelangeOverview.dot http://soc.googlecode.com/svn/wiki/images/MelangeOverview.dot.png]


            == Legend ==


            || *-------* || direct dependency (inheritance, method call, etc.) ||

            
            || *- - - -* || indirect dependency (call-back, etc.) ||


            ----

            
            _Copyright 2008 Google Inc._

            
            _This work is licensed under a_

            
            [http://soc.googlecode.com/svn/wiki/html/licenses/cc-by-attribution-2_5.html Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License].

            
            [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/ http://soc.googlecode.com/svn/wiki/html/licenses/cc-by-2_5-88x31.png]
	#summary An introduction to Melange
	#labels Contents-Draft,Phase-Guidelines,Importance-Overview

	= Melange, the Spice of Creation =

	== What is Melange? ==

	Melange is the combination of a [SoCOverview framework] and multiple web
	applications (including [GSoC GSoC] and [GHOP GHOP]) implemented to be
	[AppEngine deployed on Google App Engine].

	=== Replacing the GSoC web application ===

	Originally, Melange was envisioned as an effort to produce an
	open-source implementation of the [GSoC Google Summer of Code]^TM^ web
	application. At first, the GSoC web application appears to be part
	[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Content_management_system content management system],
	part
	[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ticketing_system issue tracking system],
	and part
	[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Customer_relationship_management customer relationship manager].

	But, while the GSoC web application shares some features in common with
	those systems, it is quite different in its purpose. The purpose of GSoC
	(which is facilitiated by the web application) is to serve as a catalyst
	for introducing college students to open source and free software
	communities, in the hopes that these students would find a homes in those
	communities and thrive. To that end, the GSoC web application tends to
	be more specific and less general than existing systems like those
	mentioned previously.

	As much as GSoC attempts to inspire new open source developers, it has not
	previously been able to actually embrace them in the development of the
	GSoC web application itself. Initially, with the launch of the enabling
	[http://code.google.com/appengine/ Google App Engine], the plan was to create
	an open-sourced GSoC web application. It would have to be created from
	scratch, because the existing code is (unfortunately) wired directly to
	Google infrastructure interfaces, which are old enough to be quite
	unlike AppEngine.

	The [http://code.google.com/opensource/ Open Source Programs Office (OSPO)]
	at Google believes in promoting the release of Google source code under
	open source licenses. [GSoC Google Summer of Code]^TM^ is a major
	program for the OSPO team. So, it makes sense for the OSPO team to
	develop the GSoC web application as open source and in the open. And,
	now that hosting infrastructure with Google scalability is available
	via AppEngine, we intend to do just that.

	=== Moving beyond the GSoC web application ===

	It seems there are other real-world programs and sponsors that are
	interested in a workflow similar to that found in the GSoC web
	application. In order to take advantage of hosting on AppEngine,
	the existing GSoC web application needs to be rewritten from scratch.
	Given that necessity, _now_ seems like the ideal time involve the
	community of users (mentors, students, and organization administrators)
	of the existing web application in the creation of something that can
	be used not just by Google, but by anyone, to host programs like the
	[GSoC GSoC] and [GHOP GHOP], to the continued benefit of open source
	and free software.

	So, the goal of this project is not merely to open-source the GSoC web
	application, but to create a framework for representing open source and
	free software contribution workflows. Using this framework, and copying
	and modifying the Melange web applications built upon it, it should be
	possible for anyone to host future programs similar to
	[GSoC GSoC] and the
	[GHOP Google Highly Open Participation]^TM^ Contest) on the
	[http://code.google.com/appengine/ Google App Engine].

	This project will be a success if these real-world programs continue
	to bring students and other open source and free software contributors
	together with existing open source and free software organizations.
	As previous years of _Google Summer of Code_ have shown, the open source
	and free software communities benefit greatly from the catalyst for
	development that these programs provide.

	=== Building a community to help open source and free software build theirs ===

	This project is not just about code. It is about forming a thriving
	community. The results of the Melange project will not be
	[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtYJoatnHb8 thrown over the wall or worked on in secret],
	with only occasional releases and annual sponsorship of
	_Google Summer of Code_ programs. Instead, we will actively engage the
	open source and free software community to continue to make these
	programs, and the web applications that make them possible, better and
	more effective at welcoming new contributors to the community.

	=== Contributing ===

	To expand the usefulness of the fruits of this development effort, we
	seek suggestions, guidance, and contributions (in the form of source
	code, of course!) from the open source and free software community.
	Please see the [ContributionTerms guidelines for contributors] if you are
	interested in contributing to the design and development of Melange and
	the [SoCOverview SoC framework].

	=== Concept Diagram ===

	[http://soc.googlecode.com/svn/wiki/images/MelangeOverview.dot http://soc.googlecode.com/svn/wiki/images/MelangeOverview.dot.png]

	== Legend ==

	\|\| ------- \|\| direct dependency (inheritance, method call, etc.) \|\|
	\|\| - - - - \|\| indirect dependency (call-back, etc.) \|\|

	----
	_Copyright 2008 Google Inc._
	_This work is licensed under a_
	[http://soc.googlecode.com/svn/wiki/html/licenses/cc-by-attribution-2_5.html Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License].
	[http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/ http://soc.googlecode.com/svn/wiki/html/licenses/cc-by-2_5-88x31.png]