Feedback request: OpenJDK Community Innovator's Challenge Grants

[Neo Jia]

On Jan 3, 2008 11:38 AM, Andy Tripp <openjdk at jazillian.com> wrote:
>
>  Hi Ray,
>  Here are my thoughts...
>
>  Ray Gans wrote:
>
>
> Proposals could be made by groups of individuals, existing F/OSS teams,
> companies/organizations, Java User Groups, etc.
>  Presumably also individuals, right?
>
>
> - Proposals will be accepted until March 3, 2008. At this time the proposals
> will be judged by a team of people (we're thinking 2 from Sun and 3 from
> outside Sun). Make this "group of 5" be an OpenJDK group, with all (or most)
> discussions on an open mailing list.
>
>
>
> Note that no money will be available until August and all awards must be
> distributed at that time.
>  It might be worthwhile to have at least one fairly formal milestone for
> each project, so the project developers can be sure they're "on the right
> track".
>
>
>
> - Projects can only have limited dependence on Sun
> involvement/participation. This is for fairness across all projects.
> Likewise, projects cannot require a commitment by Sun for significant
> time/effort for success since we cannot guarantee adequate Sun resources
> will be available -- for example, a project to build a better bug database
> for OpenJDK, while very useful, would require heavy involvement by Sun
> personnel to integrate it with Sun's internal bug management systems.
>
>  Each proposal should be required to spell out exactly what it requires from
> Sun. Using your bug database project example, it might require a snapshot of
> the current Sun bug database as simple comma-separated values. One snapshot
> at the start of the project and then another snapshot in August to cut over
> to the new database.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> - What kind of projects do you think would be valuable to the OpenJDK

I can provide something I have when I hack the jdk especially GC part,
which might help somebody to start their jdk projects.

Where should I put them? It is on my personal wiki now.

Thanks,
Neo

> community? A "How to Hack the OpenJDK" book.
>  A better bug database (obviously, you've already thought of that :) ).
>  Massive improvements to the build system (Kelly O'Hair on steriods).
>  A remote build system that lets a developer make changes locally and submit
> changes to a server and get back executables for his platform, without him
> having to know anything about how the build works.
>  A version of Android based on OpenJDK.
>
>
> - What selection criteria should be used to choose the best proposals? The
> group should just have some general criteria statement like "Projects that
> advance the goals of the OpenJDK project" and then reference a link that
> spells out the goals of OpenJDK. Unfortunately, the only such like I can
> find is this: http://www.sun.com/software/opensource/java/faq.jsp#e
>  So maybe spell out the goals yourselves: "increased adoption and increased
> innovation"
>
>
> - How many proposals should be accepted? Seven or less sounds good.
>
>
> - Do you think the OpenJDK community at  large should have any input into
> the proposal selection process? Other than to allow anyone to participate in
> a mailing list discussion, no.
>
>
> - Who you think would make good objective judges for the program and why?
> Inside Sun, someone like you and a Mark Reinhold/Danny Coward type of
> person. Outside Sun, you just want to be sure to pick people who want to
> advance OpenJDK itself, as opposed to pushing some social agenda or some
> OpenJDK alternative.
>
>
> - What thoughts do you have about how the proposal selection process should
> be handled? After the proposal submission period ends, publish the
> proposals, allow a couple weeks of discussion on a mailing list,
>  and then the "group of 5" votes. If greater than 7 submissions, each person
> may only vote for 7 proposals and
>  the 7 proposals with the most votes win. If 7 or less, A yes/no vote on
> each. To break down the money awards,
>  after discussion, any of the 5 can submit a proposal for how to split the
> awards.
>  The first such proposal to get 3 yes votes wins.
>
>
> - Do you think the OpenJDK community at large should have any input into
> selecting projects that really excel (and be awarded larger prizes)? Again,
> hold the discussions on open mailing lists and allow anyone to comment.
>
>
> - What criteria should be used to determine the payout for cash awards? Use
> some vague wording such as "Award amount will be based on potential value to
> the OpenJDK community".
>  And I would keep it to being based on value, not difficulty. No need for a
> "degree of difficulty" modifier.
>
>
> - How should abandoned or non-completed projects be handled and what should
> constitute a "completed" project? I presume accepted project participants
> will have to sign something simple that says they will do their best to
> complete
>  the project by a certain date. It should also mention that if they can't
> complete the project, they must post a notice
>  on the mailing list.
>
>
> - How should awards be handled for project team members who drop out or are
> added after a proposal is accepted? Ugh. That's a tough one. I guess that
> this thing that accepted projects would have to sign should designate a
> single
>  entity (person or corp) that will receive the money, and that Sun will
> award the money to that entity. Who gets
>  added or deleted or whatever from the project team is then none of Sun's
> business. You sure don't want to
>  try to micromanage that.
>
>  So, this "You've been accepted" document might contain:
>  * notice that you've been accepted
>  * expectation that you'll finish by $DATE, that it will be reasonable
> quality, and it will be substantially what's in the proposal.
>  * promise that Sun will pay the amount of $AMOUNT on date $DATE to $ENTITY
> upon successful completion
>  * description of any milestones
>  * mention that ultimately, "successful completion" will be determined by
> this "group of 5".
>  * mention that Sun stays out of issues about who is on the project
>  * mention any help that Sun agrees to (e.g. one bug database dump at start,
> another at end)
>  * any other required legal mumbo jumbo
>
>
>
>
> Please send your thoughts to discuss at openjdk.java.net.
>
>
> Thanks,
>
>
> The OpenJDK team at Sun Good Luck with it!
>  Andy
>
>



-- 
I would remember that if researchers were not ambitious
probably today we haven't the technology we are using!