Is there any forum for duscussing potential GSoc projects?
If Moodle is applying for GSoC this year, please let's add a project about "Translation in context", as discussed and described in this post: https://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=347843
I am summarizing it here again:
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Translation in context means that you can see where the translated string is being used, and you can correct it in place. It is very important for the accuracy of translations.
There are a couple of ways for implementing it, which are discussed here: https://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=347843
The most feasible one is the David's proposal to implement it by a plugin (block or admin tool) that does the following:
- The plugin provides a custom string manager class to track the strings used at the page (function `get_string()` could track all strings used at the current page).
- This list of strings and their (current) translations can be appended to the page.
- At the footer of the page (or on the menu) will appear a link that says "Edit translations on this page".
- When this link (or menu item) is clicked, an AJAX form or JS overlay should appear, which allows to edit the translations of these strings.
- When changes are saved, the page is refreshed and the new translations appear on it.
- Translation changes made over time should be able to be exported and to be uploaded to the server of translations (lang.moodle.org) for review and acceptance by language admins.
The last point can be done from the admin interface of the plugin. On the admin interface can also be a switch to enable/disable this in-context translation feature (maybe for performance reasons).
--------------->8-------------------------I have also tried to add a new feature request on the tracker, but I have not been able to. Please help me with this as well, even if the project is not submitted for the GSoC.
Hi Dashamir,
Students are always able to submit their own project ideas as part of GSOC - typically we only add projects to the GSOC Project ideas page in moodledocs when we have a confirmed mentor that wants to mentor a specific project idea.
Moodle has applied to be part of GSOC 2018 but so far we only have a very small number of developers who have expressed an interest in being a GSOC mentor.
I can volunteer to be a mentor for this project ("Translation in context"), although I don't have experience with Moodle development.
I can find only this page about GSoC: https://docs.moodle.org/dev/GSOC
Thanks for the offer but GSOC mentors are really the Lead Developer on the project - they need to have very solid Moodle development skills and a strong understanding of Moodle development processes with the ability to transfer those skills to a junior developer.
Thanks Dashamir for raising this, and thanks Dan for prompt reply!
It is a good suggestion for the "Translation in context" project. Although it should be said that I see it a bit too challenging, too. It requires certain changes in the AMOS plugin (the one running at lang.moodle.org) which is likely to open a whole can of worms to deal with first (most particularly the long term task to refactor the AMOS string repository storage).
Let me suggest that we wait first to see if Moodle is accepted as a GSoC organisation. We can add this project into the GSoC wishlist / suggestions. But as Dan already mentioned, most Moodle core developers are fully occupied with other duties and can't responsibly accept to fulfil the GSoC mentorship requirements.
Also, let me remind there are other ways how to get certain features / projects done - most notably via the Moodle User Association.
Thanks Dan and David for your answers. And also for pointing out the Moodle User Association.
Dear Moodle Team,
I’m Emmanuel Jerry Dauda, a postgraduate student in Department of Computer Science at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria - Nigeria.
I’m researching and specializing in Semantic Web Application Development. I have proficient knowledge of programming in Java, PHP (object-oriented), HTML/CSS, JQuery, Ajax and MySQL. I also have knowledge of GIT, JSON, RESTful design, JUnit, Unix, Maven, SpringBoot, MicroServices, Docker, AWS technologies such as AWS Lambda.
A friend introduced me to the Google Summer of Code (GSoC) coming up later in May this year and after much review of Organizations and Projects on the GSoC platform, I came across Moodle, which provides a learning environment for Educators, Administrators and Learners, and also does mentoring of students participating in GSoC.
I write to pitch my creative computing idea of developing a collaborative Learning Platform for young minds (ages 6 - 18+), the concept is aimed at enhancing their programming skills and ensuring they become proactive creators of technologies rather than passive consumers of technology, at a younger age.
I would love to be mentored by the Moodle organization to build this concept this Summer, and work with the organization as an Open-Source Developer. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Emmanuel Jerry Dauda
Thanks Jerry. Please note that Moodle has not been yet confirmed as a hosting organisation for this year. Also, to be honest, what you describe looks more like creating an actual LMS site with specialized content and focus, which is not fully in scope of the Moodle development roadmap. Thank you for understanding.
David is quite correct, Jerry, but given Moodle's Open Source licensing there is no reason you could not work towards adapting a Moodle for your own purposes. Essentially, take moodle Core, identify your particular and specialist needs, strip it down to the bare necessities to meet your goals and rebuild it in your new image. Not easy, and may not turn out like you want, but that will certainly help you decide on what you really want in the end and produce something that is closer to your need. That may take some time, so building your own LMS, from your own ideas, not trying to adapt something else, someone else's ideas may be more helpful in the longer term.
sure - it's possible to make Moodle meet those requirements but what Colin describes is unlikely to be an appropriate GSOC project either.
If you want to participate in GSOC with Moodle (and we are accepted as an org) you might want to take a look at our existing project ideas list: https://docs.moodle.org/dev/Projects_for_new_developers
Given the high number of Moodle plugins, I believe there must be some plugin out there that fulfills the needs of Emmanuel Jerry Dauda. If not, the most easy way to implement what he needs would be to build one or more new Moodle plugins, instead of trying to build a new LMS.
sure - but it would need to be a very well structured proposal with a very cool idea and a student able to easily demonstrate their existing abilities to attract a mentor willing to help work on it.
Probably some good learning design, coupled with the virtual programming lab plugin - maybe some others (I think one of Gareth Barnard's themes has code highlighting in the editor, for example), maybe build an integration with Scratch I there isn't one already.