[OSM-talk] About GSOC 2012

[Andun Sameera]

Hi All,

I am a undergrad of University of Moratuwa Sri Lanka. I read your
descriptions of the GSOC ideas. I did several project which use maps
and manipulates maps. So I am really interested in doing a project
with you for this years GSOC. So can I discuss relevant thing in this
mailing list?

Can You Please provide me more details?

Thank You

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[Graham Jones]

Hi,
Thank you for your interest in applying for GSoC with Openstreetmap.   This list will be fine to ask questions.

Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

- It is important to understand the fundamentals of what OSM is, so if you have not done so before, please start by creating an account and making some improvements to the map in your local area.

- It would also be good to look at the OSM data structure.  Details of the xml file format can be found on our wiki.

- The next stage is for you to develop a project proposal - our ideas page lists quite a few ideas, but these need some development to turn them into a successful project proposal - you should be able to see our application template on the Google GSoC web site.

Hope that helps.   Please feel free to ask more questions as you develop your proposal.

Regards

Graham

--
Graham Jones

Hartlepool, UK.

[Andun Sameera]

Dear Graham,

I read the idea page and find out that following projects are really
interesting and have a good potential for me,

1 - Improve / Create Simple Android OSM editor
2 - OSM Application for Android
3 - Offline Map Viewer App with Notes - Enhancing NeoMap App for Android
4 - Android Application to have complete tracking record of Friends
using OSM Data
5 - Nominatim (or alternative)
6 - HTML Based Micromapping Editor

I did three major project in my university which is really similar to
these kind of projects, Following description will give an idea bout
those projects,

1 - Did a major Android development project called Travel
Ceylon(http://www.insightforfuture.blogspot.com/2012/01/travel-ceylon-inteligent-travel-planner.html)
as my 3rd year software project at the university. It was a Android
application which is capable of providing trip plans in side Sri
Lanka. It uses a web service to get details to generate trip plans.
That web service also created by me. Using that Axis2+Java web service
my application generates trip plans intelligently considering users
interests.

* Interest list of the traveler.
* Starting position.
* Destination position.
* Time period of travel.
* Special places to be included.
* Special places to be avoided.
* Which cities do you want to stay.

Also I am currently developing a standalone version of Travel Ceylon
app. I use my web service to get details about cities and places in
Sri Lanka. In my standalone app, I integrate all these data into the
application itself using a SQLite database.

My android App’s codebase -
https://code.google.com/p/travel-ceylon-android-client/

My Web Service’s codebase - https://code.google.com/p/travel-ceylon-web-service/

You can visit my blog link to see complete set of screen shots of my
app. In near future I will release it to Android Market.

2 - MYJE - Make Your Journey Easy : Navigational System : This project
is a navigational system for Sri Lanka, which provides you the paths
to unknown destination and guide you through the path. Users are
guided though direction commands to their destination.

3 - I did some development regarding finding bus roots in Sri Lanka.
For example if you are in Sri Lanka, You have to go by several buses
to reach a place. So I Purposed an app can suggest those buses and
routes on users request.

4 - These days I am developing an Android application for Sri Lanka
Police Department. The university choose me to do that project. Police
department want a application which shows mobile communication details
of a place. They want to use it in their crime investigations.

5 - Also I am a major web developer of my University, Currently I
leading a team which creates a new web portal for our computer
engineering department. I am really familiar with technologies like
HTML,javascript,php etc.

So having those experiences in Map related things, Android development
etc. I think I want to do a project with you. So to proceed with my
proposal work, I will do the things what you asked me. I have lot of
data related to Sri Lanka.

So can I contact those possible mentors directly to discuss about
those projects sir? Because I have lot of things to ask?

Thanks

Andun Sameera
Undergraduate
University Of Moratuwa

[Graham Jones]

Hi Andun,

It looks like you have a lot of experience that will be useful for an OSM based project  - please remember to refer to this when you apply!.

I would recommend that in addition to the suggestions on general familiarisation with OSM that I sent you earlier, that you do some research into the project ideas that you are interested in.   I put some notes in one of the Android based ones, which is are relevant to all of them - basically I would like to see development of an existing android application, rather than starting a new one, unless your proposal is for something particularly novel, as there are quite a lot around (search the OSM wiki for 'android').

Based on this research and your experience with using OSM and its related tools, I would focus on a smaller number of project ideas to decide which one to turn into an application.

I would then prefer to see questions along the lines of 'I have thought about this project idea, and think it would be good to do X and Y - does anyone have any suggestions for improving this?

You will see from the application template on the GSoC site, that we are looking for you to turn our very general project idea into a proposal that will say what you are proposing to do, an indication of how you will do it etc.

Please ask for clarifications of the project ideas on this list, because we have not allocated mentors to projects yet.

Also please put a draft application onto the GSoC web site as early as possible so that we can see it and suggest areas for improvement, rather than leave it until the last minute before uploading it, when it is too late to change it.

Regards

Graham.

[Andun Sameera]

Dear Graham,

Thank You Sir for the detailed instruction set. As you said I am
currently doing some playing with OSM. Also I am doing some research
for choosing a specific idea. Soon I will choose one.

So if I choose one form that idea list, I have to give my proposal
saying what I am going implement that project idea. Simply my plan.
Isn't it?
Also can I put proposal's to more than one project from your organization?

Thank You Sir

[Andun Sameera]

Dear Sir,

I have download the source code of CycleStreet app and did some
checking. So according to my understanding it mainly focus on cycle
rides near London. Also data is little bit low outside those major
cities. We can plan some routes using that application.
Anyway considering the project "OSM Application for Android " is it
good or bad to develop that CycelStreet app? Because the connection
between OSM Application for Android and CycleStreet map is less. I am
asking this because I have less knowledge about it.
Anyway CycleStreet have good features like GoogleMaps, Also i have
identified some potential features that can be added. So what is your
idea sir.

Thank You

[Andun Sameera]

Dear Sir,

After playing some time with CycleStreet App, I have identified some
features which should be there. So can we discuss them here or do we
have to wait until proposal submissions?

Thank You Sir.