Day 6: Subversion is Upon Us!

The next task for the whole class of students to tackle was the installation and understanding of Subversion, a version management system we are going to use in conjunction with our team projects.  I decided to download the tool from CollabNet (2000), which offers detailed support for how to use the system for newcomers like me.  In reading the first several chapters of Version Control with Subversion, I have come to understand the first steps in deploying the system on my machines.  I experimented further to find out how to create my first repository, which I plan to use for the team project.

Chapter 2 proved to be the most helpful at this point, as I needed to know how to get files into the repositories after establishing them on a newly created server.  What is nice about CollabNet's layout of the file hierarchy is that it conforms to the books recommendations of /trunk, /branches, and /tags.

Another interesting note, the idea of Subversion providing locks on files that are currently being used is similar to the idea of two-phase locking that I learned about in CSCI 332 for database management systems.  It's nice to see the same ideas deployed in other areas of software, even though my interests are mostly concerned with the database side of things.

Day 5: Initial Dive

Our first group meeting outside of class was held at Taco Boy to develop a report on the Sugar Labs project.  Environments outside of the classroom provide for a chance to socialize and perform the Norming stage of team development.  Our research during that time lead us to devise a structure of the report for the project.  We were able to divide tasks to each team member in order to give a piece of the report at the next class meeting.

My task was to gather together all the components necessary to install a running version of the Sugar software and its Activities.  I was unable to successfully create such an environment on a Windows platform, however, I did manage to create one on Ubuntu using the following components:

• Ubuntu Software Center - search 'sugar' in the text box, then download the emulator
• Ubuntu - an open source platform used to supportthe Sugar software
• Xephyr - turns a window into a framebuffer/VOD

At first use of the software, I had already noticed some bugs (some on the part of the component used as the framebuffer, Xephyr).

Click here for a list of available OSs and their instructions for installation.

Day 4: A Bazaar Reading

The reading on Cathedral and the Bazaar was a review for me from CSCI 392.  It was refreshing to look back upon the numbered key points once again and reflect upon how they have applied to CSCI 362: Software Engineering and will, of course, apply to CSCI 462.  Eric S. Raymond's comments on the importance of documentation, effective security (no pseudo-safety measures), great programming, the treatment of co-developers, and citing work from other contributors will forever remain an active effort.

Also, today the entire team had their first experience joining an IRC client and professional mailing list (listserv) for our selection of Sugar Labs.  We decided to join the development listserv, and immediately after joining our e-mails were populated with around 12 messages concerning development of the Sugar 'Activities' and porting certain components to the XO laptop that this software adheres to.

Day 3: A Choice...

Today, it was cloudy and almost rainy, our group presented the three choices for our semester project.  It all came down to Sugar Labs as the prime contender, seeing as how OLPC was actually an organization using the software from Sugar Labs on their laptops and interest dwindled on our third choice, Open Office.

See the team wiki for a summary of each project.

Day 2: Judgment Day

The choice had been made for the final 3!  All choices involved helping the kids.  In fact, the One Laptop Per Child organization actually had the same projects available from Sugar Labs, seeing as how they used their software on the laptops they produced.  OLPC's mission statement is to deploy durable laptops targeting children (roughly in elementary schools) in certain areas of the world in order for them to create a foundation of learning.  The software from Sugar Labs is intended to teach kids to learn learning; that is, teach them the process of learning and share their knowledge with others so that it may grow.

Also, I read Ch.1-2 of TOS.  I learned about the important characteristics of a team member in developing open source software.  The ideas from these two chapters are in agreement with those expressed in The Cathedral and the Bazaar in emphasizing the importance of creating a team environment.  The treatment of co-developers is important in order for them to feel like contributing to the progress of any software project.

Day 1

Our first task for the semester-long group project was to form into groups and undergo the Forming stage of team development.  We had an exercise that allowed us to introduce ourselves, create a team name, and set roles for the team members.  Luckily, I had already become familiar with my team members as we have already had other classes together.  I became the reporter for the group and am looking forward to continuing the update process on our team wiki and this blog.