[llvm-dev] We really need more community involvement with GSoC

Bruce Hoult via llvm-dev llvm-dev at lists.llvm.org
Sat Mar 19 03:26:06 PDT 2016


I work for one of those "top companies", but LLVM is only one of the
back-ends I'm working with so I have only pretty narrow knowledge of it
(but ok knowledge of compilers in general, I hope).

I'm trying to post easy to understand answers to those beginner questions
when I have time (there was one yesterday, about constant evaluating things
like sqrt() in the front end).

One concern I have is that although these basic questions often have no
answers on the mailing list, any number of people might well have replied
to them privately, in an effort to both be helpful to the questioner, and
also to "maintain the signal to noise ratio" of the mailing list.

Of course I don't know if this is really happening or not, but if it is
then the wasted duplication of effort is probably worse than a few extra
messages on the list. Which is why I copy the list as well.

The "office hours" idea would definitely help with all this, if beginners
can in fact be encouraged to use it.

I'd probably use it myself, as I'm a novice to many aspects of LLVM.



On Fri, Mar 18, 2016 at 3:47 PM, vivek pandya via llvm-dev <
llvm-dev at lists.llvm.org> wrote:

> Note : I do not mean to compare or criticize any organization. This is
> based on my experience.
>
> Dear Community,
>
> I have subscribed llvm-dev list for last 6 months and I follow most of the
> thread when it makes sense to me. I have observed that some times some
> mails do not get any kind of response. Mostly novice students and some one
> trying to use LLVM in the research have many questions.
> I respect all community members and I understand that working for top
> companies or colleges keep them very busy. So when I go on IRC same things
> happens ( I keep my self up late night to sync with timezone so I get many
> people to ask on IRC).
>  Personally if I stretch my self and read some older mail chains, I am
> able to get answers to my questions 80% of time, but some time I just get
> stuck and some times to understand output and "why it has happen so" a
> novice may require help from you people.
>
> I have just one suggestion that is not particular to GSoC but it applies
> in general. Actually Drupal.org uses this idea. See this
> https://www.drupal.org/core-office-hours
> Every Monday and Wednesday they keep a session on IRC  (just textual chat)
> dedicated to novice student may be an hour long or so. To keep main channel
> undisturbed we may have a separate channel. (or slack.com )  The time
> chosen for both days are very different so that they can cover may time
> zones. 2 or 3 experienced community members attends this session and
> answers to the each kind of questions from participant. This will help
> students and researchers very much. Specially if they are not able to
> progress by their own.
> I have been benefited from this on Drupal. LLVM is more complex code base
> than Drupal. And I believe that your 60 minutes may save their days.
>
>
> Sincerely,
> Vivek
>
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>
>
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