[tlug] GSoC participation (was: Looking for Summer Internship in Japan)

[Attila Kinali <attila@example.com>]

On Mon, 16 Mar 2015 10:30:58 +0900
"Stephen J. Turnbull" <stephen@example.com> wrote:

>  I'm certainly distressed at the extremely low
> level of Japanese participation in GSoC.  Compare India: Indian
> students surpassed the American contingent in 2014, and they're on
> track to increase their lead this year from what I hear --
> applications open officially later today so that's just a guess.

There are more reasons for that than just the "lack of programmer".
>From what i know from a couple of OSS projects and GSoC participants
i have talked to, the main reason why GSoC is so popular in India is
due to its pay. I have been told that it can amount to of what is
needed for two years of education. Given the cost of higher education
in Japan and the US, the GSoC payment is infinitesimal.

This, combined with networking effects ("have you heard about this
easy way to get money?!?") and that certain universities in india
seem to demand their students to contribute to some OSS project,
would explain quite a lot of the different numbers.

			Attila Kinali

-- 
It is upon moral qualities that a society is ultimately founded. All 
the prosperity and technological sophistication in the world is of no 
use without that foundation.
                 -- Miss Matheson, The Diamond Age, Neil Stephenson