Fun Facts about our Google Summer of Code Interns
As we come to the end of the 2016 Google Summer of Code program, before we give you a wrap-up on all the amazing work they did throughout the summer, let’s take a look back at where they’ve come from by highlighting some of the fun facts and interesting information they shared with us at the start of the program.
When and why did you start coding?
When and why did you start coding?
Nikhil: I remember when I was in grade two, I had ‘introduction to computer’ as a subject. This was for the first time, we were taught programming in Logo. In logo, we used to draw basic geometric figures like square, circle, rectangle and it was fun. This was the only subject besides Math, wherein I had to use logic and not just memorize answers. This is where my love for coding and computer science in general began.
Duplex: All started in 2008, when I was in high school and my drawing teacher Mr Kangne Arnaud was coming to the class with his laptop. I can remember how extraordinary it was seeing someone with a laptop in Cameroon particularly in the town I was. He spent hours and hours in front of his computer and showed us some nice 3D drawing plan. That is how I got impressed and in 2009 I bought my first computer and started learning drawing too. After that, I was facing a lot of problems downloading and installing software, and was how I connected with my elder brother who was reading computer science in the university. The guy was so amazing for me; it was as if he knew everything concerning computers. He encouraged me to apply to an engineering school (Faculty of Engineering and Technology of the University of Buea) the actual school where I am now. This was in 2010 when we were introduced to C programming and it was so excited to print a “hello world!” in the terminal of my computer. That is how I started writing code.
Rajan: I started coding in 2014, actually, when I got admission in B.Tech. (Information Technology & Mathematical Innovations) degree program in August 2013
My first semester was normal, but from second semester on we’ve had to do projects in every subject, so I started learning java, for my academic subject and then started coding in Android. Now it’s become my hobby, developing android applications.
Daniel: I started coding in October 2013 during my first programming course in the university – Introduction to Programming where we had to write programs in the C programming language. This was my first contact with programming or a programming language.
Vishwajeet: I got introduced to coding during the computer programming course of my university in the end of 2013. Since then I have been doing programming, initially in C and from the past one year in the Java programming language.
Adhyan: I started my journey with coding in 2014, so it’s been a long time since I am coding. I was introduced to coding by the professor of my college and was mesmerised by the power of it like we just need a computer and an internet connection to help people improve their lives.
Mohit: I was very much fascinated with the computers since my early years. I started a little bit of coding when i was in the 10th grade. It was so much exciting to see how u can automate the task from some lines of code. I started Coding because it was fun and all the stuff which can be made excites me a lot 😉
What was your biggest challenge you overcame this summer?
What was your biggest challenge you overcame this summer?
Mohit: It was because of my love Javascript and AngularJS, I was looking for the same project with similar requirements and once I landed on the GSOC ideas page of Mifos and I was really amazed to see how Mifos is helping poverty stricken areas by the help of open source. Working with Mifos would probably have more impact on the masses and my contribution would really be a significant one.
Duplex: My biggest challenge was to fix broken components of such a large application after upgrade the AngularJS version from 1.2 to 1.5.
Vishwajeet: In my opinion, one of the biggest challenge which I overcome was to write a better quality code. Before GSoC I was never focussed about the code quality but now after working with my mentors I understood that this is the most important and critical feature of every good codebase. I am happy that I wrote a much better code now then what I used to write and I will keep on improving this skill.
Daniel: Getting my mentors(Ayuk and Antony) along with Ed and Adi to accept my specification document (They kept saying it was too high level- didn’t really understand what they meant by that at first). In addition I overcame getting data from the Mifos platform and fixing the Cross Origin Resource error.
Adhyan: Earlier, I was not very much comfortable in working with large code bases i.e it took some time to get hang of it. But after working with Mifos, I don’t think it would be an issue now.
Rajan: Mifos android-client had many contributors and some of them had done extraordinary work like Ishan, Satya, and Olya. Now my work started from here, where I had to implement Offline sync feature, for that I had to write DatabaseHelper. I had two options, first start writing code as people were writing and the second one to implement MVP architecture.
It was very tough to decide. But I finally decided to implement MVP first, because Ishan told me to focus on quality during writing the code and I worked about 7-8 days full time in order to complete it.
Reading other people code, shifting according to MVP and fixing error was all that I was doing in that time. That was the biggest challenge to me. Believe me fixing second person code is most challenging, rather than writing that thing yourself. As I have finished with MVP, everything is easy to read and write new code.
Nikhil: Designing a module and getting the approval for community was a unique and challenging experience.
You need to collaborate with the community members , convince them and get their approval for the design and later the code. It takes some time and patience but the experience is rewarding.
You’ve only been a part of the community for a few weeks now but you all have made such great contributions, what’s been most rewarding for you so far?
You’ve only been a part of the community for a few weeks now but you all have made such great contributions, what’s been most rewarding for you so far?
Daniel: The most rewarding for me was when I submitted my first pull request. This was my first ever pull request ever made to an open source project. This gave a sense of I can and prompted me to work harder in the community.
Mohit: I remember my first PR which i submitted was merged after so many alterations that was the most rewarding moment for me because i didn’t gave up. Interacting with so many developers in the community makes u feel great. Talking with different people across the globe makes u feel great and the feeling of making a contribution which is going to affect such a large number of people is just indescribable 😉
Duplex: During this few weeks contribution to Mifos, the most rewarding for me so far, is the research I carry out when written my proposal. I had to read a lot about technique of optimizations and maintenance of large AngularJS application.
Rajan: When I refactored the mifos android-client code base and implemented the Model View Presenter(MVP) framework and sent the PR(https://github.com/openMF/android-client/pull/232). That was most rewarding for me.
Vishwajeet: The most rewarding thing for me till now is to get a chance to interact with some of the very talented people especially Satya Narayan who is very senior community member and the author of famous Android Library “Sugar ORM”. He has taken my interview for GSOC, which was like a dream come true for me.
Adhyan: The most rewarding thing for me would have to be my increased patience level for a problem. I still remember solving the first PR for this community, it took more than a day to solve it 🙂
Nikhil: I had put lot of efforts on this proposal. Being accepted was the biggest reward for me. Besides this, I also got a chance to interact with some of the brightest and innovative minds and I think my efforts have just started to pay off.
What is the one thing you’re hoping to learn or take away from your Google Summer of Code internship?
What is the one thing you’re hoping to learn or take away from your Google Summer of Code internship?
Adhyan: Improvement in coding is one of thing which I would take away from GSOC internship. Apart from this, I am hoping to make good relationships with the community, fellow interns and especially the mentors with whom I will be involved throughout this summer.
Duplex: I am really excited to learn some techniques of optimization, maintenance, user experience and improve my communication skills.
Vishwajeet: The art of writing excellent and easy to understandable code with large code coverage is one thing which I want to learn from my summer of code internship.
Daniel: I hope to learn and understand better how to manage and work or contribute on a very large code base
Mohit: Other than all the obvious technical skills that one acquires after working on such a large codebase, one of the most important thing I’ll learn is how to manage a big project like this one and to collaborate with developers from all around the globe.
Rajan: I want to get the experience to write architectural code that will be easy to read and easy to understand for new contributor.
Nikhil: I hope to learn and understand better how to manage and work or contribute on a very large code base.
Most of us on the project have been away from college for a number of years but we all have fond memories – what’s your most memorable experience from university thus far?
Most of us on the project have been away from college for a number of years but we all have fond memories – what’s your most memorable experience from university thus far?
Rajan: Before one year, I got one year experience in Android and I have gone to many android development competitions including university computer science department Android app development competition and I did not qualify in any. I learn a lot that shows me why I disqualify and which mistakes, I have done so far. I put my full effort to not repeat them again. I think. That is the reason I got selected in GSOC 2016.
Duplex: My most memorable experience from university thus far is my participation in GSOC 2015 program it was a wonderful and stressful experience.
Vishwajeet: In my freshman year, I was the part of college dramatics team. We have participated in Inter-university dramatics competition organised at our university’s cultural festival, at the end we won that competition by beating 20 other teams. It was definitely one of my most fond memory of university life till now.
Nikhil: Our college used to organise a festival in Spring session every year wherein there were no lectures conducted. In this festival there many cultural programs, activities and competitions held. I had took part in my first year in robotics competition in my first year and we couldn’t make it to the top, my team was sad. Next year I came with better design and put in some extra time and money. We not only won the competition in our college but also participated in intercollege competition and won it as well. The joy on my team’s face was really rewarding.
Adhyan: My most memorable experience would have to be a recent outing with my university friends at one of the most awesome places in India i.e Goa. The other one would have to be making a wireless remote controlled bot with my friends for a technical festival. Though we did not win but the feeling of making a product and watching it move was an awesome experience.
Mohit: I remember my first project named ‘Exambaba’ which i made for all the B.Tech students of my College. It contained all the question papers of previous years of all the branches of B.Tech students. In just a single day 1200 hits was observed on a website and people started sending thanks which was very motivating for me. I still remember when some boys and all girls 😀 from our class went to Triund Trek in himachal pradesh where we enjoyed the best time of our life and really made some of the Cool friends 😉
Daniel: My most memorable experience was learning MySQL, PHP and NodeJS all in about 6 hours and building a chat server at the end of the 6hours during an internet programming course with a visiting lecturer.
Share something about your local culture that the community and other interns might like to know
Share something about your local culture that the community and other interns might like to know
Duplex: Here in our area, we organize a kind of association call “Lelem” where people come gathers each year and provides ideas and resources to advancing the brave young students of the village in their school careers. And that initiative keep bring more intellectual and educated people in the community.
Mohit: There are numerous things which “only happens in India”, lots of festivals, lots of colors, lots of languages, diverse religions, lots of different geographical regions and variety of cuisine. India is called a sub-continent for a reason.
Nikhil: I currently live in Texas Arlington and people here crazy for trucks. You get to see some awesome customizded trucks which are very masculine.
Daniel: It is believed in my community that people understand and agree with you better when beer is present.
Vishwajeet: I came from a diverse Indian family and my relatives live in various Indian states. I was fortunate enough to travel only some of the states till now but each state has their own culture, language, and ethics. If you want to travel hill stations to deserts or beautiful beaches within a single country then India would be a perfect destination for you.
Rajan: I am from New Delhi, India. As you know India is famous for its diverse culture. I am fortunate that I’m a part of it.
Adhyan: We Indians love to share, help and hanging out with friends and most importantly making a product with least possible resources.
Share one fun fact about yourself
Share one fun fact about yourself
Vishwajeeet: I love listening to Electronic Dance Music (EDM) but a very few people know that I can produce little bit of EDM music too. My music productions can be found here (https://soundcloud.com/vishwajeet-srivastava).
Mohit: I can sleep anywhere, anytime and at anyplace. I just Love sleeping a lot 😀
Nikhil: I think too much. When I get lost in the thoughts I do funny things. Today in the morning, I dipped biscuit in the water instead of tea and was wondering why did I put so less sugar in the tea.
Daniel: I wish I had started programming in the days when memory was scarce and C was top of the food chain.
Adhyan: I love eating and If I get a company of a person who shares the same love for food as I do then I don’t know how much I can eat in a go.
Rajan: When I am doing coding on any feature/particular task. I never stop till that i finish my task.
Duplex: I always like to know about new things.
If you could travel to one place in the world where would it be?
Duplex: I will really like to travel to United State particularly to visit Silicon Valley to see all the biggest Tech Company of the World.
Vishajeet: Google, Mountain View Headquarters (USA). Being an Android Developer, I want to see how android team of google work and provide us so many awesome libraries and tools to produce such complex applications with ease.
Rajan: USA
Adhyan: Silicon Valley. Just want to meet Great tech entrepreneurs / engineers and learn from them.
Nikhil: I have been to Spiti valley but want to visit that place again to explore even further. Beautiful snow clad Himalayas, serene atmosphere and warm hearted people
Daniel: Hawaii
Mohit: I love mountains, rivers and wildness. I would love to go Alaska, USA
If you could travel to one place in the world where would it be?
Duplex: I will really like to travel to United State particularly to visit Silicon Valley to see all the biggest Tech Company of the World.
Vishajeet: Google, Mountain View Headquarters (USA). Being an Android Developer, I want to see how android team of google work and provide us so many awesome libraries and tools to produce such complex applications with ease.
Rajan: USA
Adhyan: Silicon Valley. Just want to meet Great tech entrepreneurs / engineers and learn from them.
Nikhil: I have been to Spiti valley but want to visit that place again to explore even further. Beautiful snow clad Himalayas, serene atmosphere and warm hearted people
Daniel: Hawaii
Mohit: I love mountains, rivers and wildness. I would love to go Alaska, USA
If you could have lunch with anybody (living or deceased) in the world, who would it be? What would you have for lunch?
If you could have lunch with anybody (living or deceased) in the world, who would it be? What would you have for lunch?
Duplex: If I am not looking too far, I will like to see down and talk project management with Miško Hevery while having some California Salad and Chimichurri Chicken 🙂
Vishwajeet: I want to have lunch with Elon Musk, one of the great techpreneur of all time. I wanted to know how he get ideas of such excellent projects and how he devote his time to so many projects at the same time. I will have Sushi with him for lunch.
Rajan: I would love to lunch with Jake Wharton. I am big fan of him
Adhyan:I would love to have a lunch with Sundar Pichai. I just want to figure how do these tech celebrities think and make decisions out of it. I would have “Chicken Changezi” for lunch and I am sure he would like it.
Nikhil: I would love to have a lunch with Mark Zuckerberg. His story is really inspiring. I would introduce him to my favourite Indian dishes like Tandoori Chicken, Biryani etc. I am sure he would love it and I am confident even he would become fan of Indian cuisine.
Daniel: Kevin Durant. Despite my programming background I also love basketball a lot and I feel Kevin is a humble guy though famous and I would like to be like that. We would eat Achu (traditional meal)
Mohit: Swati Bhargava, She is an entrepreneur and the co-founder of cashkaro.com. Anything which she likes because i am hardly gonna eat when she’s around.
