Inquiry About GSoC 2025 – Unicode Inflection Distribution Packaging Project #82
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Hi @grhoten , I hope you're doing well. My name is Milan P Samuel, and I am really interested in contributing to the "Create distribution packages of Unicode Inflection" project for GSoC 2025. I have experience with CMake, compression tools (zip, tar, gzip), scripting (Bash/Python), and multi-platform development (Windows, Linux, macOS). This project caught my attention, and I would love to contribute and learn more about Unicode Inflection. I wanted to ask a few questions to ensure I approach the project correctly: This would be my first time applying for GSoC, but I have previously participated in GSSoC and Summer of Bitcoin. I am eager to contribute and would appreciate any guidance on how to get started! Looking forward to your response. Thanks in advance! Best regards, |
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Replies: 11 comments 21 replies
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Sounds good. I don't know what the process is for acceptance is at this time. It has been a long since I have last participated in GSoC.
You can specify These are the packages that would be expected:
The code is known to work with macOS and a version of Linux. I believe that the current pull request checks use ubuntu-latest. So that would be a good place to start. The more portable of a solution, the better. Ideally such a package should work with both Ubuntu and a Red Hat based Linux.
If the toolchain is unavailable or hard to set up in GitHub actions, then it should be avoided. Ideally, it should be with minimal dependencies. So that may mean MSVC initially, but I'm not opposed to supporting other configurations in the future. The code currently expects to compile with Clang. I believe that MSVC can be used with Clang these days. So you may want to give that a try. If the code works with the default MSVC environment, even better. The cmake compiler options are currently very oriented towards Clang++, and it's usable with g++.
My hope is that any changes needed for Windows will be minimal. The code is untested for Windows. If there are issues, it will likely be with path management and perhaps compiler options. The current code is fairly Unix oriented. The config.properties file contains the source of the version. The cmake files use it to generate a version.h file with the version to be used with the headers. Use config.properties if you need to know the version to use in the packaging. If all of the the packaging can be done with cmake without adding dependencies, that would ideal. If another script is needed to get all of the packaging done, that's acceptable too. Such a script can be located under inflection/tools/packaging or something like that. If a scripting language is used, it's preferable that it should be something that is easily usable on all 3 main platforms. A good solution would be something that is highly automated. If it is as simple as pushing a button, that would be the best solution. Anything that requires manual intervention should be avoided.
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Thank you for the detailed response! I’ll start by exploring the existing CMake setup and ICU packaging style. My initial approach will be to test the make install process and analyze the expected output. I’ll begin with Ubuntu packaging and then expand to Windows and macOS, keeping automation as a priority. I’ll also check the doxygen documentation generation and see if it needs fixes. If I have any blockers, I’ll reach out. Thanks again for your guidance! |
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Before starting work, you should officially apply for this project through the GSoC portal. |
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Sure 👍. Can you guide me like how can I apply. Like it will open on March 24 only. Until that like can I work on some other projects. |
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Hi Milan,
Thank you for the interest in improving the inflection project!
There are two additional items:
1. You need to sign the CLA so that you can merge/submit PRs in the future
and contribute to Unicode projects.
2. If we are going to distribute Windows and MacOS releases, CI should be
extended first to cover those platforms/compilers. It should be pretty
straightforward to do so for MacOS.
I am not sure if you need to wait for GSoC bit to land if you do CLA part,
you would just be volunteering at that point.
уто, 4. мар 2025. у 03:16 Milan P Samuel ***@***.***> је
написао/ла:
… Sure 👍. Can you guide me like how can I apply. Like it will open on March
24 only. Until that like can I work on some other projects.
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Hi @nciric, I hope you're doing well. I have signed the CLA, and I’m eager to contribute to the project. Could you please guide me on the next steps to get started and contribute effectively? Regardless of the outcome of my GSoC'25 application, I am genuinely passionate about working on industry-level projects like this one. I enjoy learning new technical concepts and implementing them in real-world applications. As a pre-final year B.Tech student at VIT Bhopal, India, I have actively participated in open-source projects to gain hands-on experience and understand how things work in collaborative environments. Being a part of GSoC'25 has been a long-time aspiration for me, and I am committed to putting in my best effort. I would truly appreciate any guidance and mentorship from the community as I begin this journey. Looking forward to your advice and support! Best regards, |
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Hi Milan,
a good first step is to make sure that our CI works with platforms we plan
to use. As is it works with the latest Ubuntu. It would be good to add
latest-macos and Windows targets.
As work on CI requires submissions to the main branch, I would advise
forking the repo, working out the solution on your copy, then proposing the
PR in the main repo once you are happy with the results. WDYT?
уто, 4. мар 2025. у 20:08 Milan P Samuel ***@***.***> је
написао/ла:
… Hi @nciric <https://github.com/nciric>,
I hope you're doing well. I have signed the CLA, and I’m eager to
contribute to the project. Could you please guide me on the next steps to
get started and contribute effectively?
Regardless of the outcome of my GSoC'25 application, I am genuinely
passionate about working on industry-level projects like this one. I enjoy
learning new technical concepts and implementing them in real-world
applications. As a pre-final year B.Tech student at VIT Bhopal, India, I
have actively participated in open-source projects to gain hands-on
experience and understand how things work in collaborative environments.
Being a part of GSoC'25 has been a long-time aspiration for me, and I am
committed to putting in my best effort. I would truly appreciate any
guidance and mentorship from the community as I begin this journey.
Looking forward to your advice and support!
Best regards,
Milan P Samuel
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Sure @nciric I will work on it 👍 |
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@nciric I sincerely apologize for the delayed response. My exams are ongoing until the 12th of this month. I have successfully fixed the issue for macOS, and Ubuntu is also working fine. However, I encountered some errors while trying to resolve the issue for Windows, specifically with the CMake file. Since the main objective of this project is to adjust the CMake file according to the project description, I would really appreciate your guidance on how to address the Windows-related issue. I have made an attempt to fix the CMake file, but I found it quite challenging. As I am still in the learning phase of working with CMake and consider myself at an intermediate level, your guidance would be invaluable. If you’d like, I can push the updated repository with the fixes for macOS and Ubuntu, though Windows support is still not resolved. This way, you can review my changes and provide any suggestions.
Regardless of whether I get selected for GSSoC or not, this project is very important to me, especially in enhancing my problem-solving skills, as I aspire to pursue a career in DevOps. Your help would mean a lot, and I would be truly grateful for any insights you can provide. |
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Hi Milan, @grhoten , the original author of CMake file for the project would probably be a better mentor on how to fix it for Windows. |
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So like for now can I remove the windows support like it's not working thats why and I will pull request the repository with ubuntu and macOS. Is that fine? |
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Hi everyone, I’m interested in contributing to Unicode’s projects and would love to get involved with the Inflection library and other related initiatives. My goal is to make meaningful contributions and learn from the community. I’ve been exploring this discussion and would like to understand more about the conversion process mentioned here. Are there any areas where contributions are needed, or any issues I can help with? I’d appreciate any guidance on where to start and how I can best contribute. Looking forward to collaborating with you all! |
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Hi, @milansamuel609 already started working on MacOS CI, and trying to make Windows CI work (we had Ubuntu working before). We should end up having something like ICU download page. We do need to start tagging our code in order to produce tagged releases. |
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Ubuntu is already working, so I would expect to see only additions to MacOS
CI in the PR.
You can remove the Windows part for now as it's preventing you from moving
forwards.
Thanks!
пон, 10. мар 2025. у 10:29 Milan P Samuel ***@***.***> је
написао/ла:
… @nciric <https://github.com/nciric>
So like for now can I remove the windows support like it's not working
thats why and I will pull request the repository with ubuntu and macOS. Is
that fine?
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Hello @nciric , Now that the initial task is completed, what should I do next? The guidance you've given me so far means a lot to me. |
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There are two ways you can go from here:
1. Try fixing Windows CI
or
2. Start looking into Ubuntu (and maybe some other flavors of Linux, like
Debian/Fedora) and MacOS binary distributions (as George mentioned in the
thread). Something like ICU library, also a Unicode project, download page
would be great, see
https://github.com/unicode-org/icu/releases/tag/release-76-1
For the 2nd option, we may need to start tagging versions so that we can
actually do a release. We'll talk more about this in the next meeting. But
for now see how would you package source, static and dynamic
libraries/headers for Inflection, mimicking the ICU release.
пон, 10. мар 2025. у 12:10 Milan P Samuel ***@***.***> је
написао/ла:
… Hello @nciric <https://github.com/nciric> ,
Now that the initial task is completed, what should I do next?
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Hi, thanks for the recent contributions. I want to highlight that such changes are outside of the GSoC. According to the GSoC timeline, the application period opens up around March 24, and the application deadline is April 8. The accepted projects will be announced around May 8. Right now, we just have proposals. If your goal is to work on this task as a part of good will and get experience, then please continue to do so. We appreciate that. If your goal is to state that you participated in GSoC and get the other benefits from it, I recommend formally applying to this project and waiting to be accepted. |
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@grhoten , I want to apply for this project for GSoC—not just for GSoC, but also to gain experience in the field of DevOps. Currently, I am learning and gaining experience in DevOps, which is why I decided to explore projects like this. I really enjoy working on projects, especially when I get stuck, as it gives me the opportunity to debug and learn from my mentors about possible solutions. I hope this project gets selected. To be honest, joining Google has been my dream since childhood. I've always been passionate about computers and technology. That’s why I decided to start contributing to GSoC—to learn more about real-world development and how the tech industry works. @grhoten @nciric , you both have been the best and most helpful mentors I’ve had. I sincerely thank you both for the guidance you’ve given me so far. |
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I hope you're doing well. Since I’ve been actively contributing to Unicode Inflection, especially with macOS support, I’m interested in formally applying for GSoC once the application period starts on March 24th. To prepare, I’ve started drafting my project proposal based on the next steps we discussed—fixing Windows CI and packaging Inflection for Linux/macOS. Right now, my proposal focuses on:
Before the application period begins, I’d love to get your feedback on whether this scope aligns with the project’s needs. Are there any specific improvements or additional aspects you’d recommend including? If possible, I’d also appreciate any insights on past proposals or best practices for structuring it effectively. Let me know your thoughts, and I can refine the draft accordingly. My Proposal :- Google Summer of Code 2025 Proposal.docx Thanks for your time and guidance |
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Hi @grhoten, Thank you for your response and for clarifying the GSoC timeline. I want to emphasize that my interest in this project goes beyond just participating in GSoC. I am genuinely passionate about the work being done here and eager to contribute meaningfully. I believe that my skills and enthusiasm can add value to the project, and I am committed to working collaboratively with the team. I appreciate the opportunity to contribute and learn, regardless of the GSoC application process. Thank you for your support! |
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I think your scope is good, but item 3 will have to be discussed before we
proceed with the implementation - when and how to tag the versions.
I don't have experience with the GSoC process and format of the proposals
so I can't help much there.
чет, 13. мар 2025. у 08:41 Milan P Samuel ***@***.***> је
написао/ла:
… Hello @grhoten <https://github.com/grhoten> @nciric
<https://github.com/nciric> ,
I hope you're doing well.
Since I’ve been actively contributing to Unicode Inflection, especially
with macOS support, I’m interested in formally applying for GSoC once the
application period starts on March 24th. To prepare, I’ve started drafting
my project proposal based on the next steps we discussed—fixing Windows CI
and packaging Inflection for Linux/macOS.
Right now, my proposal focuses on:
1. Fixing Windows CI issues
2. Packaging for Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, and macOS
3. Automating releases and version tagging
Before the application period begins, I’d love to get your feedback on
whether this scope aligns with the project’s needs. Are there any specific
improvements or additional aspects you’d recommend including?
If possible, I’d also appreciate any insights on past proposals or best
practices for structuring it effectively. Let me know your thoughts, and I
can refine the draft accordingly.
My Proposal :-
Google Summer of Code 2025 Proposal.docx
<https://github.com/user-attachments/files/19231813/Google.Summer.of.Code.2025.Proposal.docx>
Thanks for your time and guidance
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@nciric Okay, I will remove item 3 (Automating releases and version tagging) for now. I can add it later after discussing it with both of you, @grhoten and @nciric. Thank you for your remarks. |
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No, please leave it in the plan, we do need it. Just before you go to
implement it, we should have a discussion.
…On Thu, Mar 13, 2025 at 20:00 Milan P Samuel ***@***.***> wrote:
@nciric <https://github.com/nciric> Okay, I will remove item 3
(Automating releases and version tagging) for now. I can add it later after
discussing it with both of you, @grhoten <https://github.com/grhoten> and
@nciric <https://github.com/nciric>.
Thank you for your remarks.
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@nciric ok sure I will not remove it and keep it 👍 |
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I hope you're doing well. I wanted to confirm whether I can proceed with my application for GSOC 2025 after 18:00 UTC today, as the application period begins at that time. Previously, I shared the DOCX file for review. Please let me know if any changes are required; otherwise, I will move forward with the submission after 18:00 UTC. Looking forward to your guidance. My proposal :- |
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I think I gave my comment on your proposal so on that end you are good
to go.
пон, 24. мар 2025. у 00:46 Milan P Samuel ***@***.***> је
написао/ла:
… Hi @grhoten <https://github.com/grhoten> and @nciric
<https://github.com/nciric> ,
I hope you're doing well.
I wanted to confirm whether I can proceed with my application for GSOC
2025 after 18:00 UTC today, as the application period begins at that time.
Previously, I shared the DOCX file for review. Please let me know if any
changes are required; otherwise, I will move forward with the submission
after 18:00 UTC.
Looking forward to your guidance.
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@nciric , |
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@grhoten @nciric ,
This is my current submission. If any changes is required please kindly let me know. |
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Milan,
just to clarify, we are not involved in the selection process, so can't
help in that regard.
пон, 24. мар 2025. у 12:20 Milan P Samuel ***@***.***> је
написао/ла:
… @grhoten <https://github.com/grhoten> @nciric <https://github.com/nciric>
,
I have submitted the proposal.
image.png (view on web)
<https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/61b5cb19-ddcc-45f9-8ec8-3cb9bd41ab07>
This is my current submission. If any changes is required please kindly
let me know.
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@nciric , |
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Actually, I have approval to participate to be a mentor in GSoC from both sides. The only notable thing that I noticed at this time is that my last name is misspelled in the PDF proposal. According to the timeline, our organization has till April 29 to rank the proposals after the April 8 proposal submission deadline. |
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@grhoten , |
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Sounds good. I don't know what the process is for acceptance is at this time. It has been a long since I have last participated in GSoC.