Friday, December 07, 2007
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Google Highly Open Participation Contest
Google "doing things right", I'm surprised that no
mention of the Google Highly Open Participation Contest has passed the
IP list.

http://code.google.com/opensource/ghop/2007-8/

This is a contest for 13-and-up around the world, in which small awards
(including $$) are given for completing tasks specified by 3rd-party
foundations.  It's similar to the Google Summer of Code, which is for
college students.

Google's primary purpose in these programs seems to be to increase the
number and quality of Open Source programmers.  While there are a number
of indirect benefits to Google -- good publicity, a well-trained
population of potential Google employees, and better open source
projects for them to build upon -- this really seems to be a
straightforward contribution back to the community upon which Google and
many other companies depend.

I've been involved with the Python Software Foundation's GSoC, and I'm
one of the four people running the PSF's GHOP effort.  We've been very
surprised and impressed with the skill, intelligence, and enthusiasm of
the contributors so far.

Google has yet to be punished for the contributions, but I'm waiting to
see what the 'net conspiracy theorists come up with ;)

cheers,
--titus

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