Open Source as Programming Exp. for College Students?

texatut asks: "With the computer industry in a slump, many college CS students nearing graduation are looking at pretty meek prospects. While 'formally' educated, few actually have concrete experience dealing with development of software. Many would like to have something concrete to put down on their resume or application to graduate school. However, starting their own project is a hard and time-consuming task. Obviously, the Open Source community is a perfect place for us to get our hands dirty. My question is, are there any resources that can help people with varying levels of experience connect with development teams in a way that would benefit both the project and the students?"

Comments

Re:What else do that have to do?

[Anonymous Coward]

as a computer science major at a good college, i have classes and homework, sports, campus activities, signifcant other(s), friends, beer, crazy little stunts to keep life interesting, piano lessons, running, and a senior thesis to keep in mind

Here's what you can do:

Forget sports, campus activities, piano lessons, and running. Cut your class time in half by not going half the time. These take up way too much time.

Stick with homework, significant other, friends, beer, crazy stunts, and senior thesis.

You'll be surprised at how much free time you have when you finally cut out all the silly extraneous things that you may feel obligated to do for whatever reason...

College is for getting drunk, getting high, and getting laid. It's about making connections with others, and if your time is taken up *doing stuff* instead of enjoying yourself, you'll waste the entire experience.

what?

[Trepidity]

You list a million things you do voluntarily as evidence that you're busier than most people with a 40-hour-a-week job. What makes you think these people don't have things they want to do voluntarily as well? Sports, running, beer, piano lessons, activities, etc. are not limited to college students.

Re:Isn't that what Sourceforge is for?

[bill_guts]

sorry, you lost me......

Re:how long, then?

[ComputerSlicer23]

Ummm, this is going to turn thread for bragging rights if this is done wrong. So here it is: Of the people I know, most of them spend 40-70 hours a week working. Lots of the people I know are programmers so that might be a bit high.

When there are problems I have worked more then 90 hours in a single week. I have worked more then 40 hours in a single sitting (I left to eat and shower and came back w/ no sleep). But I work at a smaller shop that has just 4 technical people, and I happen to have some rare skills so if something breaks that I know about I get to stay.

Some guys I know work a standard 40 hours and that is it. But that is rarer and rarer. Working at a larger company that is generally the corporate culture. Unless of course the company has an important project. 40 is normally the minimum a person works, not the maximum at most of the places I have ever been.

In my experience there is no average really. I don't work in Silicon Valley, I work in the midwest and most of the people put in 45-50 until there is a serious problem, then they put in as many as it takes. I put in 30 hours during a week on I was on vacation because they had problems at work and I was in town. I put in 70 hours one week I took two days off. I use to work every weekend. Just depends on where you work and the culture of the place. We work more because we can't afford more programmers and we like our jobs so we feel dedicated to keeping the place afloat.

Re:how long, then?

[Xerithane]

I'm a consultant, which after you get a few years of experience under your belt I would recommend doing if you want to have a life outside of work.

You make the same amount as your salaried equivalents.

You make more if you go over 40 hours.

You get stuck with no sick time/medical (usually, my company is different)

The reason why I stick with being a consultant is because it gives me enough time outside of the office to.. work. :) I put in probably another 6-8 hours after work writing code for either the company I'm trying to start or for a project I volunteer on. And, I still get out. It's quite nice to code outdoors, sit on a laptop at a pub or coffee shop (some up here even have 802.11 access)

The industry average goes from 40-60 hours a week though, more in crunch time. Most I have ever pulled in one week was 117 hours, and that is actually what got me into consulting. Best advice I can give you, tell them to stick stock up their ass you'll take a bigger paycheck and never sleep at work.

Re:FUCK CANADA!!

[Robbat2]

A Canadian man was having coffee and croissants with butter and jam in a diner when an American man, chewing gum, sat down next to him. The Canadian ignored the American, who, nevertheless, started up a conversation.

The American snapped his gum and said, "You Canadian folk eat the whole bread?"
The Canadian frowned, annoyed with being bothered during his breakfast, and replied, "Of course."

The American blew a huge bubble. "We don't. In the States, we only eat what's inside. The crusts we collect in a container, recycle them, transform them into croissants and sell them to Canada." The American had a smirk on his face.

The Canadian listened in silence.

The American persisted. "D'ya eat jelly with the bread?"

Sighing, the Canadian replied, "Of course."

Cracking his gum between his teeth, the American said, "We don't. In the States, we eat fresh fruit for breakfast, then we put all the peels, seeds, and leftovers in containers, recycle them, transform them into jam and sell it to Canada."

The Canadian then asked, "Do you have sex in the States?"

The American smiled and said, "Why of course we do."

The Canadian leaned closer to him and asked, "And what do you do with the condoms once you've used them?"

"We throw them away, of course."

Now it was the Canadian's turn to smile. "We don't. In Canada, we put them in a container, recycle them, melt them down into chewing gum and sell them to the United States."