On Sat, 4 Jun 2005, Pawel Pokrywka wrote: > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- > Hash: SHA1 > > Hello, > Google organizes contest, see: > > http://code.google.com/summerofcode.html
Unfortunately, I think we are late :( From: Chris DiBona <cdib...@google.com> To: j...@yonan.net Subject: Re: [M#27498536] [Openvpn-devel] Google summer of code (fwd) Hi jim, You have a terrific project, but I'm sorry to say that we've already gone well past our limit for projects. Chris > In short: It is about conntributions to known open source projects. 200 > students could get $4500 each, $500 goes to mentor organization. > > I think OpenVPN is mature enough to particate in Summer of Code as > mentor organization. > There are wishlists already on the wiki and there are many things that > could be done as projects sponsored by google. > > In particular, there is one missing feature - and no one is intereseted > in doing it - Windows 9x/ME support in TAP-win32. Programming for old > Windows is not so nice, but maybe $4500 stipend would make it nicer? :-) > I wonder why this feature is not included in wishlists - there are many > requests for it in mailing list archives. It's not true, that this OS > died. Sadly, it lives, especially in enviroments, when XP couldn't be > installed because hardware is so low-end. > Windows 9x support will give significiant adventage: ability to run on > every PC. It could increase OpenVPN position on "VPN-market", because > now many people choose other VPN solutions which are in many places no > so good, but runs on 9x (for example PPTP, criticized for its security, > or IPSEC with comercial 9x clients). > And, though IMHO 9x/ME will live for about 3-5 years, porting TAP-win32 > is worth its effort. It will greatly increase OpenVPN user base, which > as you all know, increases number of developers and all blesses of open > source. I'm a bit worried that this project might never happen because: (a) Open source developers who are motivated by working on cool, intellectually stimulating projects may not want to jump into a difficult project involving an obsolete, unsupported OS. (b) While I'm sure that someone would step up to the plate if the money was there, the user base who needs this done is, by definition, cash-strapped (otherwise they would have upgraded). If you really must continue to use Win98, why not pay $50 to put an OpenWRT box between it and the internet? James
