Re: Interest in Contributing to OpenACC Support & Code Offloading Projects for GSOC

[Martin Jambor <mjambor@suse.cz>]

Hello,

On Thu, Mar 21 2024, Soumya Ranjan via Gcc wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I hope this message finds you well. My name is Soumya Ranjan, and I hold a
> Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering and a Master's in Computer
> Engineering. I am currently working as a Firmware Engineer at Qualcomm
> Wireless R&D. I recently discovered your organization and the exciting GSOC
> projects you are proposing, namely "Offloading to a separate process on the
> same host" and "Enhance OpenACC support." I am writing to express my
> enthusiastic interest in potentially contributing to either of these
> projects and to inquire about the next steps to formally apply or draft a
> proposal.

The above suggests you are no longer a full time student (but then your
email address indicates you might be :-) so I suppose you fulfill the
7.1.(a).iv clause of GSoC rules by being a "beginner to open source
software development."  If so, we are delighted that you decided to
start your FOSS journey with us.

>
> My academic journey was enriched with substantial coursework in operating
> systems and parallel computing, sparking a deep interest in efficient
> computational strategies and optimizations. My professional experience has
> further developed my skills in C/C++, offloading compilation, and
> inter-process communication. Given this foundation, I am confident in my
> capacity to make a meaningful contribution to either the project focused on
> enhancing debugging capabilities for offloaded code or the one aimed at
> filling the existing gaps in OpenACC support, depending on where my skills
> can be best utilized.
>
> I realize I am reaching out at a time when proposals are likely already
> underway. I apologize for this timing and am committed to diligently
> catching up. I've started to familiarize myself with the "Before You Apply"
> guidelines on your website to ensure I understand the necessary preparatory
> steps.
>
> Could you kindly advise if there are any additional specific steps I should
> follow or particular aspects of either project you would recommend focusing
> on in my proposal? The prospect of contributing to advancements in either
> domain is highly motivating to me, and I am keen to align my efforts with
> the project's most pressing needs.

The generic steps are listed in the "Before You Apply" guidelines. 

As far as the "Offloading to a separate process" project is concerned,
please have a look at a recent discussions in the mailing list archive,
specifically at
  - https://gcc.gnu.org/pipermail/gcc/2024-March/243462.html and
  - https://gcc.gnu.org/pipermail/gcc/2024-March/243478.html

As far as I can tell, the project on enhancing the OpenACC has not been
discussed yet.  I am not really familiar with OpenACC myself, so can
only give rudimentary advice.  First, I'd make sure that I know what the
routines/directives that need to be implemented do.  Second, I'd then
find some basic OpenACC testcase and do a similar experiment as
described in the email messages linked above (but perhaps with
-fdump-tree-all and not just -fdump-tree-optimize).  That should give
you an idea where to look next.  

Please feel free to ask here on the mailing list for help with any
specific technical issue or question you encounter.

> I am eager to learn more about how I can integrate into your team and
> contribute effectively. I believe this opportunity aligns perfectly with my
> professional aspirations and skills, and I am excited about the potential
> collaboration.

Given the timing, I'd focus on the proposal.  The key should be to
convince us that you have the ability to complete the project.
I.e. that you understand what needs to be done and have a rough idea - a
very rough but mostly correct idea - what and where needs to be changed
to do so.

Good luck!

Martin

>
> Thank you very much for considering my application. I look forward to the
> opportunity to further discuss how I can contribute to the success of your
> project.
>
> Warm regards,
> Soumya Ranjan