The Future of Orxonox

[patrick]

As some of you may already have noticed: Bensch and I were recently very much absorbed by our semester thesis and studies. For the last few month, this made it almost impossible for us to seriously continue developing Orxonox (and with serious we mean our standard 15+h coding per week ).

In the next semester things won't be getting any better I'm afraid: with the master thesis beginning in April I will most certainly have even less time working on Orxonox. And after the master thesis... we don't speak about such things...

Almost three years ago, Orxonox started as a small, crapy little framework. Since then it has grown and thanks to the last 1.5 PPS years it has become a well known part of the ITET (I'm exaggerating, but it's not far from the truth). The ITET administration is supporting Orxonox with infrastructure, salary (for the PPS course only ) and good will.
This is something that I'm very grateful about and something that we all can be proud of and build upon!

So what I'm saying now doesn't come too easily and is well considered: As Bensch, I will also slowly retire from the lead of the project to focus solely my master thesis starting sometime in April.
This doesn't mean, that I won't do any work for Orxonox anymore, it means that I don't have any time anymore to lead on the project. In the next few month I'm willing to transfer all my knowledge about Orxonox and its framework to anyone who likes to continue Orxonox and to make it what it was always intended to be: the most furious 3D arcade shooter in the world!


So what does this mean for the Future of Orxonox? Answering this question will soon be up to you!

[beni]

Well I think it's time to answer this question.

I really like the idea of leading the PPS next semester with three other people again.
But do we or the students have time?

First question: When are the PPS afternoons for our students?

Answer: D-ITET planed for PPS the following afternoons: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.


Second question: When do we (sixth semester students) have time?

Answer:
This really depends on the concentration one chooses:

I checked when we have our lectures when we choose "Computer and Networks":

On Tuesday we have "Information Transfer".
On Wednesday we have "Embedded Systems".
On Thursday we have "Communication Networks" lab excercise. As far as I understood (and I searched several pages) we can go to those lab excercises on Tuesday mornings (when there is a lecture for people who choose "Communication" as concentration) and on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon (when we have lectures anyway). Also I think one does not have to go every week to those labs. Anybody who can give me more information on this?

So for Computer and Networks people Thursday is the only reasonable day to have the PPS.


I also checked out when people who choose "Communication" have their lectures:

On Tuesday they have "Information Transfer".
On Wednesday they have "Antennas and Propagation" exercise at 3 o'clock.
On Thursday they have "Communication Networks" lab exercise, which they can hardly change because they already have two lectures (one the must attend and one they can attend) on Tuesday morning.

So for "Communication" guys there is a real problem. They could ditch the exercise on Wednesday afternoon to go to the lab excercise so they don't have to go on Thursday afternoons.


What about the "Mechatronic" guys?

On Tuesday they have time to do a PPS.
On Wednesday they can choose to have "Embedded Systems".
On Thursday they have their "Mechatronic" lecture.

So for those guys it's rather impossible to help to lead the Orxonox PPS on a Thursday.


Last but not least we check on the students who've chosen "Microelectronics":

On Tuesday they have their "VLSI" exercise.
On Wednesday they have time to lead a PPS.
On Thursday they have time to lead a PPS.

No problem to work with guys from "Microelectronics" then.


The issue with "Communication Networks" isn't really bad. Since Prof. Plattner assured us his support with Orxonox it would be easy to shift our lab exercise to another date than Thursday afternoon.

Now I ask you guys: Who's willing to lead next semester's Orxonox PPS on Thursday together with me?

I think we can count on Silvan. I'd like his confirmation in this threat anyway.

[silvan]

Thanks for all the research about the timetable... I bet it took you a lot of messing around with the einschreibung.ethz.ch page

I really enjoyed working with you guys the last semester, so you can count me in!
Since I have chosen the concentration "Computer and Networks" as well, Thursday afternoon suits me just fine.

[Nowic]

Well, I'm not really a full 5th sem. student. I will only visit some of the "Computer and Networks" courses. So no problem for me.

[beni]

Great . I'm happy to have the two of you on board.

Which leaves us to one remaining free PPS leader position until we can call the D-ITET and announce another Orxonox PPS.

Any ideas who can be suitable for this job. I'd like to get someone who already has experience with Orxonox.

[silvan]

I think chrigi said that he'd be willing to lead a PPS (I guess he should be competent enough ) but of course I don't know what his plans for the upcoming semester are.

[beni]

I think chrigi said that he'd be willing to lead a PPS (I guess he should be competent enough ) but of course I don't know what his plans for the upcoming semester are.

I talked to him and we'll know better on Tuesday. He has another job proposal and we cannot resent his decision if he chooses the job he gets money for.

[chrigi]

I talked to him and we'll know better on Tuesday. He has another job proposal and we cannot resent his decision if he chooses the job he gets money for.

Actually it's not really a proposal. it's a job I might be interested in and on Tuesday I'll talk to these people to find out if I'd like it, but I have really no idea how my chances are to get that job.

Leading an Orxonox PPS sounds a lot more interesting than a half year ago because I found my new passion (besides coding): debugging, so the PPS might be great fun

I'd like to say that I was quite impressed be your presentation. Looks almost like a real, playable game now

[hofzge]

I bow before you all! You keep the free spirit of Orxonox alive!

Even tough I was unable to attend the presentation I think that Orxonox could be in no better hands, than in yours!

Thank you all!

[patrick]

...[chrigis] his decision if he chooses the job he gets money for.

don't forget that you do get paid for the PPS lessions (three hours a week). But I know, that it's not too much

Perhaps you are allowed to count Orxonox as a "Fachpraktikum"

[beni]

Perhaps you are allowed to count Orxonox as a "Fachpraktikum"

We found out that this might not even be necessary. My question to is, how the Communcation Network lab exercise works. Do we have to go there every week? There seem to be only 4 courses we have to attend.

[patrick]

You will subscribe yourself to a lab group on a specific day. I think every second/third week you will have to attend this lab course, which is interesting and easy (For those already working with linux it's a peace of cake)!

[beni]

Great. Looks like I'm going to make 4 lectures next semester. If the lab exercise is only every 2 or 3 weeks, I can easily go to another lecture.

don't forget that you do get paid for the PPS lessions (three hours a week). But I know, that it's not too much

Arggh, I completely forgot about the money we were supposed to get. Thanks

[chrigi]

You have my bow (gcc/gdb/valgrind/...)

[x3n]

I don't know, what the goals for the next PPS-semester are, but if you need someone explaining how bsp-modeling works - I'm available.