The Google Summer of Code enables ~1000 students to contribute full-time to open-source software every summer. This will be Gentoo Linux's 7th year in GSoC, and we successfully recruit around 2/3 of all the students who participate in our program as long-term developers (typically ~15/year participate and ~10 join). This talk will introduce you to GSoC, share what we've learned from it, and attempt to convince you to apply next year, either as a student or a mentoring organization.

1. Recruiting open-source contributors
OR
Make your mentoring full of win
Donnie Berkholz
Council Member, Gentoo Linux
Analyst, RedMonk
@dberkholz

2. Gentoo's GSoC statistics
●2006 10/14 pass 7/10 developers
●2007 8/9 pass 2/8 developers
●2008 5/6 pass 1/5 developers
●2009 6/7 pass 4/6 developers
●2010 16/19 pass 11/16 developers
●2011 14/15 pass ??/14 developers

3. 0. Set goals & measure progress
Flickr: koenvereeken

6. 1. Establish the expectation
that most contributors become
long-term developers
Flickr: mount_otz

8. 2. Make them
interact as a true
community
member,
not through a
mentor's conduit
Flickr: kalandrakas

10. 3. Don't let
them slip
away.
Sometimes,
all you have
to do is ask.
Flickr: hashir

12. Steps to mentoring success
0. Choose and track goals
1. Set expectations
2. Interact as a community
3. Maintain the connection

13. Donnie Berkholz
Council Member, Gentoo Linux
Analyst, RedMonk
@dberkholz