Project

General

Profile

Google Summer of Code 2018 » History » Version 27

Denis 'GNUtoo' Carikli, 01/22/2018 08:29 PM

1 1 Jeremy Rand
h1. Google Summer of Code 2018
2
3
Replicant intends to apply to GSoC 2018 as part of the FSF umbrella.  This page lists suggested projects for GSoC students.  *This list is a draft!*
4
5 21 Jeremy Rand
*Note: Working on most of these projects requires a sufficiently powerful computer with enough disk space to build Replicant.*
6
7 2 Jeremy Rand
h2. Advance the Optimus Black U-Boot and Linux mainline ports
8 1 Jeremy Rand
9 25 Paul Kocialkowski
The Optimus Black from LG is an interesting device from the perspective of freedom and privacy/security. It has the ability to run a free bootloader and uses an OMAP3 SoC that is well-documented and supported in upstream U-Boot (bootloader) and Linux (kernel). Its modem is well-isolated from the rest of the device, ensuring a sane base for privacy/security. Currently, the device-specific parts of the mainline U-Boot and Linux ports are still at an early stage, where they are functional with a very limited set of supported hardware.
10 1 Jeremy Rand
11 26 Paul Kocialkowski
Advancing the Optimus Black U-Boot and Linux mainline ports would allow using the device with free, up-to-date and maintainable software and would pave the way for support in GNU/Linux systems as well as Replicant. A list of priorities in hardware support will be defined, with the objective of tackling as many as possible.
12 1 Jeremy Rand
13 25 Paul Kocialkowski
*Difficulty*: Medium
14 1 Jeremy Rand
15 25 Paul Kocialkowski
*Requirements/Prerequisites*: C programming language, driver development
16 1 Jeremy Rand
17 25 Paul Kocialkowski
*Expected Outcomes/Deliverables*: Improved hardware support for the Optimus Black in U-Boot and Linux
18
19 27 Denis 'GNUtoo' Carikli
*Possible Mentors*: Paul (confirmed), GNUtoo(confirmed)
20 1 Jeremy Rand
21 25 Paul Kocialkowski
h2. Advance the Kindle Fire (first generation) U-Boot and Linux mainline ports
22 1 Jeremy Rand
23 25 Paul Kocialkowski
The Kindle Fire (first generation) from Amazon is an interesting device from the perspective of freedom and privacy/security. It has the ability to run a free bootloader and uses an OMAP4 SoC that is well-documented and supported in upstream U-Boot (bootloader) and Linux (kernel). It does not embed a modem, ensuring a sane base for privacy/security. Currently, the device-specific parts of the mainline U-Boot and Linux ports are still at an early stage, where they are functional with a very limited set of supported hardware.
24 2 Jeremy Rand
25 26 Paul Kocialkowski
Advancing the Kindle Fire (first generation) U-Boot and Linux mainline ports would allow using the device with free, up-to-date and maintainable software and would pave the way for support in GNU/Linux systems as well as Replicant. A list of priorities in hardware support will be defined, with the objective of tackling as many as possible.
26 2 Jeremy Rand
27 25 Paul Kocialkowski
*Difficulty*: Medium
28 2 Jeremy Rand
29 25 Paul Kocialkowski
*Requirements/Prerequisites*: C programming language, driver development
30
31
*Expected Outcomes/Deliverables*: Improved hardware support for the Kindle Fire (first generation) in U-Boot and Linux
32 2 Jeremy Rand
33 27 Denis 'GNUtoo' Carikli
*Possible Mentors*: Paul (confirmed), GNUtoo(confirmed)
34 3 Jeremy Rand
35 5 Jeremy Rand
h2. Access Point mode for RepWifi
36
37 11 Jeremy Rand
RepWifi is Replicant's app for using an external USB WiFi adapter.  RepWifi is useful for Replicant because there exist USB WiFi adapters with free firmware, while the built-in WiFi chipsets in mobile phones do not have free firmware.  Right now, RepWifi doesn't support acting as an access point (e.g. for WiFi tethering purposes); you can help by adding this functionality to RepWifi.
38 5 Jeremy Rand
39
*Difficulty*: Easy to Medium
40
41 23 Fil Bergamo
*Requirements/Prerequisites*: Knowledge of Java and basic shell scripting. Basic knowledge about wpa_supplicant and general network management in POSIX environments.
42 24 Fil Bergamo
Required knowledge builds up very fast by trial and error, no need to be experts in networking, it's mostly about researching and learning.
43 5 Jeremy Rand
44 23 Fil Bergamo
*Expected Outcomes/Deliverables*: Make wpa_supplicant run in "Access Point mode", allowing another device to connect to the phone via WiFi, and use its mobile data connection to access the internet. Integrate the needed GUI functions into RepWifi.
45 5 Jeremy Rand
46 23 Fil Bergamo
*Possible Mentors*: Fil (confirmed)
47 5 Jeremy Rand
48 4 Jeremy Rand
h2. Port Replicant to a newer LineageOS version
49
50 19 Jeremy Rand
Replicant is currently based on LineageOS 13.  It would be desirable to upgrade Replicant to a newer release of LineageOS.
51 4 Jeremy Rand
52 19 Jeremy Rand
*Difficulty*: Medium
53 4 Jeremy Rand
54 19 Jeremy Rand
*Requirements/Prerequisites*: Knowledge of C, C++, and Java.
55 4 Jeremy Rand
56 19 Jeremy Rand
*Expected Outcomes/Deliverables*: Remove all proprietary components of LineageOS, port all the changes needed to successfully boot without any blobs, rebrand LineageOS as Replicant.
57 4 Jeremy Rand
58 18 Jeremy Rand
*Possible Mentors*: Forkbomb (confirmed), Wolfgang?
59 6 Jeremy Rand
60
h2. OS Updater
61
62 15 Jeremy Rand
It would be useful for a Replicant device to be able to update itself to a new version of Replicant without requiring being connected to a PC.  You can help by implementing this functionality.  LineageOS already supports this; we suspect that it should be possible to adapt this LineageOS functionality to Replicant.
63 6 Jeremy Rand
64
*Difficulty*: Medium to Hard
65
66
*Requirements/Prerequisites*: TODO
67
68
*Expected Outcomes/Deliverables*: TODO
69
70
*Possible Mentors*: Wolfgang?
71 4 Jeremy Rand
72 7 Jeremy Rand
h2. Implement a fully-featured QMI-RIL
73
74
(Project description: TODO.)
75
76
*Difficulty*: TODO
77
78
*Requirements/Prerequisites*: TODO
79
80
*Expected Outcomes/Deliverables*: TODO
81
82
*Possible Mentors*: Wolfgang?
83
84
h2. Implement the missing features of Samsung-RIL
85
86 12 Jeremy Rand
Samsung-RIL is the RIL (Radio Interface Layer) that many Replicant devices use to communicate with the modem.  It is a free, reverse-engineered replacement for the proprietary RIL that the Samsung phones ship with by default (which has been found to have backdoors). Right now, Samsung-RIL mostly implements only the protocol features that are absolutely necessary for the phone to be operable.  As a result, many more rarely used protocol features are unimplemented, which decreases functionality compared to the proprietary RIL.  You can help by implementing the missing features of Samsung-RIL.
87 7 Jeremy Rand
88 19 Jeremy Rand
*Difficulty*: Medium to Hard
89 7 Jeremy Rand
90 19 Jeremy Rand
*Requirements/Prerequisites*: Knowledge of C.
91 7 Jeremy Rand
92 20 Jeremy Rand
*Expected Outcomes/Deliverables*: Implement the missing features listed at [[Samsung-RIL]].
93 7 Jeremy Rand
94 18 Jeremy Rand
*Possible Mentors*: Forkbomb (confirmed), Wolfgang?
95 7 Jeremy Rand
96 8 Jeremy Rand
h2. Debug metallic sound in many 3G calls
97
98 14 Jeremy Rand
Replicant has been observed to sometimes exhibit a metallic sound quality when doing voice calls over 3G (2G works fine).  This is problematic, since most users prefer to stay in 3G mode (and some carriers are dropping support for 2G).  You can help by debugging the issue.
99 8 Jeremy Rand
100 10 Jeremy Rand
*Difficulty*: TODO
101
102 8 Jeremy Rand
*Requirements/Prerequisites*: TODO
103
104
*Expected Outcomes/Deliverables*: TODO
105
106 27 Denis 'GNUtoo' Carikli
*Possible Mentors*: GNUtoo(confirmed)
107 8 Jeremy Rand
108 9 Jeremy Rand
h2. Optimize power consumption in external WiFi adapter firmware
109
110 16 Jeremy Rand
The USB WiFi adapters used with Replicant are originally intended for laptops, not phones.  As a result, they tend to consume a lot of power.  This poses two issues: they can adversely impact battery life, and they can randomly stop working completely (e.g. needing to unplug and replug the adapter periodically to keep it operational).  You can help by optimizing power consumption in the WiFi adapter firmware.
111 10 Jeremy Rand
112
*Difficulty*: TODO
113 9 Jeremy Rand
114
*Requirements/Prerequisites*: TODO
115
116
*Expected Outcomes/Deliverables*: TODO
117
118 27 Denis 'GNUtoo' Carikli
*Possible Mentors*: GNUtoo(confirmed)
119 9 Jeremy Rand
120 17 Jeremy Rand
h2. Upgrade the WebView
121
122
Replicant uses an old version of the Android WebView (from circa 2015).  This is a security and functionality problem.  You can help by getting a more recent WebView working on Replicant.
123
124
*Difficulty*: TODO
125
126
*Requirements/Prerequisites*: TODO
127
128
*Expected Outcomes/Deliverables*: TODO
129 1 Jeremy Rand
130
*Possible Mentors*: TODO
131 18 Jeremy Rand
132
h2. Port the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2 to Mainline Linux
133
134
The Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2 currently use a vendor fork of Linux, which poses a maintainability and security issue.  Forkbomb has done some initial work on porting these devices to use mainline Linux.  You can help by continuing this work.
135
136 22 Jeremy Rand
*Difficulty*: Medium to Hard
137 18 Jeremy Rand
138 22 Jeremy Rand
*Requirements/Prerequisites*: Knowledge of C
139 18 Jeremy Rand
140 22 Jeremy Rand
*Expected Outcomes/Deliverables*: Audio working, modem working, and Replicant or LineageOS booting with mainline Linux.
141 18 Jeremy Rand
142 27 Denis 'GNUtoo' Carikli
*Possible Mentors*: Forkbomb (confirmed), GNUtoo(confirmed)
143 17 Jeremy Rand
144 3 Jeremy Rand
h2. Projects mentored by other organizations
145
146
h3. llvmpipe ARM optimizations
147
148
(Project description: TODO; can probably be adapted from https://redmine.replicant.us/projects/replicant/wiki/GraphicsResearch#llvmpipe .)
149
150
*Difficulty*: TODO
151
152
*Requirements/Prerequisites*: TODO
153
154
*Expected Outcomes/Deliverables*: TODO
155
156
Mesa would probably be a good organization for mentoring this project.  If interested in working on this project, please propose it to Mesa.  (We're happy to help.)