Subject: Re: Introduction - An Outreachy 2020 Applicant

From: Jonathan Nieder <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 2020 20:05:18 -0700

Hi Amanda,

Amanda Shafack wrote:

> Also, regarding my initial starter contribution, I chose the
> "micro-project" titled "Avoid pipes in git related commands in test
> scripts" (source https://bit.ly/3iZQcT2).

Thanks, sounds good.

> I plan to complete the micro-project and then move on to more research
> on Git's HTTP protocol and other resources you've pointed out.
>
> Let me know your thoughts on this, thanks.

I think that a good next step after the Git micro-project is to get to
know wireshark --- this would involve building wireshark, finding
something to change, and then changing it.

https://gitlab.com/wireshark/wireshark/-/wikis/Development/ describes
how to download and build wireshark.  Then for something to change, I
have a few different ideas:

a. tighten the error handling in epan/dissectors/packet-git.c
   (for example, what happens when there are not exactly 4 hexdigits
   at the beginning of a pkt-line?).  Git's
   Documentation/technical/protocol-common.txt describes the pkt-line
   format and Documentation/technical/pack-protocol.txt describes the
   Git transport dissected by packet-git.

b. add tests for the Git dissector.  test/README.test and the page it
   links to describe how wireshark's tests work

c. try to parse out the service name and protocol version in
   epan/dissectors/packet-git.c.  Git's
   Documentation/technical/protocol-v2.txt describes where we can find
   that information

That would get us more comfortable with the wireshark codebase and
would help prepare for fleshing out a plan for the internship.

Thoughts?

Sincerely,
Jonathan