[mlpack] Interested in two projects floated for GSOC15

[Ryan Curtin]

On Sat, Feb 14, 2015 at 11:04:17PM +0530, Jaskaran Singh wrote:
> Hi
> I'm interested in contributing to mlpack in any of the following projects:
> 
> 1)Implement various Tree Types:
> 
> I am currently going through the binary_space_tree and cover_tree codes.
> I've understood the two types of bounding boxes being used and have gone
> through most of the code in the tree folder to gather a gist of what is
> happening.
> I will soon be checking the assigned tickets to this project.
> 
> Is there a rectangle_tree folder too?Or is it yet to be implemented?
> 
> 2)Spectral based manifold learning:
> 
> I have already implemented MDS and isomap in MATLAB as programming
> assignments for a machine learning course at my college.So, I have some
> idea about manifold learning.I'm ready to read literature if need be.
> 
> The problem is which one should I go with, as my GSOC project?
> And if I select either of them, how should I proceed from here?

Hi Jaskaran,

I can't advise you on which project to go with; you should select the
project you are most interested in and best suited for.

The rectangle tree was implemented last year by Andrew Wells and it is
located in src/mlpack/core/rectangle_tree/.  If you look through the
mailing list archives last year, you can find lists of other potential
tree types:

https://mailman.cc.gatech.edu/pipermail/mlpack/

Since we have not even applied to be a mentoring organization yet, I am
not yet even sure if Google will select us to be a part of Google Summer
of Code this year.  How you should proceed from here, then, is probably
best a function of what you enjoy working on instead of the expected
outcome of Summer of Code.

I am working (slowly) on implementing a version of eigs() for Armadillo
that allows the decomposition of more general systems like Ax =
Bx\lambda.  Once that's done, it will probably make some of the manifold
learning projects somewhat easier.

Thanks,

Ryan

-- 
Ryan Curtin    | "Don't fight it son. Confess quickly! If you hold out too
ryan at ratml.org | long you could jeopardize your credit rating."  - Guard