SIPB Active Project List

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Getting involved in one of our projects is one of the most common ways to join SIPB. If you would like to get involved, please email the primary contact for each project.

SIPB has the resources and the expert advice to make your project to improve computing at MIT (better, the world) happen! Come by our office at W20-557 and say hello.

Please email the SIPB Vice Chair at sipb-vice-chair@mit.edu if you would like to get more information about projects or need help figuring out what to do (they don't bite, and would love to help!).

All projects | Active projects | Inactive projects

Cluedumps and IAP Classes
Status: active
Description: SIPB organizes dozens of IAP classes each year on technical topics both serious and fun. During the fall term SIPB also offers a series of Cluedump talks, with a different topic each week. Add yourself to cluedump-announce@mit.edu if you're interested. We're also looking for MIT students to help keep them running smoothly.
Link(s):
Communications Channel(s):
  • "Cluedumps" on SIPB Mattermost
  • "iap-planning" on SIPB Mattermost
Role(s):
Operations
Description: Solicits cluedump topics, reserves rooms, advertises, orders food.
Prereqs: None
Contact(s):
  • javsolis [at] mit [dot] edu (primary)
  • cjq [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
Last revised by cjq at 2022-12-05 17:41:21
Courseroad
Status: active
Description: Maintaining and adding features to the courseroad.mit.edu website, a degree planning tool for MIT courses. Our backend is shared with Fireroad (fireroad.mit.edu) and our frontend is written in VueJS.
Link(s):
Communications Channel(s):
  • mattermost (courseroad-dev channel)
Role(s):
Maintainer
Description: Maintaining the frontend and backend of Courseroad/Fireroad to fix bugs, add features, and update the course catalog each year.
Prereqs: None
Contact(s):
  • courseroad-dev [at] mit [dot] edu (primary)
  • gshay [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
Last revised by gshay at 2022-08-27 19:52:57
DormDigest
Status: active
Description: (Formerly dormsp.am). Our project will take emails from dormspam, extract the event's time, date, title, and location, and automatically add it to a website that MIT students can peruse through! We expect to have it operating by Summer 2023 and ready for Fall 2023.
Link(s):
Communications Channel(s):
  • "dormspam" channel on Mattermost
Role(s):
Contributor
Description: Help maintain the service!
Prereqs: Any Python or React experience, or a willingness to learn.
Contact(s):
  • almonds [at] mit [dot] edu (primary)
  • huydai [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
Last revised by huydai at 2023-05-04 18:41:18
Hydrant
Status: active
Description: Hydrant is a class planner for MIT students.
Link(s):
Communications Channel(s):
  • Mattermost
Role(s):
Infra
Description: Manage scrape scripts and deploys.
Prereqs: shell, Python 3
Frontend
Description: Implement frontend features.
Prereqs: Typescript, React
Design / Management
Description: Help design (visually) what new features look like and where they should go, and manage the project and get things done.
Prereqs: none
Contact(s):
  • sipb-hydrant [at] mit [dot] edu (primary)
  • colclark [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
Last revised by cjq at 2023-02-28 17:57:47
Mastodon
Status: active
Description: https://mastodon.mit.edu is an instance of the Mastodon federated social networking platform, a part of a Twitter-like communications network of independently-run servers. Anyone on any individual server can communicate with the global ecosystem of federated servers, creating a decentralized social network where no one person or corporation has control of everyone’s data.
Link(s):
Communications Channel(s):
  • email
Role(s):
System Administrator
Description: Keep mastodon.mit.edu up to date, perform system maintenance as needed, respond to infrequent moderator reports.
Prereqs: Comfortable using the command line Comfortable maintaining and troubleshooting an Ubuntu web server Comfortable using git Willing to learn enough SQL to make (very rarely needed) small modifications to a database Familiar with Ruby on Rails or willing to learn a little bit about it Thoughtful perspective on online community moderation and the limitations of free speech
Contact(s):
  • mastodon [at] mit [dot] edu (primary)
  • xy [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
  • toomas [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
  • asuhl [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
  • dukhovni [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
Last revised by markchil at 2022-08-23 18:35:12
MIT Matrix
Status: active
Description: MIT Matrix (codename Uplink) is a chat app that integrates with the matrix.org network and the MIT ecosystem (i.e. automatic creation of accounts based on kerbs and integration with Canvas classes and mailing lists), allowing MIT students to create group chats or workspaces for their classes or orgs without needing to resort to proprietary/insecure third-party apps like Facebook Messenger, iMessage, Discord, etc. The goal is to provide this server and to give the MIT community a more cohesive and straightforward messaging experience. Note that the roles below aren't mutually exclusive or the only ways you could join and help, and are instead meant to be guidelines on how you can help. If you're interested in helping, but you're not sure how, or if you think the prereqs look scary but you still want to help, feel free to shoot an email! Everyone is welcome to join!
Link(s):
Communications Channel(s):
  • Mattermost Uplink channel
Role(s):
System administrator
Description: Install and update packages such as Synapse (the Matrix server) or Element. Keep the server running smooth, by running updates and renewing certificates, or by making sure those happen automatically. Update any hostnames or IP addresses and ensure these work properly. Make sure any cron jobs, if any, are running smoothly.
Prereqs: Some knowledge about the Linux command line or servers, or willingness to learn and search on the web.
Communications and outreach
Description: Even if the project is installed and works well, it wouldn't have much value if no one on campus uses the app. It is important to spread awareness of it on campus, so people know they can use it. This can be via dormspam, making posters, in-person in lobby 10, etc. Communication should go both ways: Uplink should improve to reflect the needs of the MIT community, rather than just trying to get everyone at MIT to use Uplink. A secondary role could be to spread awareness of open source texting alternatives such as Signal. Note that the name "Uplink" may not be the final name that the MIT community will know the app/project as. Choosing a different public-facing name or even calling it just Matrix, are still an option, depending on what works best.
Prereqs: Enthusiasm about replacing the use of Facebook Messenger on campus. Knowledge about the technical details is helpful but not necessary and you could pick up and learn the technical stuff if you're in the project.
Developer/MIT integration
Description: https://github.com/sipb/uplink/ Develop scripts or other standalone code to interface with MIT's system. For example: getting the list of members in a mailing list or Canvas class and keep them synced with the Matrix server.
Prereqs: Knowledge about coding in Python and willingness to learn more about the Matrix network.
Developer/Fork maintainer
Description: Synapse will be used as the Matrix server, and the Matrix client will start being Element, the most popular Matrix client, or another alternative such as Fluffychat. If people want to, we could even make our own client. Maintain any forks of upstream projects, if created. The main goal should be to have a working Matrix implementation that works according to our needs. A secondary goal could be to add SIPB/Uplink/MIT branding to this implementation. If we make improvements to a forked codebase, the idea is to contribute back to Matrix and make a proposal and/or pull request. An example of such an improvement could be to add Discord-like categories to communities.
Prereqs: Some git and coding knowledge
Contact(s):
  • sipb-uplink-team [at] mit [dot] edu (primary)
  • rgabriel [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
Last revised by markchil at 2023-02-01 18:17:33
SIPB Documentation Project
Status: active
Description: The SIPB Documentation Project is a project to document in written form the collective knowledge that SIPB members take for granted or use in maintaining services and projects that is not otherwise written down anywhere.
Link(s):
Communications Channel(s):
  • "docs" on SIPB Mattermost
Role(s):
Documenter
Description: Writes documentation for various SIPB projects, ensure current documentation wiki is up-to-date
Prereqs: none
Contact(s):
  • cjq [at] mit [dot] edu (primary)
Last revised by huydai at 2022-11-18 19:52:23
SIPB Hardware Operations
Status: active
Description: The HWOPS team maintains the physical server rooms for SIPB: maintaining and upgrading our physical infrastructure, coordinating with IS&T and Facilities, and communicating with other SIPB projects that have or need physical computing resources. We are responsible for the operation of the machine room in W20-575A, as well as for some operations of SIPB's servers in W91. We provide physical server space, server hardware, and server support services to other SIPB projects.
Link(s):
Communications Channel(s):
  • "Machine Rooms" on SIPB Mattermost
Role(s):
Machine Room Infrastructure Tech
Description: Help maintain the hardware in the SIPB machine room, including anything from racking servers to ordering hardware to reconfiguring cables to doing hardware archeology.
Prereqs: Can lift about 20 pounds and team lift safely, basic familiarity with Linux shell usage
Web Application Developer
Description: Help maintain and upgrade the HWOPS internal and external web application.
Prereqs: Basic web development experience, knowledge of Python or ability to independently learn Python, familiarity with SQL
Contact(s):
  • sipb-hwops [at] mit [dot] edu (primary)
  • bds [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
  • jmvidal [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
Last revised by bds at 2022-08-06 23:02:37
SIPB Hyades
Status: active
Description: The SIPB Hyades project is SIPB's next-generation computing infrastructure service, designed to eventually replace Scripts and XVM with a self-configuring Kubernetes cluster deployed on bare metal servers. Hyades is a cluster computing management system (SIPB's internal AWS). Whether a user wants to host their website, run code for a class, or work on a side project, our service will give them a container to fit these tasks. Hyades uses exciting open-source tools like Kubernetes, etcd, Bazel, Envoy, and Ceph.
Link(s):
Communications Channel(s):
  • "Hyades Development" channel on Mattermost
Role(s):
Computer Systems Engineer
Description: help design, implement, test, and review SIPB's cluster management software.
Prereqs: previous programming experience in any statically typed language, knowledge of Python and Go or ability to independently learn them, 6.033-level understanding of computer systems, experience with Git, experience with Linux
Contact(s):
  • ryang2 [at] mit [dot] edu (primary)
  • lkdc [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
  • huydai [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
Last revised by huydai at 2022-08-10 21:20:10
SIPB Mattermost
Status: active
Description: SIPB's Mattermost instance for communication. Mattermost is an open source, private cloud Slack alternative hosted on XVM. By the way, a lot of SIPB communication happens on Mattermost -- would recommend joining if you haven't already!
Link(s):
Communications Channel(s):
  • "Mattermost" channel on Mattermost
Role(s):
Helper
Description: Feed & water the server every now and again
Prereqs: We'll teach you!
Contact(s):
  • almonds [at] mit [dot] edu (primary)
Last revised by almonds at 2023-05-22 20:34:38
SIPB Mirrors
Status: active
Description: SIPB is a download mirror for various open source software projects. In particular, we mirror the package repositories for popular Linux distributions such as CentOS, Debian, Fedora, and Ubuntu, providing a fast local copy for the MIT community. We also serve as the upstream for local mirrors at other universities and research labs.
Link(s):
Communications Channel(s):
  • Email
  • Zephyr (-c mirrors)
Role(s):
Maintainer
Description: Mirrors maintainers have the following tasks. - Routine upkeep of the server, including sysadmin and popping out the occasional failed hard disk drive. - Review sporadic requests to add new new projects to Mirrors. - Monitor news from upstream projects and update sync scripts as needed. - Plan for hardware upgrades, ideally before current hardware is due for retirement.
Prereqs: Familiarity with general Linux server administration is a plus, but we can teach you! Mirrors also uses the following pieces of technology, but none are prerequisites: - ansible - nginx - ZFS - rsync - Jenkins (for job scheduling)
Contact(s):
  • mirrors [at] mit [dot] edu (primary)
  • slz [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
  • achernya [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
  • asedeno [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
Last revised by slz at 2022-11-06 01:19:05
SIPB Project Database
Status: active
Description: SIPB Project Database is focused on supporting the process of creating and developing projects within SIPB. We want to make it easier for people to join in SIPB projects and for project maintainers to more easily train new people and advertise their projects to the community. Currently we're responsible for the development of the SIPB project listing website (which you see here), and are looking at expanding our scope to things like: hosting regular project showcases, creating informational workshops about SIPB services, and launching initiatives for supporting onboarding of new members.
Link(s):
Communications Channel(s):
  • "project-database" on SIPB Mattermost
Role(s):
Web Application Developer
Description: Help maintain and upgrade the SIPB ProjectDB internal and external web application.
Prereqs: Knowledge of Python or ability to independently learn Python, familiarity with SQL
Project Coordinator
Description: Communicate with project leads on project showcases and workshops, work with project maintainers on streamlining the onboarding process of a new member joining the project
Prereqs: Has good communication and organizational skills
Contact(s):
  • sipb-projectdb [at] mit [dot] edu (primary)
  • huydai [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
  • markchil [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
Last revised by huydai at 2022-08-08 14:56:33
SIPB Website
Status: active
Description: Keeping the SIPB website nice-looking and up-to-date
Link(s):
Communications Channel(s):
Role(s):
Webmaster
Description: Update the SIPB website (potentially by transitioning it to a newer wiki platform), and making sure information listed on the website is accurate
Prereqs: None
Contact(s):
  • sipb-secretary [at] mit [dot] edu (primary)
  • sipb-webmaster [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
  • psvenk [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
  • rgabriel [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
  • almonds [at] mit [dot] edu (secondary)
Last revised by huydai at 2023-05-22 20:30:06
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