Where Can I Find Open Source Projects to Collaborate on as a Programmer?

[mr_coffee]

Hello everyone.

Next fall I plan on getting an internship and at all the interviews they ask, well what kind of projects have you done? Well really there's no projects that are impressive. The programs the professor assigns are challenging and make you think a lot to do it but its not somthing you would bring up in an interview.

So over this summer I would like to help other programmers develope somthing so I can say, "Well I worked with a team and we created..."
I know C++ pretty well, and some Java but I would feel more comfortable programming in C++.

Anyone know of any open source projects or websites that do this sort of thing, bringing programmers together to work on a project for fun?

Any info would be great, thanks!

 

[turbo]

Think of something useful that you can market (for instance, to local businesses). Years ago, when 286's were pretty competent computers and servers were 386's, I taught myself how to code in dBase. I wrote custom bookkeeping software, and when FoxBase came out with a run-time module and a compiler, the software would run REALLY fast. Every business has some kind of special slant that you can code for. I was writing straight accounts-payable/accounts-receivable software for a trucking company and found out that they had a line of credit at a local bank that allowed them to borrow against their receivables. I wrote them some code that allowed them to age their receivables (banks don't like to loan against receivables that are over 60 or 90 days due) and prompt them to ask for payment while the receivables were fresh (under 30 days).

I heard the owner's daughter complaining to the dispatcher that some drivers were filling up in NH, at a truck stop where they could get a free meal. The problem is that NH does not rebate state fuel taxes for fuel purchased in that state but not consumed there. Many states will rebate some of the fuel taxes if you purchase fuel there, but don't drive too many miles on their roads. I asked if she would like me to write a program into which the dispatcher could input the fuel taxes and the rebate rules for each state, so he could tell the drivers where they should tank up to save the most in tax money. She jumped on that, and in about a week, the program was in place and saving them significant money.

The trick is to ask people about their business model and use your imagination to come up with ideas that might help them accomplish things that they are resigned to "do without". You'll be a hero, and you'll probably get a really nice letter of recommentation out of it, if you ask.