Yes. The Network.Transport component provides only the API - an actual backend that implements this will be required in order to start a CH node.
Take a look at the formal semantics for answers to all such questions. They’re actually quite pithy and readable, and fairly honest about where there are still gaps.
You can find them via the resources tab just above this page.
Yes, you will need to provide a name and email address.
Jira is a bit more complicated than github’s bug tracker, and it’s certainly not perfect. It is, however, a lot better suited to managing and planning a project of this size. Cloud Haskell consists of no less than 13 individual projects at this time, and that’s not to mention some of the experimental ones that have been developed by community members and might end up being absorbed by the team.
If the documentation doesn’t answer your question, queries about Cloud Haskell can be directed to the Parallel Haskell Mailing List (parallel-haskell@googlegroups.com), which is pretty active. If you think you’ve found a bug, or would like to request a new feature, please visit the Jira Issue Tracker and submit a bug. You will need to register with your email address to create new issues, though you can freely browse the existing tickets without doing so.
If you’re interested in hacking Cloud Haskell then please read the Contributing wiki page. Additional help can be obtained through the Developers Forum/Mailing List or Parallel Haskell mailing list.