Euro Trip 08 Blog
June 12th, 2008 adminThis is the link to our Euro Trip Blog.
Euro Trip BlogThis is going to be great!
programmer blog
Netflix Player by Roku Runs Linux
May 20th, 2008 admin
This $100 dollar wonder runs Linux. At least this is why I believe it does. By looking at their agreements we can see:
Certain components of the software included with the Roku Product are subject to separate license
terms, including “free” or “open source” software (“Separately Licensed Code”). Some of the Separately Licensed Code is licensed
under the terms and conditions of the “free” or “open source” license and is not subject to the License above or the Limited
Warranty below. As required by the terms of the relevant Separately Licensed Code licenses, Roku makes the “free” and “open
source” code provided under such licenses, and Roku’s modifications to such code, available on Roku’s website, at no charge. The
following third party software is also included.
Which does not defiantly mean that it runs Linux but:
This product includes software developed by the OpenSSL Project for use in the OpenSSL Toolkit (http://www.openssl.org/).
Which also does not defiantly mean Linux, but:
With it’s small form factor and the fact that it is sub-$100 and it runs off of flash memory, I believe it does.
If this is the case, then I would love to see how to stream Netflix on a normal Linux/Mac box without having to use IE.
I believe that if they are implementing IE and Windows media formats behind the scenes that they might be infringing on some sort of License agreement with Microsoft. Which sucks.
Leave comments!!!!!!
QR(Quick Response) Codes
April 21st, 2008 admin
This is an image of the first paragraph on QR Codes on Wikipedia embedded in a QR code. I made it using this page: http://qrcode.kaywa.com/
“A QR Code is a matrix code (or two-dimensional bar code) created by Japanese corporation Denso-Wave in 1994. The “QR” is derived from “Quick Response”, as the creator intended the code to allow its contents to be decoded at high speed. QR Codes are common in Japan where they are currently the most popular type of two dimensional code.” - Wikipedia
QR Codes are basically our standard bar codes, but super amp’d up so they can hold a lot more information.
Here are some examples: Read MORE »»
Remade through Peace: Chris’s African Missions Blog
February 24th, 2008 admin
My friend Chris Matthews has just posted his first letter since he has landed in Freetown, Sierra Leone. He is working hard and I thought that I would direct you to his blog.
GNU
February 6th, 2008 adminI was reading the book Open Source Development with CVS (here) and found a excellent rationale for open source software on page 23 :
“Traditional capitalism is based on the idea of limited supply; however, information has become a commodity in itself and is never in short supply. In fact, the ubiquity of computers and the Internet has made it possible to replicate any information effortlessly and without bounds. Even so, we still treat software as if it were a tangible object in short supply. If you copy software from somebody, you’re legally stealing it. The software industry has attempted to extend this metaphor into the information economy, artificially re-creating the economics of limited supply by creating software licenses.
There’s nothing wrong with making a living as a programmer or as a software company employee or executive. The authors of this book get part of their incomes as programmers. However, it’s nonsensical to use this profit-model. Imagine a science-fiction device that allows any sort of food or physical object to be infinitely duplicated. If somebody then tried to sell you a tire for your car, why in the world would you buy it? You could just throw your friend’s tire into the duplicator! However, you might want to pay somebody to design a new tire for you or perhaps to install the tire on your car. Or to help you when some other part of your car breaks, you might want to buy a warranty for future support. Or maybe just hire a personal mechanic.”
I tend to agree with what he is saying.
Learning Python
February 6th, 2008 adminI just checked UPS tracking for a book I ordered. IT HAS ARRIVED!!!
Learning Python, I hope, will be the first stepping stone to me becoming a more well rounded programmer. I have started to have interest in Python(cool name) because of Ubuntu and OLPC(One Laptop Per Child). Both of these projects aim to help the world, and they depend on Python. I would love to be able to write a great application that would easily work for kids of developing countries , and/or on my operating system of choice, Ubuntu(or any Linux).
I decided to choose Python over Perl (I bought “Learning Perl” about a year ago). Creating GUIs in Python seems more intuitive, and I prefer object oriented programming(I don’t think Perl is) .
Python over Java : I wanted something more nerdy and that could integrate with UNIX better.
Python over C++: C++ is much to hard. Just compare the list structure in both languages. Also, DB work will be easier (I hope :))
So, while I’m stuck away from home until tomorrow, my book will sit on my front porch. I can not wait to get home and rip it open. :)~
Comments about “Learning Perl”
The Perl book was excellently written, and the authors deserve awards for how easy it was to read. I got through most of the book in 2 days. It just so happens that the two days had about 11 months in-between. Because the book was so good, it almost makes me feel bad about deserting Perl, but it must happen.
olpc
February 6th, 2008 adminA few days ago One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) announced the date of there “Give 1 Get 1? campaign. I have decided that I will be giving/getting one as soon as possible. This is a great opportunity for me to help out a worthy cause and get a really sweet computer/e-book reader/conversation magnet too. Give1|Get1 HERE!
On another note– I hope by the time they start selling these things on November 12th 2007 that they will have some different color options. If having bunny ears on the thing wasnt enough, it’s got to be bright green too. : )
sitemeter
February 6th, 2008 adminI just create an account with SiteMeter.com. They are one of the suggested Wordpress site trackers. They allow me to see : where my traffic comes from, how they got there, and all other types of information. This is how I know that my traffic comes from all over the United States and all over the world! Just yesterday there were a few from the UK and Germany.
I have had a hit from almost every English speaking country in the world. That is why the internet is so sweet. Effortlessly connecting people for free. I can’t wait to see what the next few years holds.
CVS = Amazing
February 6th, 2008 adminConcurrent Versions System(CVS) or any Version system(SVN, Bazaar, Source Safe) is the best thing for programmers ever. Using CVS, me and my friends Grant and Dallas are able to program together, apart. This helps working on a program since I have the exact opposite work/sleep schedule as both of them.
If you are working on a digital group project, I would suggest trying to set up a Linux/CVS server.
Nokia S60 OS - Resetting the Competition
February 6th, 2008 adminNokia’s new iPhonesque cell phone the S60 has just been announced. There decision to open source the products OS has also been decided. I believe that the reason for this is that they are trying to reset the competition.
In the book, The Cathedral & the Bazaar by Eric S. Raymond, there is a chapter called “When to be Open and when to be Closed”. In this chapter there is a reason for open sourcing called “Resetting the Competition”, he describes it as follows:
When the development of the open-source X window system was funded by DEC in the 180s, their explicit goal was to “reset the competition”. At the time there were several competing alternative graphics environments for Unix in play, notably including Sun Microsystems’s NeWS system. DEC strategists believed (probably correctly) that if Sun were able to establish a proprietary graphics standard it would get a lock on the booming Unix-workstation market. By funding X and lending it engineers, and by allying with many smaller vendors to establish X as a de-facto standard, DEC was able to neutralize advantages held by Sun and other competitors with more in-house expertise in graphics. This moved the focus of competition in the workstation market towards hardware, where DEC was historically strong. (149, Raymond) [view][buy]
This, I believe is exactly what Nokia is doing to Apple.
Similarities with Sun’s NeWS and Apple:
1. Apples’ closed SDK and cell OS.
2. Apples’ closed infrastructure : Hardware, Network, iTunes
3. Apple is trying to get a proprietary lock on smart cell phones standards.
Similarities with DEC’s X and Nokia:
1. Nokia is funding the open source SO6 OS (along with [other open products])
2. Nokia may be able to neutralize advantages held by Apple when they release a free and open source alternative.
3. Nokia will be able to remain focused on selling great cheap handsets.
These moves by Nokia will hopefully make the cell phone market adopt more open standards as well as becoming a friendlier place for hardware manufacturers and for there users—you and me.
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