Intruder alert

Well, i've been away for a while, work has been keeping me busy. I have also been developing a Clock widget for android, and you can download it via this QR Code:

Otherwise, i have done some testing of Motion Detection software for Linux, and here is a brief overview of what i have discovered.

There appear to be 2 developed solutions, ZoneMinder and Motion. 

ZoneMinder:

This seems to be the more well known and more established of the 2. It appears to have lots of binaries available, but sadly mostly for debian based platforms. If you need to compile it from source, it becomes a complete nightmare of weird dependencies, many of which i didn't know existed. It took several hours to get configure to run, and in the end, i could compile it, but it crashed on launch. Not very impressed. I also noticed that it was heavily perl based, and while i have no problem with that, it did make things more complicated than they could have been. That said, the screenshots show some fantastic features, and i'm sure that if you can get it up and running, it's a great - although possibly overcomplicated - piece of software.

Motion:

This also had a few odd dependencies, but took no more than an hour from download to simple motion snapshots working. After working out how to set up the config file, i also got the built in webserver running. From here, i need to set up a remote viewing and config site and an email notification service, which shouldn't be too hard. Overall, this software is considerably easier to setup than ZoneMinder however not as feature packed. This does, however, do everything i need it to do, and has some nice extra features which i thought i might have to build myself. It may be simpler than ZoneMinder, but it is definitely extensible. It also includes setup for proper LAN security cameras and the built in webserver has some nice features. There are also some smart features such as automatically drawing a white box around the area of motion in the image.

Conclusion:

If you just want to set up a simple motion detection camera for home, i recommend Motion, as the setup was simpler, and it does the basics really well. If you need a bigger solution, and potentially have a PC to spare just for this purpose, then ZoneMinder is probably what you want. In the end, i'm just really glad to see some motion detection solutions for Linux.

When the Contribution Model Fails

I'm a big advocate of Open Source software. I feel that there really is no reason to close software source for the most part, and in general, closed libraries are very frustrating for me as a developer. However Open Source has it's flaws. The contribution model may be one of it's greatest strengths, but is also a big weakness.

What leads me to this "revelation" is an issue which i've been considering getting involved in and fixing. It's a Gimp enhancement request, which is probably the thing that annoys me most about Gimp at this moment. The "bug" is the lack of grouped layers in Gimp. Obviously, not having groups for layers can make a large document really convoluted, but more than that, i often find myself wanting to make modifications to multiple layers at once, such as opacity or translations. So what's the problem? Surely if they know about it and it's in their list, i should either do it myself or just be patient?

It's a 7 year old feature request.

I do understand that "implementing this feature is not trivial", but 7 years is not even close to acceptable. I realise they are suggesting it might make it to version 2.10, possibly in 2011 or 2012? Before the end of the world i'd hope. But seriously, in the commercial world, people lose their jobs for taking over a month to implement features like this. This is not easy to do, but in that time the KDE guys have written Krita from scratch, which may end up soon overtaking Gimp in features, and already has grouped layers. To me it almost seems like no one wants to take on the task.

What happened to open source being the cradle of innovation, instead of lagging behind commercial competitors? In Gimp, you have the Open Source stereotype. It's not as good as commercial counterparts, and lags several years behind in features. Some Open Source projects really seem to suffer from this. I'd suggest that X.org is another that just can't keep up with feature requests. Is it because of a poor codebase that people struggle to build on? Is it because of lack of interest in the project from outside devs? I'm not sure, but it really does bring down the quality of some big Open Source projects. 

On the other hand you have the entire KDE team as an example of real innovation. The KDE desktop is years ahead of any competitor, the codebase is beautifully clean, and they are churning out major features in just a few weeks. My example of Krita is a very pertinent one. It may turn out to be a big threat to Gimp in the long run, especially because it is now cross platform. The pace of development is clearly much faster, and it seems that it already has some of the modern features Gimp lacks.

In the end this does highlight some of the problems with the contribution model of Open Source software. Some projects fall behind, potentially become aged, while others forge ahead. How do you prevent a split like this? Should similar projects collaborate? Does that then remove an element of choice? The way i see it is that if it is needed enough, someone will do it. Maybe thats why Krita is moving so quickly, compensating for Gimp's inadequacies? It's probably also why Google are going to replace X.org in Chrome OS. After all sometimes its good to do some spring cleaning.

Adding some shine to your Pepper

So, with my new domain, having my own wiki, part of the intention is to start a series of tutorials. The immediate focus is some simple tricks in Gimp for programmers, since programmer art generally has the rep for looking tacky and cheap. I don't claim to be an expert designer, but i do try and keep my art standard above a certain level. The first tutorial is a simple button with a bit of shine and can be found here:

http://davidgoemans.com/wiki/index.php5?title=Simple_Button_Shine

But... i've embedded it below anyway :)

Creating a simple button with a bit of shine

• Open Gimp and Create a new image with canvas size 128x128
• Right click the Background layer, and click Add alpha channel
• In the Select Menu -> All
• Select -> Rounded Rectangle ( Set Radius = 50 )
• Select -> Invert
• Edit -> Clear ( or just press delete )

• Select -> Invert
• Use the Bucket Tool to Fill with color #3d3d85
• Create a new layer above the background
• Use the Ellipse Select Tool with Ctrl + Alt depressed. Using Ctrl + Alt creates an intersection with the existing selection created an intersection.
• Select an ellipse like this:

• Use the Gradient Tool with the Tool Options setup with a gradient from White to Alpha
• On the new layer: Start far below the image ( 50 - 100px below ) and drag to a few pixels before the top of the icon, creating the gradient

• Create a new layer between the background and the highlight layer ( Naming layers is good practice! )
• Select Forground Color: #2a2a5a
• Use the Gradient Tool with the Tool Options setup with a gradient from #2a2a5a to Alpha
• On the new layer: Start just above image ( 10px ) and drag to just over half way down the selection

• On the background layer in the toolbox, right click and select Alpha to Selection, thus selecting the nice rounded rectangle.
• Create a new layer directly above background again
• Setup a gradient from White to Alpha
• Set the Gradient Shape to Radial
• On new layer: Start just below top left rounded corner, and drag to just off ( 10px ) the bottom right corner.
• Set layer opacity to roughly 50%

• Create a new layer directly above the background again
• Select the Paintbrush tool
• Change the current brush tool option to Pepper ( yes the green pepper ) and set the scale to 1.70
• Draw the pepper in the center of the new layer

"Microsoft Hatred is a Disease"

Thanks to @mjhutchinson on twitter for the screen shot.

Btw, sorry for all the AFK, will return shortly. ish. sometime. i hope. soon.

Opera's Brick Walls

Today Opera announced something amazing. Unite. The basis is a webserver in a browser. It allows you to share your music, images, files, and host chatrooms with anyone you choose, whether or not they use Opera. Futhermore, the APIs for writing your own services are available now. And the press has jumped onto this. Even Slashdot incorrectly reported it as the 10.0 release. However, will this actually get them users? In truth i doubt it.

Here's my theory, most Firefox users are using Firefox either because they have it installed on their machine by a sys admin or family member, or because they are religiously bound to Firefox ( oddly, in my opinion, this is very much like Ubuntu users ). Most internet explorer users just use it out of convenience or because they don't know of an alternative. This leaves very little space for other browsers.

But what about Chrome? Chrome has not done that well, even though it has the might of Google behind it. Less than 2% market share in over a year with the search giant punting it instead of Firefox at every turn, that doesn't impress me. And i like Chrome, its way ahead of Firefox on my browser preference list. But the world doesn't really care. They have IE8 with tabs by big evil Microsoft* ( which honestly, is a whole pile better than IE7 ), or they have Firefox which is open source and completely pluggable. I don't talk about Mac users.

So what am i trying to say? The average non technical user doesn't know anything beyond their desktop. And until such a time as the average user becomes technical enough, the only reason people will change their browsers, is if sites stop supporting them. If everyone stopped supporting IE 6 years ago, Microsoft would be out of the browser market. This is the same argument that can be applied to Flash, that it is no where near superior technology, but everyone supports it, so it gets used.

Opera won't get picked up in the main stream, until there is a killer app or function which makes it a necessity. And they are close. Opera Link is really an amazing service, i can't live without it. Turbo is incredible for anyone who uses internet via Wifi or mobile connections on a regular basis. And now, Unite, which has more innovation in 1 service than i've seen from Firefox since its launch. But still this isn't enough. And if this isn't, then honestly, will anything ever be?

* i don't think they're evil, but a know lots of Firefox users who do

Comux 011000

Xorg, a stumbling stone?

Statement: Xorg is a stumbling stone in the advancement of desktop linux, discuss.

This may seem like a university essay, but there's a valid point hiding in there somewhere. Xorg is bigger, slower and more complicated than the graphical servers of other operating systems. One of the reasons is that it lives in user space and, thus, is not part of the kernel. This has massive advantages for stability, but does mean that getting flickerless boot is somewhat complicated ( Fedora have been trying for a while now and are getting close ). It also means that driver problems within Xorg are often harder to diagnose from the start. 

Here's a little example, i've just bought a Dell Optiplex G280 to use as a media center. It has a Radeon X300 graphics card, and while it works perfectly on my 19" monitor, it refuses to work on my TV, no matter what driver i have installed. There is no feedback, it locks up the entire system, and i can't find anything in the log files. Several different Linux distributions with several different kernels have exactly the same problem. What makes it really frustrating is that i get full graphical boot and have no problems getting to the point where X initialises. Dual screen even refuses to work. And this is not the first rough encounter i've had with X. In fact since i've used Linux ( ~12 years now ), i can remember always having to edit the X config file manually. This is one thing which has never worked properly, and the only config file that i have consistently had to mess around with for 12 years.

My question is why? Firstly, do we need X in it's current form. Yes it's really advanced and has some amazing functionality, but does the average desktop user need that. Would it not make sense to rewrite ( much like Apple did with OS X ), a smaller, faster graphical server which may be part of the kernel? Something dedicated to being primarily a desktop graphical server, and secondarily an advanced server. If linux is to be taken up in the public at large, we can't have people struggling to attach an external monitor, since that is becoming a far more common task. Also, surely taking it into the kernel would make sure its extremely well maintained? Correct me if i'm wrong, but there are far more active and willing kernel developers than there are X developers?

Surely something as old as the X server needs a code over haul anyway? I've heard that there are plans afoot, but i'm not convinced that its anything more than a big extension of some code from 1992. To me, everything about X seems old and archaic, from their code base to their website ( which is just lacking a spinning under construction gif and some marquee text ). I can't believe that something which has never had a complete overhaul for that long is really built to handle modern graphics cards, 3D rendering and all the new input methods like tablets and multitouch very well without some major hack work. And hack work is _NEVER_ a good thing. And seriously, for a graphical server, i do expect a little bling on the web page.

I'm not sure exactly how i would go about it, and maybe it hasn't really been done because it's not something many people know how to do. Yes, i've heard of Wayland, which is NOT meant to ever be an X replacement ( read the FAQ ), and Project Looking Glass, but my stance on Java is a big firm no. What i want to know, is why isn't there a bigger effort by either the Linux Foundation or some big company like Novell, Red Hat or Canonical to actually make a big difference?

And in truth, if Windows works on my media PC, then i'll have a Windows media center. Because sometimes, it's about what works, and not what's got the better theory behind it. And no, i still won't get a mac tv. ever.

Predictions of the future and stuff

Not having much free time ( amongst my TF2 play, work and Howler ) i haven't had time to formulate a decent blog post out of this, but i have a quick prediction. Android will become the most used Desktop Linux distribution. It has a simple interface and a very standard development toolchain which can be used by anyone on any platform. All parts of the toolchain are free, and the centralised market could potentially replace the standard Linux distribution systems as the most used Linux packaging system. I'm not saying people will ditch Ubuntu or openSUSE for Android, but i am suggesting people will buy android netbooks instead of Windows ones. And thats all i have to say about that. Feel free to discuss and flame as the linux community so love to do ;)

Comux 010111

Comux 010110

 Slashdot It!

Comux 010101

Hope it's not too obscure :)

 Slashdot It!

Comux 010100

Either you like it, or it drives you criminally insane. I fall in the latter category.

 Slashdot It!

Cupcake's European Spring Tour!

Since Cupcake, aka Android 1.5, is due to be released via over-the-air ( OTA ) updates any time now, a lot of ppl are getting more anxious! Apparently official rollout has started in the UK and will start soon in the rest of the world. However, here in the Netherlands, i had not recieved any update when i saw the news this morning. The news that 1.5 european radio firmware was available!

Thanks to AndroidPlanet.nl for hosting the article on where to get it and how to install it, however i have some appendices and an english version. Being stuck without my cable or a micro sd card reader, i had to improvise to make it work. So here is how to do cake u're phone without pc access:

1. Install ( free from Android Market ), ASTRO file manager and Download Crutch. If you use another filemanager that has the abilities to move/copy and rename files then use whatever you feel better with. Download Crutch basically makes the phone download any file you select in phone browser. Without this ( or a suitable application that associates itself with this sort of file ), you cannot download some filetypes.
2. Download this update zip file in the browser. Because you have Download Crutch it will not fail.
3. Open the file manager and go to /sdcard/downloads and move the file named signed-CRB17-from-TMI-RC9-eu.17667e06.zip to /sdcard
4. Rename the file to update.zip using your file manager. In ASTRO the rename and move commands are under the edit menu when you long press on the file.
5. Turn your phone off.
6. Turn it on, and press Alt + l
7. It should give you a list of options including pressing Alt + s to install the update found on the SD card.
8. Be patient and ye shall have Cake!

 Slashdot It!

Comux 010011

Linux market share hits a somewhat official 1%

 Slashdot It!

Comux 010010

I see a jackelope and i want to paint it brown?

 Slashdot It!

Comux 010001

Yarr!

 Slashdot It!

Comux 010000

This is not actually why Twitter is so slow and has high down time. The truth is: Stephen Fry and his followers. They go around the internet taking down websites faster than RIAA and MPAA ( i'm sensing a potential business partnership here ). I'm just waiting for the day when the great leader, Mr Fry himself ( aka Lord Melchy ), suggests that everyone drink the grape cool-aid.

 Slashdot It!

I, Android

The T-Mobile G1 is an interesting introduction to Android. On first glance, the phone doesn't ooze any sort of charm, except maybe to the tech enthusiast. Deeper than this there is a whole layer of interest, and overall the experience is something more than a phone. There are a lot of features that would appeal to a non-tech user, and tonnes that would appeal to the geek. There are also several large stumbling blocks, which damage the user experience for everyone.

Hardware feels a little chunky, but the keyboard is definitely usable ( especially if you've used a EEE ). The shape, albeit very practical, lacks the sleekness of the to-be-released HTC Magic. The track ball feels good at first glance, although i find myself not using it often and it sometimes becomes a hindrance. Being someone who doesn't use the phone much for music, the lack of 3.5mm audio jack really isn't an issue. But you aren't reading a tech blog review of the G1 to hear about hardware...

Android firmly comes across as a Google product. The basics are simple enough for anyone to use, but if you want more, it is there. The basic Home Screen is simple enough, and adding icons to it is logical. The applications bar ( which you can pull up from the bottom of the screen ) very quickly gets filled with everything you download, easily becoming the mess that the average PC user's desktop is. It would be nice to have a built in filter to narrow down the applications, or possibly even a way to organize them, maybe a folder or sub-menu construct. The more applications you have, the slower the home screen becomes, and the scrolling down through the app list becomes jerky. The interface never feels as smooth as the iPhone interface ( i'd suggest that it's due to running on a GC'd VM language in combination with background services ), however it doesn't feel bad. The touch experience requires more accuracy than the iPhone, which possibly shows how late in development an actual device came in, given that developing in a simulator doesn't really give the right feel for finger touches. Integration with Google services is brilliant, and the background services really make the OS a great end user experience. But of course, a modern smartphone isn't the same without the application market.

The Android Market is an interesting place. There are a lot of applications which is both a blessing and a curse. As an open source enthusiast, i love seeing a lot of available applications, and many choices in application for a given task. Currently i'm using Twidroid for Twitter, aHome Lite as a Home Replacement and Hi MSN as an MSN chat client. Currently paid applications are not available in the Netherlands, so i'm settling for aHome Lite until they are. This said, the vast array of choice might scare the new users. Which brings me to a point which can be said as a commercial developer.

iPhone as a platform is currently a difficult entry point, due to the amount of applications on the App Store. To produce a game for it, you really need exposure in terms of the "Highlighted Apps" and the "What's new" or "What we're playing" sections. If you don't get these, you aren't going to hit target sales, due to the tonnes of random rubbish on the store ( unless you are using a well known IP, in which case you're pretty much guaranteed to get one of the "Highlighted Apps" slots ). When it comes to putting an app in the store, Apple have a certification process. I won't speculate as to why they do it but the point is that they do. All apps on the store have passed this process. This guarantees at least 1 thing, the app runs. Google have no process for the Android market. Once registered, you just have to sign and upload your app, and it is instantly there. Which is where the problem comes in.

There are so many apps on the Android Market that are utter crap. Some of them explicitly state in the app description that the app does not work yet. This is complete rubbish. I'm very shocked that Google are happy to let this happen. The app store is not meant to be an online storage space, it is meant to store apps for end users. As a developer, i can't even wrap my head around wanting to do this! Firstly it gives instantly bad exposure, and because it is not a new app, it doesn't get noticed as easily. When commenting on this and rating the app down, other users defend it saying that the description warns you. If you thought fart apps and soundboards were bad, these are much worse. The situation is just ridiculous. Having a Android developer account means that you have a Google account, which means that you have a Google site, which means that you have free online storage space. The Android Market should not be used to host pre-alpha junk! As a developer, this angers me, since valid apps are losing exposure due to the amount of junk flooding the market. Google need to step in and confirm that the apps at least run and do more than a "Hello World" sort of message.

This all said, Android is firmly a Google product. It is, like GMail, a usable Beta, which feels more like a Beta some days, and more like "by far the best" thing on others. As usual, Google's approach to release early and integrate well seems to be working. There is a lot of potential, and i can see it eventually consume the market and become a true competitor in terms of sales to the likes of the iPhone and Symbian, in the same way that GMail took away much of Hotmail and Yahoo! mail's userbase.

 Slashdot It!

Comux 001111

Not to say there's no merit in these rumours, i'd just rather hear news than speculation.

 Slashdot It!

Comux 001110

Yes, i took the plunge and now i am a really proud owner of the T-Mobile G1. And all i can say is i'm not sure how the hardware survives oozing that much awesomeness!

 Slashdot It!