3D Printing with Nylon 618 filament in Tie-Dye colours. Very cool. I think that's something I could try when my printer is here. Just pre-color the filament and then print with it.
Archive 12.2.2013 - 12.4.2013
LiveCode Community Edition Overview | RunRev. Yep, it's out. GPL3 version of LiveCode. And yes, all target systems are included - OSX, Windows, Linux, Android and iOS. And they've streamlined it too, the DMG is significantly smaller than the one from the last release (ok, many of the missing things are things that belong to the commercial parts, but still). And it really looks nice, sure, the language is wild, but hey, it's a much better GUI Builder than anything currently delivered with Android tools.
lein-droid Wiki. I'm playing around with alternatives to raw Android Java programming again, and this could be an interesting candidate as you can play with Clojure.
Here's what I found worth reading this week, collected and uncommented:
Tiny Tiny RSS Tutorial – Part 1: Installation & Configuration › Michael Sonntag. And for those who want to take a look at Tiny Tiny RSS, here is a nice description of the installation and usage, including integration into a blog and Android app.
Tiny Tiny RSS is my current favorite RSS feed reader after the Google Reader debacle, after I also looked into Feedly and others. The problem: I want to access the same database on my desktop and mobile device. And cross-platform. But unfortunately, all RSS readers are now going in different directions. Some go with Feedly, others with Feedbin, and yet others throw in the towel (like the Goodnews programmer). So I need something I can somewhat trust - and what could be closer than self-hosted open source software? Tiny-Tiny-RSS even has an official Android app, which is also open source (but can also be purchased as a paid version to support it). For iOS, I'll use the mobile interface for now, as I don't have an active iOS device in use at the moment, and on the desktop, I use the web environment, which is surprisingly usable. Let's see how it all works after some longer operation, but it looks good for now.
Black and White - Hugos House of Photo Horror. I've been playing around with Koken again and I still like it quite a bit. I have housed my black and white collection there as a test album first and now as a permanent fixture, because updates are much easier there than in my main blog. At the moment I'm still thinking about how to cleverly integrate this into my main blog, but for now it will happen via links.
Jeffrey’s “Export to Google Drive” Lightroom Plugin. Hmm, let's see - I'm currently using Picasa to reach G+, but GDrive might also be an option. Especially since I can also get the pictures back directly as I uploaded them. In the end, it's the question of which way is faster.
twotoasters/AndrOAuth · GitHub. Check it out, Koken uses OAuth for API security and this has been quite tricky on Android so far. The linked project should make it much easier.
Sim-on-a-Stick. If you want to try OpenSim, this is probably the easiest way with ready-to-use installations for a USB stick.
Netzpolitische Hundstage in der SPD | Lummaland. Reading command. Because the man is right. And the cowards in the SPD should be ashamed. Majority in the Bundesrat but not enough guts to at least get a decent opposition policy, instead resigned cuddle course with Merkel? Ridiculous. And Embarrassing. And definitely not a way for a successful election campaign. And that the entry comes from the NRW SPD, which previously opened its mouth so wide, is ridiculous.
Recently on the Internet (Black and White Edition)
I have uploaded new pictures to Google+ and/or Flickr. Here they are - unsorted and uncommented. This is the black and white version.
Recently on the Internet
I have uploaded new pictures to Google+ and/or Flickr. Here they are - unsorted and uncommented.
LiveCode Markdown converter. Don't ask. Just playing around.
OX Documents: Online-Office-Suite als Open Source - Golem.de. Another candidate worth taking a look at - especially since the OX App Suite can almost completely replace Google Apps. However, I would then have to handle spam filtering myself (or simply route it through Google and have it sent directly to me, as there was an option for that). It somewhat conflicts with what Owncloud does, so I'll have to see which of the two services is actually more interesting for me. But maybe file syncing will also come to OX App Suite soon.
Robot-Will/Stino · GitHub. Since I like to use Sublime Text 2, I should check this out - it allows you to program Arduino under ST2. However, I don't know how well it works with Digisparks, which have different programmers and compilers.
EverythingServerUbuntu - Ryzom - Ryzom Core Development Site. I should take a closer look at this - at the moment I'm playing a bit of Ryzom, just for relaxation on the weekend, and that has been open source for some time now - you can set up your own server with your own little world. It's not connected to the main system as far as I can see (which is a shame, it would be funny to jump with an avatar from there into my own little world), but still maybe something to play around with. Even if it's probably more complex than OpenSim to build something like Lilliput inside it.
This time only as a link to my photo site (built with Koken), instead of directly here: Vienna Calling. At the moment, I'm still undecided, it could be that I also select a few pictures and upload them here, so that it stays a bit more colorful here. There are still a few questions that I have with the Koken themes and a few inconsistencies. Maybe I will deal with the themes myself and adapt them more to my requirements, but for now it works quite well - the workflow of Lightroom is hardly to be surpassed.
Newsblur is one of the candidates to replace Google Reader that can also be self-hosted. However, it has somewhat broader requirements. Still worth a look? But first, let's wait and see what happens in the reader app market, because without an Android and OSX app that syncs with it, it's not very interesting for me.
Connecting Arduino to Mathematica on Mac OS X with SerialIO using the SerialIO package under OSX. Sounds interesting for data collection and preparation from sensors.
embedXcode - Home. If you don't like the Arduino-IDE and prefer a larger IDE and work on a Mac, someone has integrated the Arduino toolchain into XCode.
Pushing the Limits of Self-Programming Artificial Intelligence | Primary Objects. Some people really have very strange hobbies.
Disinformation: Wall in Captivity - taz.de. So I don't forget and can look it up later, linked here again. Background information on the current demolition action at the East Side Gallery - and somewhat more detailed than previously in the press or from the official authorities in Berlin.
Getting Started with nRF24L01+ on Arduino | maniacbug. Wireless connections for Arduinos that do not directly involve TCP and the Internet - just simple data transfer via 2.4GHz radio. Bookmarked for later.
GT.M. And since I'm at it, here's the third open source Mumps implementation. This one was once commercial and became free in 2000. So it has quite a few years under its belt and is not some hobby project by some enthusiasts, but is indeed commercially operated (e.g. for licenses on systems other than Linux and OpenVMS). If you read through the description, they've thrown the whole collection of buzzwords at the tool. Ok, for a language that simply maps its database as global variables into the programs, STM is so to speak already built-in. Even if that might be a bit of a cheat.
Mumps. Yes, yet another implementation that seems to even implement some of the archaic job controls and other obscure artifacts. Well, since NoSQL, Mumps is probably respectable again. However, you have to compile this yourself, as there are no binaries directly available for OSX.
Mumps/II MultiDimensional and Hierarchical Toolkit. Yes, I'm back to absurd programming languages and found a Mumps that is open source and runs on various systems. I don't know what I'll do with it, but it will have to be something painful.
Since I was just talking about Koken, I switched my photo test site and uploaded some pictures: Hugos House of Photo Horror. I must say, I'm impressed. The included themes are really good and the backend is light years ahead of what Wordpress has to offer in media management. And the Lightroom integration works perfectly. This could really be something for the long term, let's see how it behaves in operation.
Koken - Creative website publishing. Already tweeted about this yesterday, find this quite interesting - looks good and the Lightroom Publish Plugin sounds very interesting as well. I'm considering whether I might need a photo-centric system instead of WordPress, at least for all my pictures. And a usable integration with Lightroom would make a lot of things easier. Especially since the last WordPress update destroyed my photo workflow.
Arduino Camera Shield | Arduino Based Camera. And more on a DIY Arduino camera. Here is a controller with LCD display to control various camera modules.
Craft Camera by Coralie Gourguechon | mocovote.com. Ok, I want to build this. Definitely. Even if it's only VGA resolution. Just because it's cool. Yes, the camera is more expensive through the individual parts than a finished camera. Still cool!
Slic3r is Nicer - Part 1 - Settings and Extruder Calibration provides good tips for calibrating and configuring 3D printers.
PhysibleExchange - Popular. Another place where you can find 3D models for 3D printing. This one has some really practical things, not just toys.
pcDuino arduino compatible headers. Hmm, not uninteresting - an ARM-based single-board PC with an Arduino-compatible header for connecting and controlling Arduino shields. And the computing power is already quite decent. Just like the basic equipment with interfaces.
Pudb 2012.3: CUI Debugger for Python. On servers, you don't always have the option to start heavy IDEs or even have graphical displays. The alternative - debugging with pdb in the console - is not always great either. And remote debugging doesn't always work as desired depending on firewalls and gateway computers. It's nice when someone takes the trouble to build CUIs for debuggers.
Reconstruct your world with ReconstructMe. Hey, cool, 3D scanning with Kinect. This actually makes it suitable for hobbyists - although the question is whether you can meaningfully scan things smaller than head size with it, as the Kinect is designed for larger scanning areas.
foosel/OctoPrint at devel · GitHub. Also nice - a 3D printer control program that runs on a web server and can be installed on a RaspberryPi. Add a WiFi module and a small nice case and you can set up your 3D printer in the next room or basement and print comfortably from the sofa. Then connect a USB webcam and you can also watch it print from there.
usb-serial-for-android - Android USB host serial driver library for CDC, FTDI, Arduino and other devices. - Google Project Hosting. Very nice, this will certainly be interesting when I delve deeper into the Arduinos. Maybe it even works with the DigiSpark. Building control consoles for Arduino projects with Android would certainly be quite practical.
Recently on the Internet (Black and White Edition)
I have uploaded new pictures to Google+ and/or Flickr. Here they are - unsorted and uncommented. This is the black and white edition.
Write Yourself a Haskell... in Lisp 17 February 2013. I always find this kind of thing exciting, even if I have to admit that I probably won't do anything with it. Still, it's interesting to read.
Controlling Arduino with Android using Processing. This way, you can quickly build a control system and a matching console for the Android phone with simple sketches, without having to pull out the big IDE. And since the Arduino environment is also based on Processing (at least the surface of the programming environment), it should be easy for both Processing and Arduino fans to understand the other side.
Cura. This would be software that can make the printing process more efficient - an all-in-one package with integrated model preview, slicing, printing and all kinds of parameters. And also available across systems (which I am always excited about: almost all software in this area is available across systems).
3ders.org - Infographic: step-by-step guide for 3D printing with a RepRap. Nice little overview of what all needs to happen for 3D printing. Certainly, some of this can be made more efficient with the right software choice, but in one form or another, everything is involved.
328eForth. Hmm, whether this will catch on is questionable. Commercial Forth systems have rarely been successful. On the other hand, the description sounds quite interesting. But somehow, I would almost rather cobble together a Forth myself.
AmForth: Atmega Forth. Wow, cool! A Forth for the ATMega chip used in Arduinos. I think I should look into this for my Digisparks to see if I can get it to work.
Industruino. Cool project that provides Arduino solutions in a housing for wall and rail mounting. Comes with control buttons and LCD display at a very reasonable price. Currently still in beta and without I2C support, but already interesting if you want to have an Arduino in permanent use somewhere.
Sync API - Dropbox. Finally, a normal sync for Android and iOS. So far, you had to program the sync more or less yourself, but I like this much better when you can simply write local files on mobile devices and the sync then happens automatically in the background.
Wings 3D | A Polygon Modeler. So, I need to take another look at this - it impressed me back then for SL, but it wasn't quite perfect because the exporters were a bit finicky. But it could be quite interesting for 3D printing again.
FreeCAD: An Open Source parametric 3D CAD modeler. And since I'm currently collecting 3D software, here's another free (this time also Open Source) software for technical models. I should definitely take a closer look at it.
Pixologic :: Sculptris. Another modeler and this one interests me particularly - it is a stripped-down, free (as in free beer) version of ZBrush. I do have an older ZBrush license floating around, but for my plans this one would probably be more than sufficient.