Greetings List Lurkers,
The week begins really cold here in Barre this AM, (-2°F -18°C) and I find
myself huddled up to my faithful pellet stove which is operating at max
and consuming pellets like there is no tomorrow. Tonight, after the
meeting I leave for a business trip to the Big Apple, which will no-doubt
kill the week. Anyway, on to the stuff that borders my reality.
ZOCKER
Effin and I have been conspiring to set up a docker image containing zope.
Turns out this has already been done by the European Environment Agency,
but the way they put it together leaves a bit to be desired. Fact is we
have it working and we have a much spiffier name...
http://docbox.flint.com:8081/zoker
Is tiddly-zoker simply too silly? Watch this site. It is the latest thing...
Intel Compute Stick
Not really a project, as it has gotten terrible reviews and is a bit of a
pain. The reason I mention it is:
1. Two versions - a Window$ and a Linux version...
2. The following rules apply with a vengeance. The damn thing draws 2
Amps!!!
http://docbox.flint.com:8081/geekland/#IntelComputeStick
PITCHBOX
...The aftermath
Some simple rules of Raspberryt Pi are in order:
1. Always Use a high current power supply.
2. Be aware of the bios differences.
3. Always shrink before duplication to same size media.
4. Format MS Dos regions on a real Micro$oft machine.
KINDLE LIBERATION FRONT
Sadly, very little progress has been made on the Barre City side of the
KLF. In Niagra, the master Kindlenista, Joe Hart, has debian booting on
the Kindle while here in Barre City, we cannot even get samples mailed to
him. This meeting we are gonna try to concentrate on the KLF dream of a
Debian Kindle.
http://docbox.flint.com:8081/kindle#LatestDispatchFromKLF
I have not had the time to test out this incredible hack, and it needs to
be tested, so I am enlisting DTG to help. I think that Joe is going to do
some testing using this method, which needs to be translated to a more
clearly defined wiki. The software to do the hack is available at:
http://docbox.flint.com/~joe/klf/
...along with the software merely to set up the google store on the beast.
I am becoming convinced that there could be a commercial opportunity in
customizing kindles...
Speaking of the Hart, he was right that cheap Kindles are still there!
https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Fire-7-Inch-Tablet-8GB/dp/B00TSUGXKE
They are even available in color. The price went up three bucks to $39.00 and
if you want you can get one at staples, but it will cost you an extra 10
bucks... get one now!
I really want a version of the Universal Insight Virtual Realty Glasses for the
Kindle. 3d Teleconferencing way cool! Anybody see such a thing?
TRANTOR
Connectivity:
As mentioned above we have had great success in figuring out how to open
it to the world. It turns out that Kimball Library in Randolph currently
maintains a Koha server for its open source library management system, and
has offered us help in getting this set up. Apparently a properly
delivered email is all you need to get destination routing. So we get this
working and deliver the trantor v 1.3 machine to the Aldrich, swap it with
the existing 0.015 system, set up static IP, avahi bonjour and things may
actually be accessible via DNS for the world. Well a fellow can dream...
This project is still operating in development at the library and in this
new year we are about to open it to the world. we got hold of Chip Bacon,
an IT security specialist over at Norwich University and a part time
consultant at the Kimball library. Chip has given us some excellent
guidance as to how to get DII to route inbound destinations.
Once this is accomplished we will switch to the excellent hardware platform
that Marius delivered. This production case contains both USB2.0/3.0 and and a
DVDRW. This will be the production device. The first and second passes for
Trantor are done. The second pass, is in the Aldrich Public library for
evaluation. We are indeed using one of the original Gates Foundation grant
based Dell machines. Sarah the librarian wanted the actual pictures to be hot,
they are now. So it is time to develop a development cycle... The vision of a
restful website remains:
- Take the existing code
- edit it with enki, a restful editor almost built for the job.
(a most difficult to install but rewarding bit of software)
- if necessary propagate the change using a shell script
(thank god for sed and awk)
- run "ctrantor.sh mkitso" which builds new web site from files
- check out the result...
- lather rinse repeat...
The hard part of this turns out to be getting:
1. enki running with the preview mode working
(invaluable once running)
2. getting sphinx running or maybe more accurately
3. making the system "sane" - a menu choice.
As we said about enki. The ticket at this time appears to be to run under
Linux Mint 18 as opposed to Ubuntu Trusty. The sad trick here is that enki is
oriented towards use in a Red Hat environment...
Configuration Management:
As mentioned above, the trantor project now uses the new visualbash include
function to load up various scripts full-o-functional goodness. We are
maintaining the Trantor project on Github:
https://github.com/flintiii/trantor
As discussed I continue to hack this into some type of organized format to put
up on git hub, as this is something that will please both Chris Yarger and
Kevin Cole. I really am gonna get to this.
The trantor project benefits itself as you can cut DVDs and USBs with great
ease and facility.
http://docbox.flint.com/~flint/trantor/ ("Rick Roll version")
Restful Web Site: Thanks to sphinx, we actually now have a complete set of
disks starting from LXFDVD154, we sent Neil at Linux Format, an email in an
attempt to expanding trantor to include all the Linux Format DVDs since they
started publication. Maybe in the new year we will gain a response from
London. As it is installed at the Aldrich, next trick is to get trantor on the
public web. So the test of trantor up and running. If you want to see a preview
try:
Again, sphinx now rocks my world. I am convinces the trick to sphinx and ReST
in general is enki, which is a pain to install. I am getting interest from
some parties in contributing more stuff to trantor. Do not be bashful (pun?).
let me know if you want something faithfully curated and The real question here
is should I simply rebuild bosivt.org based upon sphinx? We could do it all
in...
TECHNORUBBLE
In the new year we want to follow up on the interesting angle to deploy
TechnoRubble at Libraries. J West came up with this angle and I would
very much like to set up at Kimball and the Aldrich Libraries and see if
this would work. Jessamyn intends to show up at our meeting tonight and
check out the whole TechnoRubble Project. Hope she is interested!
- The Website http://technorubble.org,http://technorubble.com
The new donation letter has been updated, but not used yet...
Again, we need more TechnoRubble. The TechnoRubble untangling and packing is
part of that effort. Part of this effort was the donation letter. The idea is
to get people to mail their TechnoRubble to us in a USPS Flat Rate Box. I am
going to complete the donation process page as soon as I can and post it.
VISUAL BASH
I actually got one line of code working in the Menubot
function this week, and I am more convinced that the use of zenity for a
gui interface, (see the Bash Zenity Integration page: http://bzinga.net/
:^) is not a bad plan. Beyond this we really need to clean up the
VisualBash page. Now that we have the "include" function that is similar
to the one in python (C and a lota other languages :^) we need to git
this.
http://docbox.flint.com:8081/visual.bash#ImportingFunctionBlocks
The "SanityScript" is born but needs love. The problem is that I cannot resist
the challenge of the menu generator "menubot.sh" that will allow you to test
stub your "shi" files with a crude but working "sh". Who knows where we go
from there?
I will likely be needing to reorganize all of the visual bash functions into
functional includes... Possible include files are:
- ianda.shi - Identification and Authorization
- dvdusb.shi - DVD/USB utilities
- sanity.shi - System sanity tests
- maint.shi - Maintenance includes
- ops.shi - Operational includes
- dev.shi - Development includes
- sphinx.shi - Sphinx generator includes
- tiddle.shi - Tiddle includes...
Could 2017 may be the year of VisualBash?
Visualbash is really fun to work on...
TADA
I am adding the rebirth of the BOSI web site to this project. It is not
technically a good fit but it needs to go somewhere. Is there someone who
can help with this project? We really neerd to exploit Audio Video from
the meeting in a better way. How can we move BOSI TV towards this goal
line? The Adult Swim video network, soon to be the "TADA Show" (The Adult
Development Actity?) was clearly Effin's project. Is there a recursive
acronym in here somewhere?
Hopefully this will be discussed on:
https://hangouts.google.com/hangouts/_/flint.com/tada
3DPRINT
The PiTchBox and 3Dprint are related because I really need a plastic bezel for
the front of the box, and I want a 3Dprinter to print it, and the Raspberry Pi
based octoprint device is central to the operation of the 3Dprinter.
Without a doubt the greatest and most frustrating waste of Flint time and
money on the planet!
Bad money after good, we have in hand the new model 3D printer.
That said, we had great luck with openscad, brother Kevin's design software. We
got this damn thing to the point that I can produce the design of bezels I need
for the PiTchBox. Sadly I cannot print them because the printer we have is
screwed up. Will the new one work better? Thinking about inviting Toby from
Filabot over and asking for some help. This machine has only seen maybe 5 hours
of actual operation is that this lasted about ten days. Why is this so damn
hard?
The 3Decology constructed around the HICTOP Prusa I3 3D Desktop Printer, has
helped a lot, at least there is a place to store the tools this thing needs.
The take away here is that 3D infrastructure is important to facilitate
printing. But more important is the ability to render designs from the head
into products.
http://docbox.flint.com:8081/3D_print
I am gonna learn this product or perish n the process. I need Bezels for the
PiTchBox...
Another new years resolution is to show Bit Ed one of the DC-DC converters,
they are nifty, I will try desperately to bring one today if I can find
one. I will have one in my pocket today for the meeting...
To summarize, the meeting today is again at 40 Washington Street, Barre, VT
05641.
Topics for discussion as usual remain:
- Open Source Educational Human Development
I am working on an idea... I am changing the priority of our
eternal needs, and placing education first.
- Maker Movement A Maker Space in Barre? Why not? Could it be that the
commercial power centers do not yet appreciate the value? I need to
revise my paper on this subject and get it out to Lucas Jensen
who has good ideas about a Barre Maker Space. Why not do digital stone?
- Move BOSI to become more git centric... develop gittlywiki... working!
check out tiddlywiki5 here: https://github.com/Jermolene/TiddlyWiki5
We still need to convert... Yea buddy... Shut up Effin.
- Blue Sky R&D, but in Vermont it will be Gun-metal Grey Sky(c) R&D.
- I fought the DREK and the DREK continues to win. Remember, What
really is holds us back is DREK!!! DREK is what happens to your
workspace (both hardware and software) when you fail to put stuff
away, or you let your friends or relatives use it. This is a cosmic
law. I am still fighting the DREK. How to get over it? The secret
may be empty pellet bags. Is TechnoRubble organized DREK?
These five points are becomming our policy=.
Anyway, we have the technology and we will have Pizza tonight 5-7 at Hedding
UMC.
This is the official notice of the Barre Open Systems Institute (BOSI) Adult
Swim. For those coming in via the Google Plus and the Internet, and there are
folks who are gonna try, the swim stars at 6:00 PM EST.
Our ongoing major objective is to continue to try to figure out how to invest
the time and resources to turn the Barre Open Systems Institute into more than
just the Adult Swim technical clinic and more into a real learning facility.
One direction we have been working on is to begin thinking about classes. The
curriculum that I am most interested in is teaching documentation.
Once again, the goal of the meeting shall be as usual, to get organized and try
to get the various projects moving forward, despite DREK. We continue to wonder
about how to build the BOSI curriculum to this webpage:
*** Note this is broke as of this newsletter ****
http://bosivt.org/classes, Take a look if you dare...
Remember, the BOSI Adult Swim is essentially about helping out fellow users of
open source products in a clinic environment. Despite my very best of
intentions, the Adult Swim is really almost a perpetual Linux install-fest, and
only secondarily a learning environment,
The ever growing list of projects (now on our web site :^) includes:
- http://docbox.flint.com:8081/vm - A Docker copy of VM370
- http://docbox.flint.com:8081/kindle - The Kindle Liberation Front
- http://docbox.flint.com:8081/pyrs - A pythonic interface to Income Tax?
- http://ledroid.org - Ok, this is a real project eh?
- http://bzinga.net - What happens when you combine Bash and Zenity?
- http://docbox.flint.com:8081/nodejs - ok, it is on the list.
- http://docbox.flint.com:8081/snobot - jesum they love this robot
- http://docbox.flint.com:8081/furmon - monitor that pellet furnace
- http://docbox.flint.com:8081/arduino - moving in the arduino groove
- http://docbox.flint.com:8081/javajive - to get better at Javascript
- http://docbox.flint.com:8081/tsp - Temperature Sensors Project
- http://docbox.flint.com:8081/robotsrules - The quest for Roberts Rules -
- http://docbox.flint.com:8081/visual.bash - Yea, I am not kidding...
- http://docbox.flint.com:8081/mrtg - remedial raw mrtg for the slow...
- http://docbox.flint.com:8081/raspberry - all versions
- http://docbox.flint.com:8081/strembot.org - maybe a very cool project.
- http://docbox.flint.com:8081/organized - oh please let me be organized!
- http://docbox.flint.com:8081/music - this may be the least organized
site ever!
- http://docbox.flint.com:8081/bb - A big noble idea.
- http://docbox.flint.com:8081/grantbot - A less noble idea to feed the
big idea...
- http://docbox.flint.com:8081/gitlywiki - is tiddlywiki5 the answer?
Otherwise, Barre indeed remains a great venue for a Linux and Open Source
Software discussion and general system rejuvenation. Expect to be remotely
preached at on the various topics of Open Source and how I am confident it
shall cure all the evils and ills of this wicked world. In a perfect meeting,
people would come in, sit down, see the stuff we have been doing and hopefully
help us get the DIY stuff we are doing done, or maybe just fix a laptop.
So, do not forget that the Barre library stocks "Linux Format", and the latest
issue is on the shelf, and it is good. The DVD's are available to checkout and
copy, we shall to continue provide copies and isos of each and every one. I am
continuing to duplicate about a years worth of DVD's which is quite a task. You
may want to watch this space for developments.
Anyway, come and do open source stuff. For more information about the BOSI
Adult Swim meeting time and location try this:
*** Note this is broke as of this newsletter ****
http://bosivt.org/directions
Show up at Hedding UMC if you have questions or are interested in Linux or the
concept of free and open systems. Again, we are in the basement of the Hedding
UMC facility which is actually working out pretty well.
Somehow we need to make progress not more projects!!!
If you wish to be included on the "Linux_adult_swim" mailing list, send a
response to this note.
This is Flint signing off... I gotta go and get the heat working here at the
Casa.
I will continue to refactor this newsletter at some point in the future (do not
hold your breath :^)...
Kindest Regards,
Paul Flint
(802) 479-2360
(802) 595-9365 Cell
/************************************
Based upon email reliability concerns,
please send an acknowledgment in response to this note.
Paul Flint
Barre Open Systems Institute
17 Averill Street
Barre, VT
05641
http://www.bosivt.org
http://family.flint.com/flint
skype: flintinfotech
Work: (202) 537-0480
