Filed under: development, open source
So it seems I’m in a bit of a quandry: I write blog posts about SupraSphere, but we need development support. Now, how could I garner support by writing a post?
Well, as most know, I am completely obsessed with Ubuntu Linux. It’s very stable (including the bleeding edge beta for 8.04) and the ease of use is phenomenal. A few days ago I directed quite a number of people to this very blog from the Ubuntu forums. My thought was *maybe*, just maybe a developer would stumble upon my review of VirtualBox and have their interest piqued about the project. Much to my dismay, this did not unfold as I wished it had. That being said, my next step is announcing the project itself on the Ubuntu brainstorm. Why? If you’ve been following Suprablog, I’m sure you gather that we primarily use the Linux operating system, and to be specific, Ubuntu. Therefore, it’s natural that we would think of integration deep within Ubuntu as if boundaries didn’t exist.
So, why would SupraSphere and Linux make a good team? The truth is, SupraSphere could and should become a key piece of Ubuntu and the evolving Linux Desktop story. The reason is that it has key conceptual attributes that will allow Linux to innovate and leapfrog other approaches. These attributes are these four general areas: services-oriented desktop (web os/desktop), end-to-end security, database filesystem, and virtualization. We have Launchpad, which has incredible community support for a multitude of smaller projects. Now, imagine using Launchpad and SupraSphere hand in hand; improving in a top-notch security environment and being able to communicate and access information/documentaion in providing the best open source projects out there. Sounds like a dream come true for other developers, no?
Running SupraSphere is in fact like running a virtual desktop. It can store all of your files, bookmarks, rss feeds, contacts, and email all in one place, where you can search across them. It has extremely secure messaging and authentication (beyond SSH and SSL even). You can tag across all message types. You can search and view your desktop remotely. It’s the ideal system to fit in with the virtualization trends that are emerging. We already have four distinct and separate user interfaces that all share messaging protocols and the same data store: Eclipse RCP, plain servlet, RAP ajax UI, openlaszlo, and even a prototype XUL interface.
That said, there are of course problems. We don’t even have a .deb or .rpm packaged version of our system. While we have some connections within the Eclipse, Mozilla, Sun/Java, and Apache communities, we have little or no exposure within the the Linux ecosystem, especially within the Ubuntu community. We feel very strongly that if Ubuntu were to embrace the ideas within our project, it would put Ubuntu above and beyond any other distribution, and help lead the way to Linux Desktop bliss.
Please help. Now is the time. With Java and Linux becoming closer, with MySQL now a part of Sun, SupraSphere can tie in numerous different communities and projects, and propel the Linux desktop way ahead of the competition.
If you have experience with Linux (especially Ubuntu), Java, or Ajax, please contact us to volunteer your efforts.
Email us at: developers [at] suprasphere [dot] com
Filed under: open source, sphere
I have become accustomed to using Pidgin for managing my incredibly long IM list. It’s alright for the most part, although it’s lacking in a few departments. Currently file transfer in Yahoo Messenger is broken, well, (I have heard that MSN does work, but I never use it) it seems like all file transfer is broken. Audio and Video Messaging in AIM and Yahoo does not function either.
Yes I know, it seems like I have a lot to complain about, but one thing I really love about Pidgin is the capability to set one icon and one status for all running accounts. Generally I have three running at any given time, Yahoo, GTalk, and AIM, with the occasional Jabber account running. Naturally I have it set to logging all messages and statuses, as well as logging my contacts as when they were “last seen” in military time. Plus, who doesn’t love to chat it up on #ubuntu-forums? Pidgin supports IRC too.
Now, I have yet to get my hands on the web version of SS, but from what I understand, a lot of things I’ve been wanting are coming true. However, this is not about what’s going on with the web development. This is about what I’d like to see in the web version. :)
SS is cross-platform as we all know, so having a truly cross-platform, fully compatible, richly featured IM client would be awesome. But, as we also know, SS is not an IM client. Wouldn’t it be cool though to be able to use SS and its IM feature to communicate with other clients though?
How would it work? In the not so distant future, users of the web-based or the software-based client would be able to open a context specific “social sphere” dedicated to only IM. Using some sort of invite feature, one could invite others to link with them in this sphere and regardless of the protocol used (whether it be AIM, Jabber, Yahoo, MSN, ICQ, or what have you) users could message their contacts. However, as a user of SS, we’d be able to use it full-featured with the terse messaging, whereas the non-SS users would see every message in the standard view for their client.
What I think would be really outstanding is if there were some way to incorporate voice and/or video into SS, as a more intuitive (and furthermore a multi-platform) version of Skype, Wengo, or even iChat. Voice chat and video conferencing seems to be the new wave for social networking, although many corporations have been pioneering this venture for years now. First hand I know JCPenney uses real-time and on-demand video conferencing and training for associates as well as supervisors and managers, and I have an educated guess that other “fine retailers” do the same. It certainly is not new, but being able to bring this to people not associated with big business would be a big benefit to the whole communication scene.
Myspace has introduced it’s Myspace/Skype IM client in recent history, and although I don’t use Myspace, many of my contacts do and conveniently beg me to install it. Thankfully it doesn’t seem to function under Linux, even with Wine, because for some reason I have a general loathing for all things Myspace. However, the way I understand it, Skype communicates with the Myspace client, so some of my brave friends will Skype me. I’m really hoping Facebook would implement something like this…
There are many more ideas and hypothetical new features that I plan on discussing as a weekly feature. However, I’d love to hear your input on what you’d like to see in the web-client or the software-client. Send me an email, IM me, or more importantly, leave a comment for everyone to read!
Filed under: open source
For once, I am writing a more personal post, which in some respects flows easier for me, but in this instance is quite difficult. I’d like to provide some background as to why I write this blog.
Starting way back, when I was about three or four, my mother brought me and my sister to the Windsor Public Library, and signed the both of us up for a children’s computer class. Because I was so young, I remember very little, but what I do remember was playing the Jeopardy computer game on a Mac and completely loving the experience.
As I grew older, both my father and grandfather at one point owned the IBM Wang monochrome desktops. Whenever my father was not home, I would try to “hack” into it by guessing at passwords: shamefully I never succeeded in “cracking the code” but my father did divulge the correct password after he got a new computer.
When I got my first computer I was so happy, a Macintosh LC all for myself! I did loads of schoolwork on that, and attempted at programming simple games which resulted in my mother removing of the mouse and keyboard from the computer because I wanted to stay up all night. I succeeded in making a Tetris game and a Pong-like game.
That is how it all started, but my priorities changed when I reached middle school and high school. Because of my drawing skills, I was drafted into the fine arts program at NFA, and thought about becoming an architect. At the last minute when enrolling for college, I went decided to go for a dual-degree; Information Technology and Architectural Science
Now that we’ve dived into my personal history of being a geek, surely you can begin to see why I write this. One thing that was always hard for me was writing about things I either knew little about or where I did not find any interest in the subject. Obviously, I love SupraSphere.
Honestly, I write this blog because I truly believe in the project, in all the people working to make David’s dream a reality, in “uniting the internet” by creating something way more intuitive and logical than ever thought of before. It is an incredible opportunity for me to be able to have a part in this amazing undertaking, one that I’m sure many would like to take part in.
So, in essence, this is almost a “call to arms” to help make the internet revolve around us individually. How can you help? With the release of the web-version just around the corner, I petition you to submit either here in comments or at suprablog@gmail.com ideas you have for SupraSphere. Also, we have made the project Open Source for developers! If you are a developer and want in, please do join us!
~Andria
Posted on March 23rd, 2008 by Andria LeBaron
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