Friday, April 16, 2010

Introducing pyKake

This is my first Maemo application, written in Python with GTK library for graphical user interface and Lirc to handle infrared. It is very simple and clear with main purpose to work as infrared remote control for DSLRs. It includes remote commands for Shutter and Bulb (on and off buttons). There is also + and - buttons, but I haven't yet find them other use than change pictures in picture view (but if it is possible to remotely use focus in camera, these are probably buttons to do it), still very handy if you have connect camera to TV and go through the picture show.

I got the basic idea for this application, when I tested Shutter (by Tom Waelti), from Maemo.org, it is nice small desktop widget to remote control shutter in DSLR, but I was still missing some options, most important thing of these was Bulb. So I decide that what a heck, I can do it by myself! So I read some manuals to catch the idea of maemo programming, and borrowed the idea of Lirc from Whaelti and started to code.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Naming the program - and why it is so hard

How hard it is to come up with a nice and good name for software? I don't really know, how hard it is for others, but for me, it is very difficult. Example, lets take this blog: "The Source and Me". Ok, that's good name and there is nothing bad in it, but in reality, it is just punch of words together to try told you, what you may find here. I am not so happy about it, but it is better that it could be, so it is enough for me (at least for now). Anyway, to be honest, first I was thinking something like mySource or My life with Open Source, but those two are totally stupid ones and would move the inner idea of this blog to wrong way, so let leave the name of this blog out now. The reason why Because it is one of those relatively important parts of software development.

In software development you can invent and create a new program to made your (and others) life to be bit easier. The application can be great or poor, but that is not the first thing upcoming users sees about it. First thing what they will see is The Name of It. The name is important, because it is always the first thing you see, when you start looking a new application and it is the first thing witch will create associations about it to the user (and these associations can be good or bad). In the worst case, they will leave and let application without later interest.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Hello World!

I am 25 year old guy from East Finland. I am married, no kids. My hobbies are reading, photography, movies and I am also very interested about computers and technology. I am educated Linux specialist and I also do some software development in my freetime (usually after I got a nice idea or find something I need).

And this is my blog, where I will write up my thoughts, mostly about Open Source and devices which are linked to it. Maybe I also write about my life and send here photos (the best shots of course) too. I am not good writer, so don't wait magazine style reviews, I leave those to others. I will write about my own opinions and experiences, were they good or bad, but at least I will tell my opinion about it to everyone. Other thing, what you may find someday from here is some step by step tutorials and tips, but I don't promise anything at now.

One of reasons why I created this blog was also, that I like to write code and create applications at time to time (specially after I bought my N900 Maemo device at last year), so I got this idea to write up my ideas and introduce (and share the status of) my projects. So basically, this blog will also work as a introducing place and public documentation point for my projects and to keep followers up with the current status of them. This is also one of the ways where you can give me feedback about them, fill the wishlist and participate in it.

One more thing about me, I am Linux specialist, with a good coding experience, and reader should always remember that. I don't have nothing against Microsoft, I love to play games (without fighting with Wine) and I will purchase Window 7 in future, I just don't need their products in my everyday life so I won't speak about it a much (maybe it will change when I get the seven ;) ). Then the other one, Apple. I don't like it at all (in fact I hate it), because I don't share their Ideology. In fact, I think it is big pile of overpriced rubbish with shiny outfit and only thing why it still sell is the charisma of Steve Jobs. You will probably read more my opinions about Apple in someday. Now, this was just a warning, in case of need.

The keywords for the future of this blog will be Maemo, Meego (maybe) and Python.