December 26, 2012
Saigo.fm and other project ideas for 2013
There was a lot to say that I wanted to say in this post, but I'm just going to keep it short and sweet if I can.
Saigo.fm will be the big project I want to get done in early 2013. Spotify just released a Roku channel. However, in general Spotify programming mannerisms, the channel/program/app they built took a while to download to my Roku, meaning if I could hack into my Roku just to see the files put on it to support the Spotify app, there is a good chance that it will be much bigger than it should be. Saigo.fm won't be like that. In fact, I am to make Saigo.fm the best music player app/channel for Roku combining features from the Roku, Last.fm and WinAmp APIs to create a visually pleasing Last.FM app, without calling it "Last.FM for Roku" which is the real reason why there is no Last.FM app for Roku anymore. If VideoBuzz can make YouTube accessable to the Roku without calling itself "YouTube for Roku" like the last guy who did and got the channel delisted, then Saigo.FM can be as successful as VideoBuzz without infringing upon the rights of the owners.
Next up, getting my desktop computer back up and running. I'm pleased to announce that this will happen next month. Which means, developing Saigo.FM as well as a few Java Applications and trying out Steam for Linux (Beta) is in the cards.
Also anticipated, Mathematica for Linux, something I should have got into a few years ago but didn't because of hardware constraints. Despite my graphics card being a few years old (and hopefully not obsolete), I would really like to use this to develop some visuals for charts and math-based projects. It is my hope that with this new hardware, a decision can finally be made for which LaTeX software to use on this site.
I still need to get a new Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS), a must have for any desktop computer. The one I have needs replacing or at very least a new battery.
I know I can't afford a Makerbot, but that doesn't mean I can't play around with the software.
Another decision to make with the new hardware is what operating system to use. Clearly, it will be Linux. The Distribution will likely be Linux Mint. Ubuntu showed that a Debian-based Linux is ideal, but at the same time letting outside sources track my information was wrong. Add to this the inconvenience of the interfaces provided by Ubuntu including Unity, Ubuntu won't be making an appearance on the desktop. The future of Gnome 3 also seems doubtful. Whose idea was it to remove the Minimize and Maximize buttons and to remove where I can put widgets on the dashboard? Like convincing my to use Evolution will make me want to use it even more? In a world where web-based email and calendars exists, explain why anyone still needs to use Evolution or Microsoft Outlook.
I'm not sure if I want to use KDE as my desktop environment. Perhaps I should look for alternatives, preferably ones that won't make using Steam, Mathematica, as well as some three dimensional scripting. Which in Linux means learning how to use Python on programs like FreeCAD and Blender.
But what kills me the most is the fact that Compy, the netbook, had to do far more work than what it was intended to do. To serve as my primary computer the past couple of years was hell, especially with all the waiting for things to get processed that a normal sized computer should have been doing. But Compy is not doomed to a life to being left to collect dust somewhere in the basement like the other computers I previously owned. Unlike those machines, this one still functions and is operational enough to handle smaller tasks, which is what will happen to it once the desktop is fixed up. I need a device to act as a media server for Plex on my Roku. One of the pitfalls with creating a local area network with a spare router, is that your ISP may give you a router which doesn't like routing for another router, which is probably why when I tried plugging an older Linksys Router into an Ethernet cable plugged into a different router to act as a repeater, things didn't work out like I wanted them too. Regardless, that just means I need to read up more on how to do that.
Also, in case you are wondering where Part 3 of my "One Giant Leap Forward" series is, it's still in the works. Compy needs to understand what programs http_proxy should not be used on like Plex or SSH for VNC.
I just look forward to using better equipment again to make great projects.
