Messages

16

Developers / Re: integration biometrics system

« on: February 16, 2008, 10:04:09 pm »

Matthew, Well said.

I'll try to SHOW you what I mean:
"Biometrics is one popular auth method, but there's generally nearly none in LMCE itself."

could have been rephrased to:

"Although currently, support is limited..."

"LMCE currently has no access control except console/Web logins for administrators."

could have been rephrased to
"Current Admin access control is console/Web logins"

you see what I mean?

It's not WHAT you say, it's HOW you say it.

In discussing technical topics, what you say is important. How you say it does matter, but the way I said it was not antagonistic. The fact is that the rephrases you just offered go out of their way to avoid the actual issue, that the facility I'm talking about doesn't exist in LMCE - but biometrics depends on it existing. It really seems like you are the one who's being overly sensitive and defensive. Reading attacks or slights into simple statements of fact that I don't treat as value judgements of anyone or even LMCE, but just as the direct statement of what's missing that I am about to propose a way of adding.

I mean, with the kinds of flames I'm taking on this site (as are others) for no good reason, including that last one from you, I think lessons in netiquette are better directed at someone else other than at me. Especially when what I said, and how, wasn't inappropriate in any way.

I'm really disappointed that I spend more time these days talking about interpersonal conduct in this community than I do engaged in problemsolving - though I'm doing my best. I think it's mainly a symptom of everyone waiting for 0710 to be released. Now don't take this as a flame (you've got me second-guessing every comment about any LMCE defect), but we expected it to be in our hands back in November, or maybe December, or maybe January, and it'll be March before we do. I'm also waiting, and trying to help during the wait. I think we should try to help each other get through the wait until the release by working together, rather than getting at each other's throats. OK?

17

Developers / Re: integration biometrics system

« on: February 16, 2008, 08:39:11 pm »

<sorry to everyone else, I have to inject here>

Change you attitude.
Instead of saying what Linuxmce DOESN'T have, either post some POSITIVE info, or keep your negative comments to yourself.
You've been here long enough to know this is a work in progress.
I haven't seen any code from you, maybe you can do something about that.

Start getting involved in a POSITIVE manner.

<I'm really don't want this to become a flame war, but something needed to be said.>

I don't know why you're flaming me. All I did was point out what LMCE could have, to use biometrics. I didn't say LMCE was bad for not having it. I just warned that its lack is a security risk that adding it could fix.

I've been involved in quite a "positive manner", regardless of how you want to look at it. I've done quite a bit of helping others with the info I've managed to glean from what's available. I've done a fair amount of improving the wiki content. I've helped work on some design problems. Just today I bought a license for another developer so they can work on Bluetooth support. I've been trying to keep the UI3 discussion, that Pluto has completely dropped from public view, going - after contributing quite a bit to it when it was able to be active. I really don't have to justify what I've been doing, because my actual contributions speak for themselves. But since you flamed, I'll defend myself rather than just let you stop me from contributing.

I also have been trying to code some patches to the actual C++ of LMCE. But it's proven impossible to get either the complete facts about a proper build environment for LMCE, or even definitive answers on which is the actual source to upgrade.

Now I know that you've contributed a good amount yourself, especially your leadership in the Home Automation. I respect and appreciate that work. But where do you get off insulting me and dismissing my contributions when I can give them, despite the problems I've had even getting basic developer info to contribute more? Just because you've succeeded in contributing more doesn't mean you should go slamming me (or anyone else - I'm not the only one complaining with reason lately) for contributing what we can, when it has some value. That's the kind of behavior that can kill a community, reducing it to just a few people who can't work together, but can only send in a few patches to a project which struggles along without critical mass.

To be clear: I'm not posting this just to complain about your flaming me (even as you claim not to want to start a flame war). If you, or someone else, wants to help me (and anyone else) to contribute more by specifying the actual build environment, tools and protocol, please go ahead. It'll help make LMCE better, and I'll forgive whatever style you want to attack me with - if it comes with some useful info, and not just some high-handed flaming.

18

Users / Re: Email notifications from Forum and Mantis - just me??

« on: February 16, 2008, 08:17:18 pm »

E-mails should be working again later this week...

Cool. And thanks for getting web chat started (still getting rolled out, I see). Tying all the different community media together will make it a lot easier to live in.

19

Feature requests & roadmap / Re: Feature Request - Database relocation

« on: February 16, 2008, 08:05:09 pm »

Ok, I will drop the postgresql thing.  The rhetoric is getting out of control and not what this post is about, so lets just agree to disagree.

There are other good reasons for running LMCE on Postgres rather than MySQL. One good reason is if the site already runs Postgres, and adding LMCE's database to it would allow integrating other apps that aren't part of LMCE right at the data tier, with joins etc.

One technique could be to use DB-Link/DBI-Link to let a MySQL DB (local or networked) just front for a Postgres DB that actually contains the data.

But the SQL code in LMCE that I've seen doesn't expoit any specific MySQL features. A developer could just switch the /etc/pluto.conf and DSN strings to point directly at a Postgres DB with the same schema as the MySQL one, then regression test to be sure everything still works.

20

Feature requests & roadmap / Re: Rent Movie Feature / Master Movie Database?

« on: February 16, 2008, 07:27:06 pm »

If we're just going to use the metadata about the movie, and not actual content data (nor even metadata about a specific media file, but rather only about the abstract "movie" itself, eg. as it ran in theaters or on TV independent of any content in someone's LMCE), then we could use the popular and complete Internet Movie Database (IMDb).

IMDb prohibits "framing" any of their pages inside another page with someone else's logo (eg. "LMCE"), bu IMDb  does allow linking to any of its pages, even embedding its search form (and maybe just its search form submit URL API submitted by a custom form or widget in a client like LMCE). It looks like it's happy to let people include IMDb pages in separate apps, just as long as that page comes with the included IMDb logos and embedded ads.

So if the "movie database" feature is just a standalone guide to movies in the world, and doesn't include links to get movie content that isn't allowed by the user's copyright clearance (eg. from some other user not authorized to distribute copies, like some Internet movie download site), then IMDb might be just the ticket (pun intended . If someone has a specific implementation in mind, it looks like the IMDB corp is very approachable for questions about such use. There is most probably some use that would be good for LMCE that IMDb would allow along the lines it already explicitly mentions can be done without permission. If it's OK for IMDb ads to appear in the LMCE interface.

BTW, IMDb does offer a TV schedule, even individualized for most movies (and many TV episodes), but individual titles' schedule listings are not complete (I don't know whether the complete TV listings are complete). In any case, the reported listings would have to be presented complete in their return page (with ads, logos, etc). Probably IMDb would prohibit using just the data to schedule movies without showing in their complete/branded page, especially if that data is used to schedule recording movies (which, though legal for personal consumption without redistribution, is still controversial and probably pisses off Hollywood players like IMDb).

FWIW, I'd like to be able to use LMCE to search for movies, which results LMCE could link to those in my local collection if I have them. That looks a totally legit use of IMDb in LMCE.

21

Developers / Re: linuxmce.org seems to be dissapearing!!!!

« on: February 16, 2008, 06:30:07 pm »

This wasn't Pluto's fault, it was mine. I messed up a DNS entry, and then once I noticed and fixed the problem it took hours for the fix to propagate to every DNS on the internet. I've been working on getting e-mail working on linuxmce.org, so that messages can be sent on svn checkins on the new svn located there. And for the e-mail to work reliably reverse DNS needs to be working, which it appears to be as of this morning.

Whenever there are unexpected outages you can be sure to find me on the IRC channel #linuxmce shortly thereafter.

FYI There is a new "CHAT" button in the forum software now, that will bring you to that chat room, assuming of course that the problem isn't with the website. In that case you will need to use a third party chat client.

You might want to announce the CHAT button in the forums. And it would also be helpful to announce scheduled downtime on the forums, as well as a note when a system comes back up (with brief explanation).

22

Developers / Re: What is an External Key?

« on: February 16, 2008, 05:48:40 pm »

Howdy,

I've been trying to figure out what is meant by "external key" in LMCE's databases (EK_* attributes).  This wiki page looks cut off before getting to the meat:

  http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Naming_of_Foreign_Keys%2C_Indirect_Keys%2C_External_Keys

Googling around has left me a little confused.  Is it just a table extension where the external key matches the primary key of the original table with a 1:1 mapping between tables?  Is it a substitution or surrogate key?

An "external key" in a database is a key to a table (eg. "tableA") that is stored in a separate table (eg. "tableE") , with the data in the tableA key field just a reference to the actual key datat in the corresponding tableE field. It's like a foreign key, but the key is not a field in a separate table that contains any other data than the keys. It's a way of normalizing tableA even further, so tableA keys can be manipulated without referencing tableA at all. Reindexing keys doesn't have to access tableA, nor does changing the keys. Performance can improve if the keys are changed relatively often, compensating for the extra lookup to the external table when the keys are read. And programs can safely access the key table without touching the rest of the data associated with the key, for access control or just risk management (eg. if keys are expendable but the rest of the data isn't, an access to the key that could corrupt its table can be limited to just the key table, not the rest of the data that uses those external keys). External keys also allow techniques where multiple data tables each use the same external key table, for performance, consistency and other reasons.

23

Developers / Re: integration biometrics system

« on: February 16, 2008, 05:28:28 pm »

It's possible integration biometrics system in TCP/IP protocol. Example ACTATEK http://www.actatek.com/actatek_overview.html

Biometrics is one popular auth method, but there's generally nearly none in LMCE itself. LMCE currently has no access control except console/Web logins for administrators. Regular users of controllers (whether Orbiters or eg. HA hardware) face no access control, except what might be available on a device (like a PC) running the UI. For mobile devices, there's practically none (except maybe "unlock keypad" if activated on a mobile phone).  This missing security feature will inevitably be either exploited or will deny access when it's needed by a legit user.

LMCE could be more secure, and still usable, if the DCERouter required authentication and authorization of a controller's user before using it. auth-in/auth-out/auth-expiration hooks and an auth-module in LMCE with authorization state in the DB would support this facility. Then whatever supplies the auth data can just ensure it complies with an auth-module, with the interface just mapping auth-in/out/expiration to whatever UI is used. To start all auth could just default to "authorized", so LMCE would appear to work exactly the same way. Multiple users with multiple access levels (admin, devices-group-N) would offer a security layer that LMCE currently lacks, but would be consistent with how people expect to use their automated site.

24

Developers / Re: linuxmce.org seems to be dissapearing!!!!

« on: February 16, 2008, 05:16:50 pm »

yes, It seems to be up now.
Patience is a virtue.

And so is giving people a heads up when things are going down for maintenance.

It happened last week, too, supposedly because the machines were being moved to a new datacenter. This time seems totally unexplained.

I think Pluto has spent 0 time communicating with the community in the past month, including warnings of downtime.

25

Developers / Re: Developer FAQ

« on: February 16, 2008, 05:14:49 pm »

all source is located at http://svn.charonmedia.org/

Question 2

Q: How do I compile the whole shebang?

# Download snapshot (391MiB)
wget http://www.charonmedia.org/lmce-1465.tbz

Isn't the CharonMedia.org SVN the old LMCE versions' source? Isn't the current 0710bN source in http://svn.linuxmce.com/pluto/trunk/src ?

I would think that "which is the correct SVN" would be a pretty good answer to give, but it can't even get an answer in this FAQ discussion. How is any developer community supposed to help with that level of support?

26

Developers / Re: Java/ J2ME mobile orbiter

« on: February 16, 2008, 05:02:46 pm »

Does that mean it's limited to 3 addresses.  Would everyone using this need to purchase this license for their bt dongles?

no. That stack is only for development. Together with it and the mpowerplayer you can emulate a real phone with jsr082 using bluez hardware. That really speeds up development as you don't have to test on the phone itself. The emulator included in Sun's wireless toolkit can't use real hardware so you can't talk to the Bluetooth_Dongle from the sim.

You could of course use the stack in another j2se java application. We don't need that because Bluetooth_Dongle is not an java app and directly communicates with the HCI device.

You don't need the stack for using the JavaMO with a real phone.

I would buy you the license for E25. Can I buy it and transfer it to you, rather than pay PayPal fees twice?

of course. This is the address of my dongle: 00:09:DD:50:23:2D

I just sent you a PM with instructions how to retrieve your customized unlimited development license. Let us know how the development goes.

27

Developers / Re: Java/ J2ME mobile orbiter

« on: February 15, 2008, 09:23:16 pm »

Does that mean it's limited to 3 addresses.  Would everyone using this need to purchase this license for their bt dongles?

no. That stack is only for development. Together with it and the mpowerplayer you can emulate a real phone with jsr082 using bluez hardware. That really speeds up development as you don't have to test on the phone itself. The emulator included in Sun's wireless toolkit can't use real hardware so you can't talk to the Bluetooth_Dongle from the sim.

You could of course use the stack in another j2se java application. We don't need that because Bluetooth_Dongle is not an java app and directly communicates with the HCI device.

You don't need the stack for using the JavaMO with a real phone.

I would buy you the license for E25. Can I buy it and transfer it to you, rather than pay PayPal fees twice?

28

Developers / Re: UI3 Discussion

« on: February 15, 2008, 07:24:40 pm »

don't know much about GUIs, but have spotted this news. Maybe it can be of some relevance :

http://www.team-mediaportal.com/news/global/mediaportal_ii_gets_opensource_xaml_skinengine.html

It looks like yet another GUI system from Microsoft. But it isn't even compatible with other Windows systems, including the ones that are HW accelerated. And its independent video player component is said to suck. Plus it will run only on Windows. Sounds like DOA to me.

But it is interesting news in the Windows world, even if not to LinuxMCE. Because it's an open source GUI toolkit from MS that will compete with their proprietary toolkits. Which might be why it's got so many problems. "Defective by design", perhaps?

29

Developers / Re: MAME Plugin Progress Thread

« on: February 11, 2008, 05:01:40 am »

I hate to interject here, but...

Is copyright stopping you, or load on your server, or something else?

Matthew, it sure would seem that you like to push buttons quite often.

Seriously, what difference does it make? It is his prerogative whether or not he would like to distribute MAME ROMs, whether legal or otherwise.

From http://www.gaming-nation.net/articles.php?articleId=58
Legal Status of MAME
MAME itself is perfectly legal, as it is merely an emulator. The MAME license explicitly forbids people from distributing it along with rom images.
Making emulators is protected by fair use. It's the rom images themselves that are copyrighted.

I'm not pushing any buttons. I just asked a perfectly legitimate question, because I did not know whether the ROMs were copyrighted or not Since the 1980s were a quarter century ago, it did not seem certain that there were, and since many people are using them who presumably did not buy them in actual ROM, it seemed likely they were not so restricted.

So now I got an actual answer. I never implied that anyone should do anything wrong, I merely asked that question on the subject. If they were stopped because of server load, not copyright, then it wouldn't be "game over". But since it is copyright, it is "game over".

It's not me pushing buttons, its weird headgames people are playing rather than just give a straight answer.

What the hell was the big deal about giving a straight answer to a simple question?

30

Developers / Re: Developer FAQ

« on: February 10, 2008, 08:51:37 pm »

One of the suggestions for the furums that came up when I was out in Sunnyvale talking to various people about UI3 was to create a a list of frequently asked questions for both this forum, the Users forum. The idea is to make a sticky post to the respective forums with the questions and short answers which point to the wiki for each in depth answer.

So lets figure out what should go in that FAQ in this thread.

My initial suggestions:

Q: Where do I get the sources?
Q: How do I compile the whole shebang?
Q: How do I compile and install a single library/application?
Q: How do I create a new GSD device and sync it to sqlCVS?
Q: How do I translate the UI into my own language?

Let's structure the FAQ so that its questions are posted in a sticky topic in each forum about which there's a FAQ, and link the FAQ's questions to answers that are wiki articles. The discussion following from the sticky FAQ post can discuss new questions (and answers) to be edited into the top comment in the topic.