Brainstorming session.

[amiacamal]

Long story short I have a project to do and no inspiration. I'm not looking for help just a general discussion if anyone feels they have anything to offer.

I need to make some form of software project, but I'd like to make something that will be useful to me when its done. I'd like to do something ....."linuxy" now that i've fully switched to ubuntu. I cant come up with anything that i could use that hasnt been done already...

If anyone has ideas, or questions to ask me to help me find my own ideas I'd appreciate it :)


[EDIT]
Maybe pile:

Application functionally similar to xMacro, with a functioning GUI.

Theme maker for GTk 3

Music player for touch screen device.

App to generate pronouncable words with the ability to use a seed for generation.
sample use: creating readable online aliases, secure-but-readable passwords,
application names.

Something that creates a useful visual representation of some real time data.


Feel free to comment on these ideas as well!

[Elfy]

Thread moved to The Community Cafe.

[hakermania]

When you delete a file, you can make a guy coming in the screen, grub your file and throw it to the unity trash icon :P

[amiacamal]

Haha that seems fun :P But I doubt I can really sell the idea to a college project supervisor...

Ill add that the reason i started this thread is that i'd like to do a project I decided on, rather than one that was given to me. I feel that if i pick it ill be much more interested in seeing it to completion, with a high standard of quality.

[hakermania]

Haha that seems fun :P But I doubt I can really sell the idea to a college project supervisor...

Ill add that the reason i started this thread is that i'd like to do a project I decided on, rather than one that was given to me. I feel that if i pick it ill be much more interested in seeing it to completion, with a high standard of quality.

Let us know your abilities. What languages do you know?

[Triblaze]

I've got a similar issue, don't need to do a project, but I want to learn some basics in programming and other stuff and i want to find a project that'll be a good learning experience.


As for you, well, any general specifications? Is it supposed to be some application for a computer, or a modification, is it supposed to have a gui, or what? Is it supposed to be fun, or serious, like a python game or something to sort through system data?

[amiacamal]

Java basically, some c, c#. Looked at some shell scripting stuff. If i were to be learning a new language it would mean a smaller scale project. It doesn't need to be large scale to begin with! I can pick up on the basics of a language relatively easily now.

[hakermania]

I've got a similar issue, don't need to do a project, but I want to learn some basics in programming and other stuff and i want to find a project that'll be a good learning experience.


As for you, well, any general specifications? Is it supposed to be some application for a computer, or a modification, is it supposed to have a gui, or what? Is it supposed to be fun, or serious, like a python game or something to sort through system data?

Please start another thread. Here we're discussing about a project to be developed, not a project which will be a programming lesson.

[amiacamal]

As for you, well, any general specifications? Is it supposed to be some application for a computer, or a modification, is it supposed to have a gui, or what? Is it supposed to be fun, or serious, like a python game or something to sort through system data?

In the past there have been both serious and trivial projects. I'v seen smart phone apps, games, some form of software controlled helium blimp...thing... Its a matter of finding an idea first, then deciding if it needs gui etc...

[amiacamal]

Please start another thread.

Thanks for that, but at least (s)he also contributed :)

[sanderd17]

Since a lot of things are moving to touchscreens, why not make a touchscreen friendly music player.

But maybe that's not enough programming and too much thinking about the UI.

[hakermania]

Java basically, some c, c#. Looked at some shell scripting stuff. If i were to be learning a new language it would mean a smaller scale project. It doesn't need to be large scale to begin with! I can pick up on the basics of a language relatively easily now.

Well, there isn't any very good macro creating software rather than xmacro, but it would be nice to have one with a GUI and pause/stop/start shortcuts!

[amiacamal]

Since a lot of things are moving to touchscreens, why not make a touchscreen friendly music player.

But maybe that's not enough programming and too much thinking about the UI.

No, thats actually a good idea, minus my lack of owning a touchscreen anything :L I'm using an old school non-smart-phone :)

[Smart Viking]

I've been thinking about making a game very similar to the game Heroes of Might and Magic 3 with Pygame, but that is a _large_ project, and you'd need a lot of artwork. But I can see that it's possible, because you wouldn't have to be a math genius to do it, which I'm definitely not.

[amiacamal]

Well, there isn't any very good macro creating software rather than xmacro, but it would be nice to have one with a GUI and pause/stop/start shortcuts!

What is xmacro exactly? It's not something i'm familiar with..

[amiacamal]

I've been thinking about making a game very similar to the game Heroes of Might and Magic 3 with Pygame, but that is a _large_ project, and you'd need a lot of artwork. But I can see that it's possible, because you wouldn't have to be a math genius to do it, which I'm definitely not.

We made a game in java for our second year project. I have the artistic abilities of... a rock. An artistically challenged rock. I pondered the game idea, but unless it turns out very well i cant see it being much of a selling point for interviews post college.

I'm going into my 4th year now, just for everyones information!
I'l be trying to get a job when this year is over, and having a good project will at least be something to talk about!

[aaaantoine]

What do you need a computer to do that it doesn't do already?

When all else fails you could try programming a simple game. (edit: oh, I see)

Maybe a screen saver. ;)

Personally I was thinking of building a simple physics game of some sort -- neglecting all my other game project ideas, because I have the attention span of a newt.

[amiacamal]

What do you need a computer to do that it doesn't do already?


Thats the reason I started this thread. Conky and firefox serve most of my needs! I cant really think of anything i need! It doesnt have to be a totally original project, but soon as i realise what i thought of already exists, i just give up and think its rubbish :/

[Oxwivi]

What kind of things are you interested in? For example, if I like comics, I would make an application that makes viewing comics on PC comfortable.

[amiacamal]

What kind of things are you interested in? For example, if I like comics, I would make an application that makes viewing comics on PC comfortable.


Hmm... I dont really do a lot on the pc. general internet browsing, listen to a lot of music... basically the same stuff everyone else in the world does!

[sanderd17]

No, thats actually a good idea, minus my lack of owning a touchscreen anything :L I'm using an old school non-smart-phone :)

I've seen there are 10 inch VGA/USB touchscreens around for $250 to $300. That's only the screen that you need to connect to another PC.

I think it would be fun to set up such a screen with a Linux box (something like an Asus eeeBox) as media player or car computer. But that's only an idea I have, nothing concrete.

For now, the only touch device I own is an Android phone with a very small screen, no graphical card and 150 MB RAM. So it's impossible to run some distro with a graphical environment on it.

[Triblaze]

Please start another thread. Here we're discussing about a project to be developed, not a project which will be a programming lesson.
Oh, I was just saying I'm thinking of stuff too and had a relatable situation, not asking for ideas. I'll find one on my own.

[amiacamal]

I'll add that to the maybe pile, but i'm broke as hell at the minute lol.


I'll ask something differently. What do you other users wish you could do? or do better, even?

[amiacamal]

Oh, I was just saying I'm thinking of stuff too and had a relatable situation, not asking for ideas. I'll find one on my own.

Thats one thing i like about these forums, people try to keep things neat :P

[hakermania]

xmacro is command line tool that captures user's movements (clicks and typings, also mouse movements) and then it reproduces them.

But it is way too uncomfortable to use xmacro because it doesn't have any GUI interface and any key shortcuts to stop the recording or the reproduction process.
It would be a good idea IMHO

[amiacamal]

So the idea is a gui front end to this? when you say shortcut keys do you mean for example, while the gui is running conttol+R = record, in addition to having an actual button in the Gui?

[hakermania]

So the idea is a gui front end to this? when you say shortcut keys do you mean for example, while the gui is running conttol+R = record, in addition to having an actual button in the Gui?

No, not front end (this doesn't have a lot of programming anyway :P)!
I'm talking about creating your very own recording application that uses a GUI, a GUI that has capture, stop, pause and save as buttons and also global shortcuts for some of them (Like Ctrl+Alt+Shift+P -> pause capturing process, Ctrl+Alt+Shift+S -> stop process).

Also the application would automatically minimize itself when capturing process is in progress...

Install xmacro to see how it is used, if you don't know what im talking about :P

[amiacamal]

I'm talking about creating your very own recording application

Ok, I see what you mean. I'll try xmacro tonight possibly and see what i come up with. How much is involved in making it actually record? :)

[cbowman57]

A theme maker for gtk-3.0

http://gnome-look.org/groups/?id=377

[hakermania]

Ok, I see what you mean. I'll try xmacro tonight possibly and see what i come up with. How much is involved in making it actually record? :)
I don't know what you mean :P (not a native english speaker, sorry :))

[amiacamal]

A theme maker for gtk-3.0


I'll stick it on the maybe pile :)

[amiacamal]

I don't know what you mean :P (not a native english speaker, sorry :))

Your English isn't bad then :) If you mean i should create my own recording application, as opposed to building on xMacro, including a gui, How much work is involved in making the recording functionality actually work?

[amiacamal]

Ok, thanks for all your replies so far, keep em coming! I'm going home now and will come back online asap, tho replies may be less frequent!

[hakermania]

Your English isn't bad then :) If you mean i should create my own recording application, as opposed to building on xMacro, including a gui, How much work is involved in making the recording functionality actually work?

I don't think it should be much. Are you limited to working on the 'default' libraries? If not, Qt libraries contain some that capture mouse, simulate mouse movement, clicks and maybe some other like key-pressing, I don't know :confused:

[amiacamal]

I'm not limited to default libs, i just need to get something working. I know that xmacro is for recording, but why do people use it? what situations do we need macro's?

[vehemoth]

How about a program that generates pronounceable words from either a seed or scratch. -Reasoning: say privacy on the internet, have lots of user accounts everywhere but none the same, so that it is harder to be tracked between them.

[amiacamal]

Dont people generally stick to a small number of aliases anyway? :)Also, Do you mean to generate pronouncable usernames?

Its on the maybe pile by the way :)

[vehemoth]

I was just trying to give one example of a use, another might be to help with the process of coming up with names for things like a new program.
Yeah people tend to stick with a few user-names. Maybe for easy to remember but reasonably secure passwords.

[amiacamal]

So something like you are making a music app and you use "music" as a seed and it makes up a word for you?

and as for the password thing, all i can think of is this:
http://xkcd.com/936/

[hakermania]

I'm not limited to default libs, i just need to get something working. I know that xmacro is for recording, but why do people use it? what situations do we need macro's?

To do things automatically that require GUI use.

For example I was playing an online flash game and I used xmacro to do something repetitive that helped me gain points but I guess there are many other things you can do with a macro, like do repetitive jobs that generally require GUI and cannot be done through terminal...

[amiacamal]

I tried xMacro last night, and i see how it works alright. Its c++ isn't it? I'm liking the idea, tho if i could do a java version i'd be happy :) I'v found the "robot" class

http://download.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/api/java/awt/Robot.html

which allows for the playback functionality, but i have no idea how i would go about recording..

[keithpeter]

Hello amiacamal

I worked out that you are fluent in Java and its your last year before trying to find a job. Just a few questions that might help the brainstorming...

What kind of job are you after?

Has your supervisor given any hints as to the kinds of projects that you might want to consider?

Are last year's projects up on a Web site anywhere? Can you see a list of things they worked on? Who got jobs?

What are your friends on the course now doing?

How's your maths?

http://infosthetics.com/

How about finding some interesting data that is updated in real time and producing a suite of visualisation tools to convert that data into information that is useful to someone? Just a suggestion.

[amiacamal]

What kind of job are you after?

Well, the course has been mainly focused on Software engineering/ programming. So something in the programming vein. I'm interning at the moment and seeing java code at business level, and if nothing else having a loose understanding of the system. ( even the dev's say its a beast of a system :P)



Has your supervisor given any hints as to the kinds of projects that you might want to consider?
Are last year's projects up on a Web site anywhere? Can you see a list of things they worked on?


We haven't started back yet!, i wont really know for another few weeks I don't think. I'v sent an email trying to find a list of last years projects, ill let you know what i get told.



Who got jobs?


One that I know of off the top of my head, tho it was a class of about 8 people. I know a few who actually turned offers down because they wanted to move away.



What are your friends on the course now doing?


There's only one of the 7 of us that knows what they want to do, An android app. Most of the others seem to be waiting to pick from a list. I'm working on the theory that if i can make up my own idea i'll be more motivated to do it that if i'm jsut handed a title and told "Go do that"


How's your maths?


Meh.... so-so. I can get it, it'l just take a while and a lot of trial and error.


How about finding some interesting data that is updated in real time and producing a suite of visualisation tools to convert that data into information that is useful to someone? Just a suggestion.

Interesting idea, Going on the maybe pile!

[hakermania]

I tried xMacro last night, and i see how it works alright. Its c++ isn't it? I'm liking the idea, tho if i could do a java version i'd be happy :) I'v found the "robot" class

http://download.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/api/java/awt/Robot.html

which allows for the playback functionality, but i have no idea how i would go about recording..

Sorry, I cannot help you here, I don't know java, I only know that you can download xmacro's source and see how it works or to try to make the program in c++ using qt libs that im 99% sure that can record movements etc.

[amiacamal]

Thanks Hakermania :) I'll take a look at the source, and if I can find a java alternative I might use that :)

[keithpeter]

We haven't started back yet!, i wont really know for another few weeks I don't think. I'v sent an email trying to find a list of last years projects, ill let you know what i get told.

Hello amiacamal

I should have explained that the questions were meant to get you thinking about possible topics, and I did not necessarily expect you to post the answers here!

The idea is you scribble the answers down and see if there is a pattern that suggests something to you.

[amiacamal]

Well now everyone else knows my answers too :)

[hakermania]

Thanks Hackermania :) I'll take a look at the source, and if I can find a java alternative I might use that :)

It is hakermania [-(

[amiacamal]

Well i'm obviously a fool :P :)

Worst thing is i noticed that yesterday, and did it wrong today :/

[sanderd17]

How about finding some interesting data that is updated in real time and producing a suite of visualisation tools to convert that data into information that is useful to someone? Just a suggestion.

If you want to process changing data, take a look at OSM (osm.org). It's "Wikipedia for maps". Users are able to draw maps (vector XML formatted data) and those maps can be used for any purpose (currently under CC-BY-SA, but the license will probably change to ODBL).

But because maps are so huge (the uncompressed XML file was 205 GB in February 2010, now it's probably doubled according to the stats (http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/File:Osmdbstats2.png)) creating tools that can handle the complete world is hard.

OSM also gives minutly diffs of data, so that you don't have to download the entire planet over and over again.

There is a java library project to work with OSM files: http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Osmosis and a GUI frontend: http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Traveling_salesman . But I don't know how actively they are still maintained. Osmosis seems still active, but the GUI frontend seems unactive.

Anyway, if you want to do something with maps, you have the data and you have a java library. But optimisation will be a key point if you consider the size of the maps.

I'm an active OSM contributor myself, so if you have any questions about OSM, just ask. Most info is on the OSM wiki: http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Main_Page .

[amiacamal]

Thanks sanderd17, ill check out your links. If i decide to go for something in that area i'll get back to you for some more info :)

[hakermania]

what did you finally decide?

[LMP900]

How about a Simplenote client? Someone (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1830753) here was looking for such a thing. Good luck with your project and keep us up to date!

[amiacamal]

I still havent decided, college started back today, so i guess something will be decided in the next week or so!