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For you Linux desktop and laptop users out there, you probably already know about Redshift. Automatically and gradually changes your screen brightness and hue based on lat / long and time of day.

Have been using it for over five years now and it's amazing how much more relaxed I feel at night. Or, more succinctly, how much less my eyes bleed.

Two things about f.lux that prevent me from using it on my computers.

We hereby grant you a nonexclusive license to use one copy of the Software on any single computer, provided the Software is in use on only one computer at any time. The Software is "in use" on a computer when it is loaded into temporary memory (RAM) or installed into the permanent memory of a computer—for example, a hard disk, CD-ROM or other storage device.

That means I could only have it installed on one PC or only have one PC with f.lux powered up at a time.

The Software may automatically download and install updates from time to time. These updates are designed to improve, enhance and further develop the Software and may take the form of bug fixes, enhanced functions, new software modules and completely new versions. You agree to receive such updates as part of your use of the Software.

Sorry, but I want to be in control of any and all software updates. If a piece of software updates itself without me specifically telling it to, then it has no place on my computers.

Redshift or Redshiftgui are better with more options than f.lux and they are open source.

http://jonls.dk/redshift/ is a open-source alternative

I second this. Personally I use Redshift to accomplish the same thing on my PCs, and the simpler Nightfilter on Android (although the latter doesn't automatically adjust based on your latitude and time of day).

The difference between "night" and day mode is, well, night and day. When I turn if off late at night my eyeballs scream and then heave a sigh of relief when I re-engage it.

redshift-gtk on Linux and f.lux on Windows (although nowadays there is an f.lux version for Linux, but I'm used to redshift). Both use geolocation/entered geographical coordinates to match the changing color balance to your local day night cycle, and have adjustable day and night color temperature. Both work very well and considerably reduce eyestrain when working at night, and are set-up once and forget. I recommend them to everyone who spends hours in front of a screen.

(for Android I have Screen Filter, it doesn't do the reddening but it does darken the screen beyond what the usual bright control can do.)

Or for Android, since the summary implies mobile devices, there's Twilight.

Or for Unix, since this is slashdot you fucking savage, Redshift.

On Unix, sadly, only Adobe Flash player detects color corrections and plays your video in proper color. Neither Google nor Mozilla have figured this out for flash video, either. Also, Flash player is the only video player which properly suppresses the screensaver on Linux. What year is it?

Debian/Ubuntu/etc users could easily install the 'redshift' package: http://jonls.dk/redshift/

If it helps, my config file at ~/.config/redshift.conf is:

; Global settings
[redshift]
temp-day=6400
temp-night=3900
location-provider=manual

; The location provider and adjustment method settings
; are in their own sections.
[manual]
lat=51.5
lon=-0.1

(Also, I'm disappointed to see "f.lux is patent pending" at the bottom of their page.)

On Android, I have added a "Night Mode" button. I think this is only possible with Cyanogenmod, and it's an on-off change, rather than the gradual change done with f.lux or redshift.

Thank you, I did not know that one could create a config file for redshift. I've been starting with a shell script for my day/night parameters. Tell me, is a positive longitude east or west? I assume that positive latitude is north.

Debian/Ubuntu/etc users could easily install the 'redshift' package: http://jonls.dk/redshift/

If it helps, my config file at ~/.config/redshift.conf is:

; Global settings
[redshift]
temp-day=6400
temp-night=3900
location-provider=manual

; The location provider and adjustment method settings
; are in their own sections.
[manual]
lat=51.5
lon=-0.1

(Also, I'm disappointed to see "f.lux is patent pending" at the bottom of their page.)

On Android, I have added a "Night Mode" button. I think this is only possible with Cyanogenmod, and it's an on-off change, rather than the gradual change done with f.lux or redshift.

I realised a few years ago I didn't like the bright, white glare of a screen in the evening (or at night).

I installed Redshift (check the repository before installing it manually), and now my screen fades to a warmer palette gradually, as the day progresses. The colour temperature changes to match the outside light. The first time I enabled it at night and the screen changed I could feel my eyes relaxing.

Another option is to leave everything as black-on-white, then invert the screen. KDE has a graphics effect that does this -- either for the whole screen or a single window -- and I'm told there are add-ons for Windows that can do the same thing.

I can't prove anything outright, but I feel that using f.lux has helped me sleep more easily. On Linux I use redshift.

If you set it to the slow transition speed (1 hour), the change is imperceptible. Until you try turning it off, that is. The difference is amazing.

This.

Not that I use f.lux, but the GPL'd Redshift on my laptop. When switching it on, it feels like my eyes breathe a sigh of relief - it really is much easier to read off a red-orange-tinted surface at night.

Now if only they'd port it to Android.

No, I think it just makes the ADD worse, just like it can interfere (in many people) with sleeping well.

Anyway, redshift has done wonders for my ADD and my sleep schedule.....

I'd say RepRap. Not that it is "unknown", but strange it is not mentioned all that often when one thinks about from that first blogpost in -05 and what have happened since. Especially these days when you can get the plasticparts (clonedel), stepper motors on ebay and a small drillpress for cheaps. Not to mention tiny "one board", easy to solder through hole solutions like Sanguinololu.

Passwordmaker generates ditto for all my internets accounts, pinpadlocks etc. Runs on whatever you throw it at, as javascript, android, crapple, N900 (Thanks George (caco3)!), as CLI. Portable to say the least, mature and of course secure to the extent of what cards you got up your sleeve.

I use Zim to organize everything these days! It's stays out of your way and doesn't complicate things. It uses textfiles as database, which is really nice as you get access to your stuff quickly through a terminal for example. Ok, sure I long for the day that it gets say a Couchdb-plugin...

Redshift safes my eyes from getting cooked. I have yet to download that maemosandbox and compile it for my N900 though. There was a new release a few days ago btw, some new fine functions and not "just" bugfixes!

Find project you like or use and start contributing. Or ask them if they need any help.

Most of the big ones do have "help us here" pages, such as KDE:
http://techbase.kde.org/Contribute

And another KDE page for those just starting out:
http://techbase.kde.org/Contribute/Junior_Jobs

So either the OP needs those links, or he is looking for smaller projects to help with. Here, let me suggest some small-project tools that I use that could use the help:
Anki, flash card application: http://ichi2.net/anki/index.html
Zim, desktop wiki: http://zim-wiki.org/
Gmail Conversation View for Thunderbird: http://github.com/protz/GMail-Conversation-View/issues
Vimperator/Muttator: http://vimperator.org/
Redshift, change screen colour per time of day: http://jonls.dk/redshift/

For the Linux/BSD using crowd there is Redshift which does more or less the same thing as f.lux. I've been using redshift for a while now. I've noticed that here at my somewhat northern latitude (Winnipeg) that it is not really right for people who want to better regulate their circadian rhythm as it follows what the sun is doing, which of course is part of the problem. I think I am going to have to try setting the latitude to zero.

I admit that the CNN article is one of the better discussions of this topic to come out of a news outlet but I of course like my summary better. It is located here.

There is also this app : http://jonls.dk/redshift/