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New Cye Support for Linux!
Brian Chemel wrote in to let us know that all the Cye Robot Map-n-Zap software, the interface, everything, is now being released under the GPL. This is fantastic news for anyone interested in robotics and Linux. Update: 01/24 05:30 by E : Hey, there's cool Java Open Source Cye stuff available at http://www.teambots.org. Rock on, guys.
i wonder if i can modify the source to work on my sister as well?
conraduno
binxdsign
Am I the only person to think that the only reason why these companies release stuff under the GPL is so that they can fire half their programmers and slash software R&D budgets?
I assume that these people sell some sort of hardware interface that they *have* to bundle the software with & as far as they are concerned SW development is dead money.
Could someone mirror this site and change the font tags from FONT=3 UNITS=ANGSTROMS? Otherwise, can we get a summary of who or what CYE is and what this announcement means?
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This means that if you only run linux you're out of luck trying to run one of these things. Until now.
One caveat. In the announcement text they state that it is only "known to compile under Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0, and makes use of MFC and DirectX." This means that it can't compile under linux without some work.
The benefit is that they uncover all the insides of the software, so you can take whatever pieces you want and implement them any way you want. (including my preference of a command line interface, just imagine, a $600 robot carts location being mapped on an ascii map!!!)
penguinicide... when jumping out a window just won't do.
They said they plan on a rewrite to help platform portability, but that is 6 months away.
Although this source code should make it relatively easy to create the linux support.
penguinicide... when jumping out a window just won't do.
Oh when I was a robot, a long long time ago.....on hot bot.
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It's life Jim, but not as w
Everyone- Deails of the Linux-specific support for Cye has apparently gotten lost in the shuffle. I've written a platform-independent interface in Java that allows a developer to command the basic functions of Cye, like "move to position x,y" and "set motor velocities to v1, v2". This work was originally carried out to allow the CMU RoboCup Team (http://www.teambots.org for CMU's team, http://www.robocup.org for info on the competition) to port their soccer-playing code to a new set of modified Cye platforms. Meanwhile, Probotics has decided to release their source under the GPL, but as their development page says, there is no existing support for Linux. HOWEVER this is definitely a great first step, so they should by no means be criticized. The CMU JavaCye package has been (somewhat) extensively tested, so if you have access to a Cye and dig Linux, please head over to our download page and give it a try! Thanks! Brian Chemel
This source requires DirectX. There are a couple of works in progress, like John Fortin's port of DirectX 6.1 and Peter Hawkin's port of DirectX 5. They're both designed for compilation under gcc/egcs on Windows, so they might be useful for alternate platforms or not.
A Letter to the Open Source Community
The Probotics team is proud to announce that we are releasing all of our source code to Map-N-Zap under the Gnu Public License. This includes all of our GUI, Iconic programming language, and Robot communtion protocol code. This decision was made in part because of the numerous requests from the linux community for our source code, and the realization that they, and developers for other platforms, have much to offer to our mission, which is to make really cool robotic technology. We would love for you to take our source code and do wonderful things with it. Obviously, since we are releasing under the GPL, any contributions you make will remain under the GPL as will this release, even if we choose to later re-release this code under a proprietary license.
The source code which is released is that of version Map-N-Zap 2.1, with some changes. These changes are briefly described in the included readme. They are mainly work arounds to some proprietary source code which we did not hold the copyright to, and some (very preliminary) additional development.
This is a preliminary release of the source code. We are currently re-designing Map-N-Zap, to improve both the functionality and portability of the code. This code will also be much better documented than our current code. We expect to have this done in around 6 months or so. Until then, we wanted developers to have the opportunity to examine and work with our code.
The only caveat is that our software development team is essentially one person who wrote more than 95% of map-n-zap, and a few others who have contributed to it. As such, we cannot offer any support to developers. We just don't have the resources. What we are doing is creating a mailing list which will be used for announcements of any new developments or generally important things. Also, a Developer's Forum b-board will soon exist, which will be for you to talk to each other about any issues that arise, although we will monitor it and participate in it as time permits.
The source code is only known to compile under Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0, and makes use of MFC and DirectX. Therefore, it will not directly compile on non MS platforms. However, the dependance on DirectX is not great. A Readme file is included which gives compiliation instructions. Other than that, the code is commented, but there is no global source documentation.
Finally, before downloading the source code, we ask that you fill out the form below and give us some basic information about yourself. Our privacy policy is that we will NOT release any of your information in any way, either by selling it, giving it, or making it available in any form. Nor will we use it internally for any sort of marketing, spam, etc. The only disclaimer to that is that if you check the "Include me on your mailing list" box, you will be added to our developer's mailing list, and receive information from us. We're only asking for the information because we're personally curious about who you are, where you're from, and what OS you're using.
Enjoy,
The Probotics Team.
To reiterate, the Java port is done -- if you want to drive the Cye from a linux box right now, all you need is the JDK, and the JCye package from www.teambots.org. The package was written by Brian Chemel at CMU's MultiRobot Lab. Regards, Tucker Balch
Should be a cybernetic blood bath! It's my boys birthday, I'm going to order the PPV and record it for his present, I'm a cheap bastard!
I want to mount machine guns on one and turn it into a Dalek!
I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?
"We've chosen to move all of our middleware to a Linux base. Notes, Domino, Websphere, MQ [Series] -- our entire line of middleware software has not only been ported to Linux, but exploits Linux. You'll see us continuing to invest in it."
- IBM senior vice president John M. Thompson, who oversees IBM's $12.7 billion software business.
I think this is a very positive step. Having big development houses like IBM and others brings a lot of money to the table for R&D along with co-branding, co-marketing and all the while Linux gets to ride along. Great stuff!
Never knock on Death's door:
More race stuff in one place,
than any one place on the net.
Hello,
A few comments on why we released our source code. First, it wasn't so we could lay off programmers. We only really have one full time software person, and there's no way we could afford to lose him. Second, it wasn't because the code was too big - we're handling it just fine right now, even with 1.2 people doing software. Part of that statement is true, though. We currently do not have the resources to do linux/Mac development. There are two options then, we can either ignore these communities, as we have been doing, or we can TRY to jump start something by giving away what we have developed, in the hopes that others will take an interest, and develop the software for other platforms, either based on our code, or something completely new, using our code as an example of what CAN be done.
If this happens, do we profit from this? Of course we do. The best part of our job is that we get to build really cool devices, and promote their use. The second part is that we have to sell robots to survive. If our robot works on more platforms, we can sell more robots. So, this isn't a COMPLETELY altruistic decision, but in large part, we WANT others to be able to do cool things with our robots, because we love what we do, and we hope others will have fun with the fruits of our efforts.
Comments/questions can be directed to:
parag@personalrobots.com
Parag
They released the source under the GPL.
They didn't add Linux support.
Why does the Slashdot headline say "New Cye Support for Linux!"?
Sheesh.
Dave
-- "You're not fooling me, young man - it's turtles all the way down!"
While having this on Linux might be good, having a Palm port would be amazing. You could hook up the Palm via the serial port and use your Cye anywhere.
-no broken link
that will transform her into a statue.
I am aroused by the idea of people petrifying their sisters. I'm also aroused by the idea of people petrifying their daughters, so if you have a daughter, modify the source to work on her also, and petrify her. And post a picture.
That's a very enlightened decision. Opening up the source code and allowing people to tinker with it is a great way to build interest and encourage people to try out your robots.
So all in all, it's a shrewd business move, good for people who like robots, good for open source software. It would be great if other hardware manufacturers took note and followed your example.
Like I said, respect.
by kuro5hin
For a long time now, those who want to use and improve the slashdot code have been wondering, and waiting, and hoping for the much promised 0.4 tarball. Many of them have in fact become quite irate about the lag between code releases, the lack of a CVS server, and the overall appearance that the slashdot gang doesn't practice what it preaches ("release early, release often"). How would you respond to these criticisms, and do you intend to change the development practices in any way in the future?
CmdrTaco:
I get a nice flamey email about once a week from some ass who calls me a hypocrite and slams me for not getting out a new release. My usual response is to tell them that I delay the release by 24 hours each time someone asks me when a new Slash tarball will be out.
Seriously, there are only 3 people who really know how much work a source release for this is: CowboyNeal, Patrick and Me. And the three of us have been working on a lot of stuff. As I write this, we are bugfixing and documenting and preparing for a source release. There is a private CVS server that one day soon will be publicly read only.
This isn't like other projects: it has been custom fit to our hardware and to our needs. It doesn't have install scripts or help or even comments in the code. We're just too busy to play tech support helping dozens of people compile mod_perl and tune Apache. We've decided to squash the bugs and make a clean release rather than rush it.
It's really easy for someone to complain that I didn't release a new version of the source code every week. Its also easy to forget that in the last 6 months we've doubled in traffic and we've had to optimize our code and hardware to handle that. A new source release is secondary: Our job is running Slashdot. We want to release new versions of Slash, but it is a definite second priority to keeping Slashdot moving.
Finally, it's coming soon. It'll be out when its finished. And if you ask me again I'll postpone it again.
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(including my preference of a command line interface, just imagine, a $600 robot carts location being mapped on an ascii map!!!)
Now where did I put that source for rogue...
Sorry to ask such a lame (read the FAQ!) type question, but I am interested.
They are releasing 2.1 under the GPL. They say that it will continue to be under the GPL, even if they release a future version under a more restrictive license
Isnt that against the GPL? How can they release a future version under a proprietary license, when it would obviously be based on v2.1? Arent all changes to GPLed software under the GPL? Or are they trying to make us believe that they will do parallel development on the non-GPLed earlier version?
Taking two copies of source, and saying one is GPL and the other isnt just doesnt work. You arent GPLing the bits on the disk, but the *content* of the work.... I believe they risk breaking the GPL by this idea of releasing a future non-GPL version
Any feedback?
Simon
The real linux_penguin has Slashdot ID 101961. Anyone else is an impostor. Including Bruce Perens.
Is this threat and finger really by CmdrTaco?
"The question of whether machines can think is no more interesting than [] whether submarines can swim" - Dijkstra