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Open-Source Soft{ware,drink}: "OpenCOLA"

Rahoule writes: "The National Post reports that a Toronto company will release the first open-source cola with its open-source software: 'Steelbridge Inc. will announce today it [will] develop openCOLA, a new software program which automates the selection, discovery, and evaluation of Web sites.'" FAQ question 2.2: "Ain't this just a publicity stunt?" Answer: "Sure. But ..."

They describe an interesting-sounding distributed Napsteresque Web crawler, but there's just one thing missing from this open-source project: source. "You'll start seeing code after Labor Day," says today's press release.

35 of 87 comments (clear)

  1. riiiiiiiiiiiiight. by fluxrad · · Score: 5

    this is so trendy it's pathetic.

    BTW - i'll be open sourcing my ass next week for all of you who'd like to get a look at it. I figure if i get enough venture capital and go IPO/Open-Source with it, i'll be able to make millions off it. (Yes, that's pronounced GNU/Ass)


    FluX
    After 16 years, MTV has finally completed its deevolution into the shiny things network

    --
    "It is seldom that liberty of any kind is lost all at once." -David Hume
    1. Re:riiiiiiiiiiiiight. by alleria · · Score: 3

      This seems to go right along with Gabe's "Gentlemen, I am about to IPO my wang ... wait, where are you going? it has _great_ growth potential!" on Penny-Arcade! ;-P

  2. Didn't we just see this? by DgtlGhost · · Score: 2
    I'd swear a VERY simular anouncement was just made by the good people of NullSoft, minus the softdrink of course... Ah, here it is... Anyone else see a simularity?

    -Earthman

  3. "Cola" flavoring is... by isdnip · · Score: 2

    Nutmeg and lime, mostly. No "cola nut" flavor to speak of, nor coca leaf, the original raison'd'etre of CocaCola. Some orange juice, perhaps, in Coke, and perhaps a hint of chocolate in Pepsi.

    At least that's what I've read in published "decompilations" of the sodas. The label will be interesting, but then who knows how close it'll taste to the Real Thing.

    1. Re:"Cola" flavoring is... by luge · · Score: 4

      Actually, Coca-Cola still uses an extract of the coca leaf. The Wall Street Journal had a really cool piece several years back on the company that does the processing of the leaf for them. The processing company is the only company in the country with a permit to legally import the leaves, and they do all the processing in a bunker-like facility (in NJ, IIRC) so that none of it gets stolen and turned into cocaine. I seem to recall that they also process the leaves for certain pharmaceutical companies. Different components of the leaf for the meds and the drink, I'd assume, but either the WSJ didn't ask or they weren't telling.
      ~luge

      --

      IAAL,BIANLY

    2. Re:"Cola" flavoring is... by bombshell · · Score: 2

      The Sun newspaper in the UK actually published the formula behind Coca-Cola back in the summer of 1993, sadly I neither kept the article nor a record of the recipe. If you can find someone who saves such items, it would be an issue between June and September 1993.
      Just in case you were interested.

      --
      Oooopss Oh well....Im not paying for that anyway!
  4. All I can say is by PopeAlien · · Score: 2

    It better have more caffeine than Jolt..
    -

  5. Open Source Food is a Good Idea by jellybear · · Score: 4

    Actually, even though Open Source Cola is mere publicity stunt, the idea of Open Source Food itself is pretty good. I think consumers would appreciate knowing what ingredients and processes are involved in producing what they eat. GNU vegetables would only use open-sourced genetic modifications. You would be able to use GNU vegetables in your food, but only if you open-source your recipe.

    Mmmm... washing down your yacc and perl onion stew with a glass of OpenCola.

    1. Re:Open Source Food is a Good Idea by technos · · Score: 2

      But what happens when some script kiddie introduces a modified protein into the CVS food tree? Or someone forgets to check the source before make cola and gets butyric acid in his drink instead of citric?

      Big diff between trashed partition tables and trashed kidneys..

      --
      .sig: Now legally binding!
  6. Their "Legal" Page Is Hilarious by sigwinch · · Score: 5
    Click here

    To quote

    1) See if Hemos and Commander Taco are secretly plotting to buy openCola with the windfall profits they accrued from selling Hemos' sister to the Sultan of Brunei;

    Or this little gem in the boilerplate:

    WARRANTIES OF TITLE, NONINFRINGEMENT OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND RIGHT ABOUT NOW, THE FUNK SOULBROTHER, CHECK IT OUT, THE FUNK SOUL BROTHER. NO ADVICE OR INFORMATION GIVEN BY STEELBRIDGE SHALL CREATE ANY WARRANTY AND IF YOU BELIEVE THAT YOU'RE ABOUT AS DUMB AS A BAG OF HAMMERS.

    Imagine a Beowulf cluster of openCOLA! It could quench the thirstiest finite-element analysis researcher!

    --

    --
    Kuro5hin.org: where the good times never end. ;-)

    1. Re:Their "Legal" Page Is Hilarious by G27+Radio · · Score: 3

      Imagine a Beowulf cluster of openCOLA! It could quench the thirstiest finite-element analysis researcher!

      Image is nothing. Source is everything...

      numb

  7. Just two questions: by Tackhead · · Score: 2
    1. Does it have as much caffeine as Jolt, and does it taste as good? (Hey, I like Jolt. Deal with it.)
    2. Since the recipe's open-sourced, I presume it's OK to grind up a whole mess of No-Doz or other caffeine supplement to make something even better than Jolt, right?
    (Mmm, all the sugar and twice the caffeine of Jolt ;-)
  8. Anyone catch the similarities... by thing12 · · Score: 2

    The company behind this - steelbridge - is making a distributed search engine similar to the one mentioned in a previous post.

    To quote one of their pages :: "The project is deeply cool: a "Gnutella for search" that uses distributed, autonomous, collaborating search agents to keep its users abreast of relevant new Internet documents as they appear, allowing them to modify their queries by training their agents." (their site)

    Gnutella-type technology is taking over the world - woohoo!

  9. Other Open Source Food Ideas by LocalYokel · · Score: 3
    • Col. Sanders' Secret Blend of 11 Herbs and Spices
    • Recipe for Big Mac Sauce
    • The Method for Filling Twinkies w/ Creme Filling
    • The precise number of licks to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop

    The world may never know...

    --

    --

    --
    E2 IN2 IE?

    1. Re:Other Open Source Food Ideas by Platinum+Dragon · · Score: 2

      Col. Sanders' Secret Blend of 11 Herbs and Spices

      Determined by an "independent lab" to be four spices and no herbs.

      Recipe for Big Mac Sauce

      *AHHHHCHOO!* - *splat*

      The Method for Filling Twinkies w/ Creme Filling

      Black magic.

      The precise number of licks to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop

      *CRUNCH*

      ok, my jokes suck...so shoot me:)

      --

      Someday, you're going to die. Get over it.
  10. what is the advantage by YoJ · · Score: 3
    Why is it helpful to have the recipe for the soda printed on the can? Maybe I just don't get it, but it's not like you'll take a sip and say, "A little too sweet", send in a bug-fix, and then next time you pick up a case it will be less sweet. I'd rather have an open-source TV than a softdrink.

    I do like the idea of Perl scripts on the can. Though I would put actual working scripts that do something useful rather than "cute" scripts.

    nojw

    1. Re:what is the advantage by SamIIs · · Score: 2
      The advantage is if you take a sip, find it too sweet, send in a recommendation and it gets rejected you can bottle up your version and sell it yourself.

      That's absurd. I don't want to make and sell my own softdrink. I can compile my own code just fine, but it's hard for me to create softdrinks in my garage.

      "It's too sweet, I think I'll start a cola company." doesn't work.

  11. If you want to haiku, do it right! by yerricde · · Score: 2

    [5]Their wishful thinking
    [7]and a dollar will get them
    [5]open cola can.

    --
    Will I retire or break 10K?
  12. Re:Slashdot strikes again by Gurlia · · Score: 2

    Umm... you obviously haven't noticed that this article is from the it's funny, laugh department?!

    Man, you people take Slashdot too seriously.


    ---
    --
    mikre he sophia he tou Mikrosophou.
  13. openCOLA, the ultimate conspiracy by hypergeek · · Score: 5
    From the article:

    The soft drink won't be sold in stores, but will be handed out to hackers at trade shows and conferences and distributed to others at special events.

    I can picture a friendly-looking moustacioed nerd passing out cans of openCOLA...

    Nerd: Want some free openCOLA?

    Kernel Hacker: Is it free like "free speech" or like "free cola"?

    Nerd: Umm... both, I guess... just try some...

    Kernel Hacker: Does it have lots and lots of caffeine?

    Nerd: This stuff makes Jolt(tm) seem like rainwater in comparison!

    K.H.: Is that normal rain or acid rain?

    Nerd: Just try it. Come on... the first one's free... everyone's doing it... don't you want to be '1337?

    K.H.: Not particularly... but that stuff sounds powerful... lemme try some...

    Nerd: (snickering, hands over a can)

    K.H.: Ahhhh... this stuff is goo-- URRk! (Plop! The poor Kernel Hacker falls to the ground...)

    Nerd peels off fake moustache revealing that he is actually Bill Gates.

    Bill: Mua ha ha ha! That's what you get for writing xbill back in college!

    A Large, Bald Goon (Ballmer?) drags the corpse of the poor hacker away, then eats it.

    --
    Stay up hacking each weekend. Sleep is for the week.
  14. a little history of the coca in cola by commodoresloat · · Score: 2

    Actually, Coca-Cola was originally a coca-based wine product (no kola nut), when the anti-alcohol movement made the company take the wine out (leaving the coca in) and market Coca-Cola as a "temperance" beverage. Coca-based products, including pure cocaine, were extremely popular at the time in the US. The company removed the coca from the product sometime around 1905 I believe. Of course, the Coca-Cola archives have much of this information but from what I hear the company is very strict about making people sign a contract agreeing they won't say anything without the company's permission once they get a look at the archives....

  15. root beer? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4

    maybe that's what they mean by "root beer"

  16. Open Cola? Isn't that what the tabs are for? by krystal_blade · · Score: 5
    Forgive me for saying so, but I think the idea of Open Cola is bad. A couple reasons.

    1. Most Cola comes pre packaged closed to keep contaminents out of the can.

    2. An Open Cola is more susceptible to doing harm by "bad" people who poison it. It is less secure than closed cola. (This statement paid for by Microsoft)

    3. An Open Cola is more consuming on resources, and management, as improper handling techniques could lead to an unexpected spill, leak, or even crash. Closed Cola somehow magically circumvents this effect.

    4. Open Cola is, by it's very nature dangerous stuff. Due to it's high citrus and sugar content, it can and does regularly damage teeth. It is also carbonated, which could allow for the unexpected to inhale through the opening, and suffocate. Closed cola, while also carbonated, high in citrus and sugar content, and generally no better than Open Cola, cannot be tested as thoroughly, due to the restricting "One Tab" EULA agreement vendors place on their customers.

    5. An Open Cola is more apt to go stale quicker than a Closed Cola. Unless, of course, you enact the EULA of the Closed Cola.

    krystal_blade

    --
    It will be easy to motivate our fellow man; there is hardly anything people treasure more than not being annihilated.
  17. Gentlemen, start your fud engines... by Tim+Macinta · · Score: 2

    There's no way they can make money off this. Why would somebody go to the store and buy a can of openCola when they could just download a can?

    Corporations aren't going to use openCola because there is no technical support for it. There is nobody to hold liable if the tab comes off of the can or if the contents explode when shaken.

    If you choose to go with openCola you are putting your compatibility in jeopardy. Your current cups, straws, pitchers, and other serving devices have not been certified by the manufacturer to be openCola compatible and using them with openCola may void their warranties.

  18. Just a couple of notes by Master+of+Kode+Fu · · Score: 4
    National Post: ...Steelbridge has brewed up a few thousand cases of cola -- the soft drink -- and will print the recipe and some computer code on each can...

    That should read "will be brewing up a few thousand cases of cola." It's not ready yet.

    National Post: Open Source is a model of software development in which the creators release the source code to a product for free and encourage others to share it, copy it, and modify it, with the caveat that it cannot be sold.

    I'm still wincing from reading this, and that was hours ago. I am certain beyond doubt that nobody at the company told them that.

    National Post: ...John Henson, the 24-year-old chief technology officer...

    John is 27. He only acts like a 24-year-old.

  19. I thought food already was open-sourced... by basscomm · · Score: 2

    On the label of almost everything I buy, the source code is right there on the package.
    Now all I need is a compiler and I'll be all set.

    --
    http://crummysocks.com
  20. Re:while ($nitpick) { &complain; } by Possum+Man · · Score: 3

    > Most notably is an incorrectly placed semicolon (should be directly
    > after $sip, not after the brace).

    As the programmer who thought up this script, I thank you for the
    feedback. At this point, I'm not sure if the error was my oversight,
    or a typo which got introduced by the printers. I'll try to get
    this corrected.

    I would also like to point out that technically there was no error.

    I can assure you that we've tested the code, and it ran fine.

    To prove that this wasn't simply because it wasn't getting to that
    line for some reason (and that the printers hadn't accidentally
    changed the code after testing), I modified the script for debugging
    purposes:

    #!/usr/bin/perl

    $sip = "Slurp\n";
    $colaRemaining = 1;
    $reallyThirsty = 0;

    open CAN, "excitedly"; join ($can, $mouth);
    while ($colaRemaining > 0)
    {if ($reallyThirsty) {$chug;}else {print $sip};}
    dump IN_RECYCLING_BOX; IN_RECYCLING_BOX:
    return;

    This ran the correct output:

    Slurp
    Slurp
    Slurp

    (etc.)

    Apparently, Perl, with it's famous TMTOWTDI (There's More Than One Way
    To Do It), allows the programmer to leave out a semicolon in a
    brace-enclosed single line (such as '{print $sip}'). Of course the
    following ';' between the braces--while doing no harm--has no function.

    > Oh yeah, and what's the point of a scalar without a context of any
    > sort (aka the $chug and the $sip)?

    Unfortunately we were unable to create functions that convinced our
    test-computers to actually drink, so we had to put up with scalers
    which only gave the "impression" of drinking a can of openCola. :-)

  21. The Linkage by pnevares · · Score: 3
    --

    Pablo Nevares, "the freshmaker".
  22. dammit! by DrEldarion · · Score: 3

    It's too bad it's not open source beer... I'd like to see all the "free as in beer?" people get screwed over by that ;)

    -- Dr. Eldarion --
    It's not what it is, it's something else.

  23. hrm by jbarnett · · Score: 3


    Red Hat Orange Soda (Has an automatic "twist off" and is very easy to drink with it's non-drip opening. All focusing on selling to large business because it has a good distrubation system)

    Slackware RootBeer 7 (Comes in a glass bottle without any whimpy twist off cap. You have to use a crowbar to get it open. Not sold in cases, only sold in single bottles, this rootbeer don't have a package system. Because package systems are for the weak.)

    Turbo Cola (jolt rip off, note the "TURBO". Comes with the cans "soldered" together so you have to drink 6 at a time. Very usefull for large thrist)

    SuSE Green Juice (each case contents 6 times the cans of that of a normal case. Has more soda per case than any other openCola distrubation manufacter)

    OpenBSD Cola (Comes with a combination lock based on 1 of 2 million differant encodings instead of a pop top or twist off cap.)

    Debain LemonLime (Packaged and distrubated by volentars to the project. The drink is free, but you need to bring you own cup)

    Coral Grape (The company used to compete head on with the softdrink giants (Coca-cola, pepsi), but moved it's drink over into OpenCola project and is going on the attack again with an easy to use "twist off")

    Solaris Blue (Claims to be OpenCola, but isn't really. Due to a length license agreement printed on the inside of the can, the ink makes the cola near toxic to most indivuals.)

    SlashCodeCola (Ever time you ask for the formual it automatically closes the can and you have to wait 24 hours before taking another drink)

    --

    "`Ford, you're turning into a penguin. Stop it.'" -THHGTTG
  24. Bring Back OK soda by British · · Score: 2

    I loved OK soda when it was available around '94. Besides tasting good, you could call 1-800-I-FEEL-OK.

    1. Re:Bring Back OK soda by rifter · · Score: 2

      OK soda was awesome! From the avante-garde comic labelling to the tasty, interestingly coloured beverage inside to the wonderful anecdotes (one was of a man who slept with a can of OK soda under his pillow and awoke with psychic powers, continued by saying that drinking OK Soda often makes people "feel OK" and finished off with teh disclaimer that none of this could be necessarily attributed to OK soda ;) )

      OK soda was more than just OK, it was Grreat!

  25. Reverse Engineering of popular foodstuffs by gad_zuki! · · Score: 2

    Thanks to the efforts of some meatspace uber-hackers we can now RE most popular trademarked foods, click here.

  26. Damnit, i don't want to go to comdex... by GoNINzo · · Score: 2
    Only by going to a computer trade show can you get a can.

    and without the can, you can't get the source on the can.

    and without the source, you can't brew your own version of the soda.

    It's a conspiracy by the creators of trade shows i tell ya! Only hope they have some at DefCon. All I know is that I can't download their cola source from their web site. `8r/ OPEN SOURCE THE COLA RECEIPE NOW!
    (and I don't mean the buggie perl script that assumes that once you start drinking a soda, the variable $reallyThirsty never changes. and I would most likely make a subroutine &recycle() that would be portable, for if you're drinking in your car, etc.)

    --
    Gonzo Granzeau

    --
    Gonzo Granzeau
    "Nothing the god of biomechanics wouldn't let you into heaven for.." -Roy Batty
  27. Cool! by GoNINzo · · Score: 2
    I actually thought this would get ignored, great! `8r)

    I think diffs in receipes will be an interesting venture... heh

    +++ tools/spatula.h
    --- tools/spatula.h.orig
    #include "plastic.h"
    +#if defined(__no_handle_)
    +#include "gloves.h"
    +#endif
    Best of luck to this venture!

    --
    Gonzo Granzeau
    --
    Gonzo Granzeau
    "Nothing the god of biomechanics wouldn't let you into heaven for.." -Roy Batty