As others have said, you'll need some kind of source control (SVN probably - easier to understand and will let the students concentrate on the tasks rather than the tools). Then you'll need a voice link. Either telephone, Skype or a SIP-compliant VOIP thing. IM would be useful for communication between one pair and other pairs.
Then an IDE with collaborative editing. Netbeans has it built in apparently, but I haven't tried it. Eclipse has a number of plugins to facilitate collaborative coding:
Shareclipse: Does voice and video inside Eclipse, but projects not genuinely shared. Project might be dormant.
linky
Saros: Does voice, but not video. Whole project shared. Uses a local IRC server, like XMPP or Jabber. Great demo vid.
linky
XPairtise: Shares both code and code/test execution. Shared whiteboard. Needs a server in your intranet. Doesn't highlight users' cursors in different colours.
linky
XCDE: Uses a intranet-local server. Shares bookmarks and tasks too in Eclipse. Has integrated voice (but requires JMF). Project might be dormant.
linky
Other projects which look very dormant or incomplete: PEP, Sangam. Me, I'm planning to try Saros.
> Is it possible the development team you're working QA for is hiring?
That's probably the best suggestion in this thread.
On the other hand, if you're really passionate about being a programmer, then you'll already be doing it. Scratching that itch. And, if you're reading Slashdot, chances are you're a geek and an open source fan. So your code, your reputation, will already be out there - just a google-search away.
So capitalize on that reputation!
Example: if you have a burning urge to work in embedded development and are passionate about music, then contribute patches to Rockbox or something similar. Then, when you apply for your ideal job in a similar domain, you can show that (1) you're passionate about that domain and (2) can prove that you can produce quality code.
Thanks, everyone, for your replies. I think you've just confirmed what I already knew:
1. nano-ITX is vapourware 2. SBCs are too expensive for hobbyists 3. hackable boxes (such as NSLU2 and Linkstation) are good for limited use, but will max-out way before something like a mini-ITX solution
Re: my CPU and RAM requirements: Right now, I don't *need* 500MHz and 0.5Gb RAM, but I know I will. When there's a quiet little box running 24-7, I know I'll find more and more uses for it:-) so it makes sense to have a little future-proofing in there. I wouldn't be surprised if it ends up running stuff like an IMAP server, webserver for webmail, ClamAV and Spamassassin, maybe a web proxy, yadda yadda.
Slimserver does like a fair amount of memory, too, and can be subject to music drop-outs if the CPU is underpowered or if other intensive threads don't run nice-ly. (who cares if my mail is filtered slowly, as long as the music doesn't stop)
Linkstation/Kurobox: that's certainly a contender, but I may want a little more horsepower occasionally, in the CPU and RAM departments. Nice unit, though, and top props to Buffalo for marketing such a hackable box:-) The necessary 3.5" hard-drive would require significantly more power than a 2.5" unit in a mini-itx rig would need...
NSLU2: great little box (I've been reading Jim Buzbee's blog for a while) but really underpowered for what I need
Mini-ITX probably is the way to go, though I certainly will grep ebay for "SBC" occasionally:-)
So people write their own versions of linked lists and strings, to get up to 15% performance improvement. Well whoopie-fsck.
How much does that extra development time cost?
Writing ones' own java.lang.String takes time. Writing routines to convert com.donkeybollocks.String to java.lang.String and back again takes time. Supporting it takes time. And time is money. Me, I'd rather spend an extra £100 on a faster processor, or a Gb of RAM, and take a 25% performance improvement.
Come on guys, one of the major wins of the OO methodology is code reuse. Time was when programmers would always have to write their own I/O routines - I thought those days were long-gone. Rewriting fundamental parts of the Java API is just plain silly, unless it has a bug or a serious limitation (eg, it's non-threadsafe).
We used these machines in Chemistry lessons about 15 years ago... I'd have been around 14 years old. They used a 1MHz 6502 processor, and had 16k of RAM as standard. It had a disk-drive, too. God, it was a modern piece of kit.
I knocked about 0.5 litres of 2-molar Sodium Hydroxide into the keyboard. Turned the machine off quick, drained out the liquid and took the machine apart completely. Everything was washed in warm, soapy water, left to dry and re-assembled.
Worked fine afterwards. The motherboard was forever sticky, and a couple of the keyboard buttons failed occasionally... but otherwise it was perfect.
Interviewer: So, errr... Richie: Yeah, whatever...
That's what I like to see. This guy is revered by thousands of programmers/hackers/evangelists/nutters. And he's just a normal bloke. With normal opinions. Opinions that aren't especially radical.
GNU? Sure. Programming? Whatever. Influences? Just this Thomson bloke. Ambitions? Few.
At last! A computing 'hero' puts it all in perspective!
Slashdot Mirror
Q: How do you titilate an ocelot?
A: Oscillate it's tits a lot.
I thank you.
As others have said, you'll need some kind of source control (SVN probably - easier to understand and will let the students concentrate on the tasks rather than the tools). Then you'll need a voice link. Either telephone, Skype or a SIP-compliant VOIP thing. IM would be useful for communication between one pair and other pairs.
Then an IDE with collaborative editing. Netbeans has it built in apparently, but I haven't tried it. Eclipse has a number of plugins to facilitate collaborative coding:
Shareclipse: Does voice and video inside Eclipse, but projects not genuinely shared. Project might be dormant. linky
Saros: Does voice, but not video. Whole project shared. Uses a local IRC server, like XMPP or Jabber. Great demo vid. linky
Xeclip: Dependent on CVS and costs $$s. linky
XPairtise: Shares both code and code/test execution. Shared whiteboard. Needs a server in your intranet. Doesn't highlight users' cursors in different colours. linky
XCDE: Uses a intranet-local server. Shares bookmarks and tasks too in Eclipse. Has integrated voice (but requires JMF). Project might be dormant. linky
Other projects which look very dormant or incomplete: PEP, Sangam. Me, I'm planning to try Saros.
> Is it possible the development team you're working QA for is hiring?
That's probably the best suggestion in this thread.
On the other hand, if you're really passionate about being a programmer, then you'll already be doing it. Scratching that itch. And, if you're reading Slashdot, chances are you're a geek and an open source fan. So your code, your reputation, will already be out there - just a google-search away.
So capitalize on that reputation!
Example: if you have a burning urge to work in embedded development and are passionate about music, then contribute patches to Rockbox or something similar. Then, when you apply for your ideal job in a similar domain, you can show that (1) you're passionate about that domain and (2) can prove that you can produce quality code.
Actions speak louder than words :) Good luck!
Not half as stupid as the spammers. If they really think I'm going to click on a link which says:
HILLARY CLINTON NAKED!!!!
then they're much more stupid than I previously thought.
True. And if Google used IFRAMEs, then I'd block them...
Thanks, everyone, for your replies. I think you've just confirmed what I already knew:
:-) so it makes sense to have a little future-proofing in there. I wouldn't be surprised if it ends up running stuff like an IMAP server, webserver for webmail, ClamAV and Spamassassin, maybe a web proxy, yadda yadda.
:-) The necessary 3.5" hard-drive would require significantly more power than a 2.5" unit in a mini-itx rig would need...
:-)
1. nano-ITX is vapourware
2. SBCs are too expensive for hobbyists
3. hackable boxes (such as NSLU2 and Linkstation) are good for limited use, but will max-out way before something like a mini-ITX solution
Re: my CPU and RAM requirements: Right now, I don't *need* 500MHz and 0.5Gb RAM, but I know I will. When there's a quiet little box running 24-7, I know I'll find more and more uses for it
Slimserver does like a fair amount of memory, too, and can be subject to music drop-outs if the CPU is underpowered or if other intensive threads don't run nice-ly. (who cares if my mail is filtered slowly, as long as the music doesn't stop)
Linkstation/Kurobox: that's certainly a contender, but I may want a little more horsepower occasionally, in the CPU and RAM departments. Nice unit, though, and top props to Buffalo for marketing such a hackable box
NSLU2: great little box (I've been reading Jim Buzbee's blog for a while) but really underpowered for what I need
Mini-ITX probably is the way to go, though I certainly will grep ebay for "SBC" occasionally
Thanks again,
Matthew
Why don't they fork? Or just build and rpm their own kernel, like they did with GCC 2.96?
"I just want to be able to read articles and comments. Period."
Sure.
But blind / partially sighted / physically disabled folks want to read articles and comments too. Period.
And CSS helps make websites more accessible.
http://www.freedomtoaster.org/includes/database.my sql.inc
66.3 million domain names registered... ... and half of those by Russian spammers.
13Tb of RAM, but how much swap?
Blah blah, Sony, DRM, no OGG...
It's true.
The bloody fools.
(I wonder if I could change it?)
Does this mean that folks' property is defined by lat/long co-ordinates?
Cos if that's true, then surely the land they own will move according to continental drift? *lol*
It's what firewalls were invented for!
(OK, so I'm being flippant, but it's true!)
The guy is obviously a fruitcake. Anything as unstable as a home-built water-cooling rig should never be used as a work machine.
For fun... yes. For games... yes. For making one look l33t in the local ale-house... yes. For the office.. no.
Maybe this guy is just attention-seeking?
(c) 2003 Irrelivant Postings, Inc.
How much does that extra development time cost?
Writing ones' own java.lang.String takes time. Writing routines to convert com.donkeybollocks.String to java.lang.String and back again takes time. Supporting it takes time. And time is money. Me, I'd rather spend an extra £100 on a faster processor, or a Gb of RAM, and take a 25% performance improvement.
Come on guys, one of the major wins of the OO methodology is code reuse. Time was when programmers would always have to write their own I/O routines - I thought those days were long-gone. Rewriting fundamental parts of the Java API is just plain silly, unless it has a bug or a serious limitation (eg, it's non-threadsafe).
But why? Why not stick Garnome onto RedHat 8 and keep all the fluffy stuff up-to-date with Red Carpet?
Works fine for me :-)
We used these machines in Chemistry lessons about 15 years ago... I'd have been around 14 years old. They used a 1MHz 6502 processor, and had 16k of RAM as standard. It had a disk-drive, too. God, it was a modern piece of kit.
I knocked about 0.5 litres of 2-molar Sodium Hydroxide into the keyboard. Turned the machine off quick, drained out the liquid and took the machine apart completely. Everything was washed in warm, soapy water, left to dry and re-assembled.
Worked fine afterwards. The motherboard was forever sticky, and a couple of the keyboard buttons failed occasionally... but otherwise it was perfect.
Interviewer: So, errr...
Richie: Yeah, whatever...
That's what I like to see. This guy is revered by thousands of programmers/hackers/evangelists/nutters. And he's just a normal bloke. With normal opinions. Opinions that aren't especially radical.
GNU? Sure. Programming? Whatever. Influences? Just this Thomson bloke. Ambitions? Few.
At last! A computing 'hero' puts it all in perspective!
it's the only way we (England) are ever going to win the Ashes from the Aussies :-(
[Sorry - I'm rather pissed]