Problems in the computer world?

cesura · 2011-04-01 04:39:15

I'm going to be quite frank in this post, but bear with me. My question, in short, is: what challenges in the computer/open-source world are we currently facing?

Basically, I'm looking to start a project, and I always perform best when I'm given a problem and asked to solve it. I was recently searching through the OpenSSH source code, and it really hit me: "this is some really nice stuff!". Those guys (referring to the OpenSSH team collectively) took a problem, unencrypted packet transfer, and provided a viable solution. I have a really strong interest in security, so why can't I apply the same type of solution to a different problem?

I suppose the root of this is my recent boredom with the programming tasks I've been doing. Be it messing around with Qt, working on an alternative memory manager, doing some freelancer web development, or whatever the case may be, I've been wandering aimlessly through the open-source community, hoping that I would eventually find something to keep me busy. Unfortunately, I've found nothing.

This is more of a plea for ideas if anything, so I truly apologize to the forum moderation team if this is an unacceptable post for this section.

Last edited by cesura (2011-04-01 04:51:53)

ngoonee · 2011-04-01 04:50:58

Plea for ideas?

cesura · 2011-04-01 04:53:16

ngoonee wrote:

Plea for ideas?

s/help/ideas/

karol · 2011-04-01 05:14:47

For starters, check what still needs to be done to finish feature request #5331.

itsbrad212 wrote:

ngoonee wrote:
Plea for ideas?
s/help/ideas/

I don't think I get this substitution - are you sure you got it right?

Last edited by karol (2011-04-01 05:18:11)

cesura · 2011-04-01 05:22:40

karol wrote:

For starters, check what still needs to be done to finish feature request #5331.

What's the status of that endeavor anyway? There have been some pages saying that Allan is making great headway, and others that little to no work is being done. I've actually been very interested in devoting time/effort into bringing signed packages to Arch, but everything I seem to come across is just talk and theory rather than actual progress.

karol wrote:

itsbrad212 wrote:
s/help/ideas/
I don't think I get this substitution - are you sure you got it right?

In my original post, I had written:

This is more of a plea for help if anything, so I truly apologize to the forum moderation team if this is an unacceptable post for this section.

However, I meant "a plea for ideas" rather than "a plea for help", so ngoonee corrected me.

Last edited by cesura (2011-04-01 05:25:20)

karol · 2011-04-01 05:25:42

itsbrad212 wrote:

karol wrote:
For starters, check what still needs to be done to finish feature request #5331.
What's the status of that endeavor anyway? There have been some pages saying that Allan is making great headway, and others that little to no work is being done. I've actually been very interested in devoting time/effort into bringing signed packages to Arch, but everything I seem to come across is just talk and theory rather than actual progress.

You will need to check some other ML discussions too. I think you can simply ask e.g. Allan if you get lost in the code or don't know where to start.
A new / refurbished ML dedicated to various Arch Projects: http://mailman.archlinux.org/pipermail/ … hread.html
Some recent patches dealing with package signing: http://mailman.archlinux.org/pipermail/ … 19701.html

Last edited by karol (2011-04-01 05:31:21)

cesura · 2011-04-01 05:40:43

karol wrote:

You will need to check some other ML discussions too. I think you can simply ask e.g. Allan if you get lost in the code or don't know where to start.
A new / refurbished ML dedicated to various Arch Projects: http://mailman.archlinux.org/pipermail/ … hread.html
Some recent patches dealing with package signing: http://mailman.archlinux.org/pipermail/ … 19701.html

Thanks karol! I'll have a look around the mailing list as you suggested (although I think arch-projects only applies to things such as netcfg, initscripts, etc., but I may be wrong). I'll definitely need to become acquainted with the inner workings of pacman before I can actually start making an effort towards development, but with the free time that I have over the next few days, that shouldn't be too much of an issue.

I'll try to get into contact with Allan sometime soon and check the status of the project.

karol · 2011-04-01 05:47:44

http://mailman.archlinux.org/pipermail/ … 00533.html
http://mailman.archlinux.org/pipermail/ … 00533.html
Those posts seem to be talking about some kind of signatures so I assume it's related ;P

cesura · 2011-04-01 05:54:09

karol wrote:

http://mailman.archlinux.org/pipermail/ … 00533.html
http://mailman.archlinux.org/pipermail/ … 00533.html
Those posts seem to be talking about some kind of signatures so I assume it's related ;P

Well. I stand corrected.

/goes to subscribe to arch-projects

falconindy · 2011-04-01 10:22:03

pacman-dev is the correct place to discuss package signing. arch-projects will have some spillover due to the db-scripts and dev-tools requiring tweaking as well, but the meat of the matter is pacman related.

Awebb · 2011-04-01 10:38:44

Signed packages seem to be the new Godwin's law here...

Inxsible · 2011-04-01 14:12:52

Awebb wrote:

Signed packages seem to be the new Godwin's law here...

Lets hope not.

Google · 2011-04-01 14:13:41

^ I went to SUNY Albany as an undergraduate. Haha.

I have started programming a level editor for a game I will make. I honestly have no idea what kind of game I will make, but making a large utility is a lot of fun. I plan to make a level editor, tile editor and work on the engine a bit. Hopefully I can wrap it all up and have a game plus an assortment of tools.

It may not solve a huge problem in the world but it is damn fun. I have been learning so much about all kinds of stuff.

Last edited by Google (2011-04-01 14:14:28)

cesura · 2011-04-01 16:15:03

Google wrote:

I have started programming a level editor for a game I will make. I honestly have no idea what kind of game I will make, but making a large utility is a lot of fun. I plan to make a level editor, tile editor and work on the engine a bit. Hopefully I can wrap it all up and have a game plus an assortment of tools.
It may not solve a huge problem in the world but it is damn fun. I have been learning so much about all kinds of stuff.

That actually sounds pretty fun. What libraries are you using (I mean, I'm assuming at least SDL)?

I've been kind of limited to the game programming I can do, as my onboard video card is a piece of crap. Although I've always loved the idea of making something along the lines of a 2D RPG.

Google · 2011-04-02 12:15:09

I am using SDL for graphics/sound. I am doing everything in 2d as well!

Currently I am working on the level editor. I am going to use wxWidgets for the GUI-- I heard SDL embeds in wxWidgets pretty well (I haven't made the GUI yet). I hope to deck the editor out pretty cool. Currently I can lay out tiles and save the map. My very primitive engine can load and display the map and I can move around with my primitive character.

I am not focusing so much on the engine yet-- I hope to do that when I have a better idea about what kind of game I will make. All I know is it will be 2d, so a level editor will be needed either way, and it has been a lot of fun to do!

I have been doing it in C++ because I find it to be more expandable than C. I prefer plain C so the SDL library is fantastic. However, C++ makes the designing a little easier to manage.

Last edited by Google (2011-04-02 12:20:21)

cmtptr · 2011-04-02 13:58:02

I think you should turn this boredom to evil. Try decrypting OpenSSH packets!

(passively and without the key, of course)

Last edited by cmtptr (2011-04-02 13:59:25)

karol · 2011-04-02 14:22:01

Just a bunch of links:
How can I contribute to make pacman package signing a reality?

If you want to switch to another OS written in assembly:
- http://mikeos.berlios.de/
- http://www.menuetos.net/

Also you might want to have a look at this - it represents a simple idea: create an advanced general-purpose video player.

cesura · 2011-04-03 20:22:32

Google wrote:

I am using SDL for graphics/sound. I am doing everything in 2d as well!
Currently I am working on the level editor. I am going to use wxWidgets for the GUI-- I heard SDL embeds in wxWidgets pretty well (I haven't made the GUI yet). I hope to deck the editor out pretty cool. Currently I can lay out tiles and save the map. My very primitive engine can load and display the map and I can move around with my primitive character.
I am not focusing so much on the engine yet-- I hope to do that when I have a better idea about what kind of game I will make. All I know is it will be 2d, so a level editor will be needed either way, and it has been a lot of fun to do!
I have been doing it in C++ because I find it to be more expandable than C. I prefer plain C so the SDL library is fantastic. However, C++ makes the designing a little easier to manage.

What an excellent idea! I'll definitely have to to look into starting something like that (although my graphic design skills are not up to par).

Arch Linux

#1 2011-04-01 04:39:15

Problems in the computer world?

#2 2011-04-01 04:50:58

Re: Problems in the computer world?

#3 2011-04-01 04:53:16

Re: Problems in the computer world?

#4 2011-04-01 05:14:47

Re: Problems in the computer world?

#5 2011-04-01 05:22:40

Re: Problems in the computer world?

#6 2011-04-01 05:25:42

Re: Problems in the computer world?

#7 2011-04-01 05:40:43

Re: Problems in the computer world?

#8 2011-04-01 05:47:44

Re: Problems in the computer world?

#9 2011-04-01 05:54:09

Re: Problems in the computer world?

#10 2011-04-01 10:22:03

Re: Problems in the computer world?

#11 2011-04-01 10:38:44

Re: Problems in the computer world?

#12 2011-04-01 14:12:52

Re: Problems in the computer world?

#13 2011-04-01 14:13:41

Re: Problems in the computer world?

#14 2011-04-01 16:15:03

Re: Problems in the computer world?

#15 2011-04-02 12:15:09

Re: Problems in the computer world?

#16 2011-04-02 13:58:02

Re: Problems in the computer world?

#17 2011-04-02 14:22:01

Re: Problems in the computer world?

#18 2011-04-03 20:22:32

Re: Problems in the computer world?

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