Let's Make an App Together

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Tawanda Abraham Makunike

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Sep 22, 2012, 8:58:16 PM9/22/12
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I would like to propose that we develop an App together as a group. I believe this would be a great opportunity for us to all learn from each other. We can make use of Google Code to host the code and Subclipse to code collaboratively. If any one has any suggestion for the type of project we should work on please feel free to suggest. 

Siôn le Roux

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Sep 23, 2012, 8:49:31 AM9/23/12
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Sounds like a nice idea. Haven't got an idea for a project but if it's
all the same, would you mind using EGit instead of Subclipse?
In my humble opinion, git >> subversion ;-)
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Siôn le Roux <www.sionleroux.com>

Tawanda Abraham Makunike

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Sep 23, 2012, 9:24:54 AM9/23/12
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I do not mind at all. If you have any links on getting it set up in Eclipse please do post them. I have an idea of a simple RSS feed reader. I think this can get us going and if anyone comes up with another bigger more challenging idea then we can work on that one. Starting with a simple project will help us establish each other's skills and can be a breeding ground for bigger ideas.

Siôn le Roux

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Sep 23, 2012, 12:47:49 PM9/23/12
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On Sun, 23 Sep 2012 06:24:54 -0700 (PDT)
Tawanda Abraham Makunike <makun...@gmail.com> wrote:

> I do not mind at all. If you have any links on getting it set up in
> Eclipse please do post them. I have an idea of a simple RSS feed
> reader. I think this can get us going and if anyone comes up with
> another bigger more challenging idea then we can work on that one.
> Starting with a simple project will help us establish each other's
> skills and can be a breeding ground for bigger ideas.

Sounds simple enough. I was just going to say, the XDA developers forum
has an app. Maybe we could write a Namdroids app for following
discussions and any other features we'd like to have.

As for EGit, it should be simple enough to set up, it should be
install-able from the Eclipse Updates and then you'll have an option to
File → New → Git Repository and then it ItJustWorks™. I can surely find
a link with more information if you'd like.

Michel Onwordi

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Sep 23, 2012, 2:34:12 PM9/23/12
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An interesting idea would be a polymap friend finder app. It basically shows the location of all your friends on a map of the polytechnic. It could also show you the distance between you and your friends.
Sion it would be nice if you could show us in the next developer circle how to use git and eclipse.

Siôn le Roux

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Sep 23, 2012, 2:55:52 PM9/23/12
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On Sun, 23 Sep 2012 11:34:12 -0700 (PDT)
Michel Onwordi <petr...@gmail.com> wrote:
> An interesting idea would be a polymap friend finder app. It
> basically shows the location of all your friends on a map of the
> polytechnic.
So basically Google latitude but exclusive to poly students?

> Sion it would be nice if you could show us in the next
> developer circle how to use git and eclipse.
Sure no problem, does anybody have a laptop with an internet
connection that can run eclipse? Mine can't. Alternatively I can
present some slides with screen captures and descriptions. If there is
a usable internet connection at NBIC, perhaps people can bring laptops
and follow along?

Michel Onwordi

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Sep 23, 2012, 5:32:45 PM9/23/12
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On Sunday, 23 September 2012 21:01:24 UTC+2, Siôn Le Roux wrote:
On Sun, 23 Sep 2012 11:34:12 -0700 (PDT)
Michel Onwordi <petr...@gmail.com> wrote:
> An interesting idea would be a polymap friend finder app. It
> basically shows the location of all your friends on a map of the
> polytechnic.
So basically Google latitude but exclusive to poly students?
I suppose you could think of it like that, we could add extra features later like instant messaging(PolyChat :-) for example), synchronizing it with a students timetable and having the map display the location of the classes(good for first year students), etc. The main "selling point" of this app would be its ability to work well over the poly wifi, this would alleviate the data costs that such apps usually incur. 
> Sion it would be nice if you could show us in the next
> developer circle how to use git and eclipse.
Sure no problem, does anybody have a laptop with an internet
connection that can run eclipse? Mine can't. Alternatively I can
present some slides with screen captures and descriptions. If there is
a usable internet connection at NBIC, perhaps people can bring laptops
and follow along?
I can avail one of my laptops for you to present with. The connection at NBIC usually works so that shouldn't be an issue.Hopefully, everyone will see this and bring their laptops along. 

Tawanda Abraham Makunike

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Sep 23, 2012, 5:38:11 PM9/23/12
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They have a PC connected to the Internet at NBIC I believe it also has eclipse and you can show us using that PC.

Kasper Løvborg Jensen

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Sep 24, 2012, 3:00:52 AM9/24/12
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I think this a large common project is a brilliant idea - I am happy
to help out in any way I can.

I fully support using Git - maybe also GitHub? Also, what should we
use for bug-tracking/feature requests?

The RSS reader for NamDroids news would be a great showcase - and
useful to current and future members!

The Poly student tracker/chat/ is already part of our research project
on the PolyMORF platform. I have talked to the network manager at Poly
and it seems like it would be feasible to create a wifi based solution
(thus free to use on campus). If you would like to join this project,
come talt to Michel or me.


On Sun, Sep 23, 2012 at 11:38 PM, Tawanda Abraham Makunike
<makun...@gmail.com> wrote:
> They have a PC connected to the Internet at NBIC I believe it also has eclipse and you can show us using that PC.
>
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Siôn le Roux

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Sep 24, 2012, 6:36:39 AM9/24/12
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On 24/09/12 09:00, Kasper Løvborg Jensen wrote:
I fully support using Git - maybe also GitHub? Also, what should we
use for bug-tracking/feature requests?
Both GitHub and Google Code have issue tracking features built-in on a per-project basis, which can be used from within Eclipse using the Mylyn plugin ;-) failing that, I have set up a bugtracker at projects.sinisterstuf.org/bugtracker Is there anyone on this mailing list already on GitHub who I can find and add?
The Poly student tracker/chat/ is already part of our research project
on the PolyMORF platform. I have talked to the network manager at Poly
and it seems like it would be feasible to create a wifi based solution.
Sounds like a nice idea, if poly had an intranet social network we could also add that as a feature. Previously, I did some investigating for the Bureau of Computer Services to find out the feasibility of doing something like this and concluded that status.net (free enterprise 'social network' software) would be a good choice and easy to set up and integrate with their LDAP server, but since then, Zimbra seems to have been installed instead. Students actually still ask me what happened to the "poly local social network" they heard about. Just thought this might be a nice thing to add while we're working on networking the students.

Siôn Le Roux

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Sep 25, 2012, 6:24:35 AM9/25/12
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On 25/09/2012 09:02, Christian Toelg wrote:

We set up a Twiki server at NBIC – could add a Wiki for projects. Twiki is great because it has  a lot of plugins (think there is a Bugzilla plugin, not sure though). Depends on the features you want to have.

Both GitHub and Google code also provide Wiki's for each new project, with the idea that the developers will document it. NBIC's Twiki will be great if we decide to host the project ourselves or to use it instead of GitHub / Google Code's wikis, it's good to know that it's there! I can also host DokuWiki wikis at my domain but I think using the projects' Wikis may be more convenient, it saves making more user accounts in different places.

Tawanda Abraham Makunike

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Sep 25, 2012, 7:01:56 AM9/25/12
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I think we now have a solid idea in developing the POly Social Network. From the previous posts it looks like we need to do the following, decide on which platform we are going to use to host the code, GitHub or Google Code, we also have to decide on the documentation Wiki to use and we also have to get everyone up to speed with EGit.

If anyone is aware of the advantages of GitHub over Google code and vise versa please share with us so we make an informed decision. It this regard I think if we can get to work on a very simple project and so that we get used to the platforms and plugins that would be a great starting point. It will also enable us to come up with a set of guidelines incase we get more people joining in.

Siôn Le Roux

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Sep 26, 2012, 5:30:30 AM9/26/12
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My final word on this is that I think we should use GitHub. Google Code includes a download page (probably the only real advantage), but GitHub has easier authentication, a nicer UI and support for issue/task integration with Eclipse. Google Code's task connector is not official, is still in Alpha stage and just has read-only support (no tasks/bugs can be added directly from Eclipse, which you can do with GitHub).

Therefore I vote GitHub.

Kasper Løvborg Jensen

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Sep 26, 2012, 5:42:40 AM9/26/12
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I'd second that, we used GitHub where I used to work (jTribe in
Melbourne) - it's really good for communicating about the code and
keeping track of many components. We used another system for
bug-tracking and feature requests but sure it will be fine.

As far as I recall it is also very light weight (GIT from the command
prompt) so you will not be spending too much precious airtime :)
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Tawanda Abraham Makunike

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Sep 26, 2012, 6:15:45 PM9/26/12
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I also vote for GitHub. 
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