PocketPC

Still working hard on AE, I just haven’t had much time in the last few weeks. I’ve been steadily working on making the web site working better (nailed voting tonight, works much better now).

Most of my time has been spent working on the PocketPC application. I’ve almost finished a wrapper around the HTTP Calls/XML return (pass some params into a function, get a CList or Map back that has the return data). It should make it much easier for someone to develop new stuff. I’m using it for app that logs in, allows the user to type lat/lon and distance, and returns those locs for group 1. The big pieces to finish are the COM port/GPS device stuff, and configuration.

I originally was going to just write it in eVB, but after using the environment for a few hours, I gave up in disgust. VB 6 is bad enough, but eVB sucks sooo very bad. So, I’m doing it in embedded Visual C++, and actually using MFC. Kinda nice, in that I did MFC for so long, it’s pretty easy to write GUI apps. But it’s still a pain, in the API set available on the PocketPC is reduced, and they did some really STUPID things. Like, normally you do a SelectNode with a param, and it returns a result. So WHY on the PocketPC is the result passes as a param? I’m not complaining about the style of doing return codes that way, but now instead of just copying code I already have done, I have to re-write everything  yuck.

I saw NY City is putting in a big public WiFi network next month. I’m going to investigate it a bit, and if it looks like I can just use it, I may plan a long weekend trip to NY soon, to set up a guide. I need to get the Pocket PC app fully working, as it’s a pain dragging around the laptop.

Slashdot

Well, something somewhat interesting. I just noticed a article I posted on Slashdot was accepted. It’s not ABOUT AE (damn! Hehehe), but it’s about GPS and the upcoming war. The interesting thing is, that means a LINK to AE will be on the main Slashdot page, as the URL you get when you click on my name (ward99). Woot! Hehe, should see some big traffic from that, based on the last time it happened.

Location Alert

Wowza. I took LocationAlert and added the ability to Annotated locations. So I may not write LocationAnnotation at this point, as LocationAlert does it. It’s VERY cool. Simple to use, and does exactly what I want. I guess I’m ready to do the PocketPC 

On that note, I installed the SDK this weekend and wrote a simple app, but as soon as I ran it blue-screened XP. Fun. It was trying to access the PDA hooked up to the machine, and, as I haven’t bought one yet, didn’t like it I guess. Guess it’s time to spend yet another $600 bucks *shudder*. I’m tyring not to think how much cash has been poured down AE at this point. If you start calculating my time in, the total cost is starting to get a bit high (and the personal, both in$$$ and personal time work on it)

I’m actually thinking of taking a break soon, I hope after I have something on the PocketPC. I’m starting to get burned out, and my day job is suffering. To this point, I’ve been able to do everything on weekends or (sometimes) weeknights, without the day job getting hit… but last week I was so fried from trying to do both for the last few weeks, that I was kinda flaky, and didn’t get much work done.

Oh… http://sh1.antville.org/ had a post about AE (specifically, the IraqiList) so I’ve been getting a fair amount of traffic, at least a few hits a hour. And several people have used IraqiAlert AND LocationAlert. Nifty! 

I want to try harping IraqiAlert, as I think it has the potential for some press. As the war is about to start, I’m running out of time. I’m going to research Iraqi Troop movements, troops that might have bio/chem. Weapons (as was rumored today). That would be a good addition.

Users...

Well, I kinda cranked on a bunch of stuff tonight, the biggest being the release of LocationAlert. It’s basically a generic version of IraqiAlert. The user can login in as different users (or guest), and choose what group they want to be monitoring. And it returns a list of locations instead of just one (within a user-selectable radius). The user can configure settings (like com port and baud, finally) and it saves/loads settings from the registry. It actually looks pretty damn good, considering I basically ripped the code from IraqiAlert and just made it better. I need to do some testing when my laptop gets back, but it seems to work REALLY well.

The next app will be the location submitter – ah, um, “Location Annotation”? Maybe. I don’t know, I’ll have to think about that a bit.

The first version will only allow the user to take a note for the current location. Once they’ve done that, it goes up to the server, and then they’ll have to edit from there if they want to do anything to it. I really need this app, to start mapping out things. Once the two of these (location alert and location annotation) are working well, then I’ll be ready to move to PDA’s. But I need to use these two to really test out the technology.

I’ve kinda given up on finding wireless in Columbia. I may try to track down someone at USC and see if they’re interested in doing some kind of R&D partnership (doubtful, I’d guess, knowing USC). I’ve thought about just putting the laptop and a WiFi router in my car, and trying to have basically a mobile WiFi node. Park it downtown Columbia, enter a bunch of locations, test. Move the car, repeat. Do something on the USC campus. The only problem is I’m not willing to leave my car on for long periods of time, and I don’t want to run fully off of the battery for the WiFi. If I can figure out a way to just run the 12 volts or whatever off the router, off the car, then... Maybe. We’ll have to see. If I can do that, then I can load the AE server onto the laptop, and configure the software to point there. Kinda cheesy, but hey, It’s Columbia *sigh*

Oh yeah, I’ve posted info about AE on several web forums that deal with location-aware, or GIS or GPS devices. Getting a few hits, and some interested. One thing I really need to do is get some more users 

I’ve been adding a few new locations, which has helped test the system as a normal user would see it. I’d like to make voting better (more visible), and be able to find out who submitted a location (and get a list of locations THEY submitted). That would be nice, as it would allow me to do a top 10 submitter/quality list. Which can help spur people to submit MORE!

StationRipper

So StationRipper kinda took off. Gave it to a friend or two, and they gave to some friends. Next thing I know, my ISP is telling me I'm maxing out my bandwidth. LOL.

Still not a lot of movement on getting people devices with GPS's and internet connections (walking around, at least). It just seems to make SENSE. Wish I was a hardware guy, as I bet there's some cash to be made with that combo.

So I'll probably not be working on AE for a bit. Going to focus on StationRipper, which is a lot of fun and getting a LOT of users!

Fark

I did some work on the web site today. Locations can be deleted. Fixed a Deg-Dec to DMS calc bug, and added the ability to enter locations in MinDec.

I also added some locations, and deleted some (hehehe, nice to have the new delete function).

Tried to submit something to Fark – the article got rejected (no surprise there *sigh*), but did get some traffic, mostly from total fark I’d imagine.

Sourceforge

Well, just submitted a request to SourceForge to add a project for AE clients. I’m NOT planning on open-sourcing the web site at this point, so I sure hope they’re cool with open-source clients. My plan is for all clients that I write will be open source, and available on both the main site and SourceForge. The whole goal here is to get other people writing cool applications, stuff I may even be thinking of. I’d love for someone to take IraqiAlert and function to it, or some up with some other new application. If I can achieve that, then the second stage can really be considered a success. Yeah, lots of users will be part of that success, but if I’m going to move forward, without getting and kind of investment cash, I’m going to need to rely heavily on other developers.

I can see this is already going to drain me dry – already spent $3K+ on hardware, hosting fees will just get to be more, and I’m must starting.

I pretty much have finished IraqiAlert! The web pages are done, the software works as well as it can (with me not having my laptop), the source code is all commented and pretty and I’ve uploaded that source in a zip to the main site (Woot!). I also did the various license pages and such, lots of fun. I need to really start looking around for a lawyer – going to need a corp, and need help with the legal stuff.