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Gnome Jounrnal Update #7
Friday, November 14th, 2008 | Gnome, OS, Uncategorized | No Comments
Natan Yellin and I have been organizing a lot in the code. Natan stumbled up on SpiffGtkWidgets and managed to integrate it into the code. Although the display is amazing its pretty slow. Thus Natan and I decided to hack on it and upload our patches :).
A couple of new features will be added and/or are under development, most importantly:
- Search! We need to be able to search
- Bookmarking! I took out the bookmarking code to re-implement it at some point.
- Tags! Tagging items would be really a cool feature however we need a database for it
- Two new Iconviews Placeholders. “Frequently Used” and “Bookmarked”. I think the names say it all!
- We are considering of storing History in an sqlight database! We need the communities opinion on it
- Option of choosing a backend engine such as Tracker
Another very important thing is the naming of the Project! right now alot of the code is still related to mayanna-legacy! However since I will be also working on the new mayanna version I think renaming the classes and projects would be a good choice since alot of the original code has been changed and reduced. My suggestions would be:
- Gnome Zeitgeist (The options of bookmarking and frequently used should encourage this name)
- Gnome Reflaction (the a is on purpose
) .. à la reflection in/for action - Gnome Did (sounds too much like Gnome Do though)
- Gnome Timeline
- Gnome Useline
More to come! Need to take a Nap
Gnome Journal Update #6
Monday, November 10th, 2008 | Gnome, OS, Uncategorized | No Comments
I managed to get Firefox history at last. After some issues with SQLite locks, copying the places.sqlite and work on it was the solution. Still it takes too long to display them!The good thing about the code is that both UI and engine are seperated. Another cool thing is now automatically when one writes a new dataprovider it can autmatically be filtered. Next on the list is improving performance and memory consumption(although its waaaaaaaaay better than gimmie/mayanna).
Features:
- Firefox now enabled
- Cleaned up code
- Enabled Drag and Drop
Issues:
- Refreshing the view or loading lots of items takes too much time!
- Bookmarking is still disabled
I will upload the changes as soon as I turn on my laptop!
*Update its all up on launchpad or just go bzr branch lp:gnome-doc-centric-playground
Gnome Journal Update #5
Sunday, November 9th, 2008 | Gnome, OS, Uncategorized | No Comments
I assume this is update 5 thus #5
So the filters are working pretty well! All functional and every dataprovider will be automatically included into the filters list. I still have to work on the refreshing view thingie but all in all pretty stable. The issue concerning me is that when to much data is provided e.g. Firefox history (couple of thousand on my PC) it could take too long to create and view the items! The Firefox Dataprovider is in the code, however will not be displayed, since inserting over 3000 items makes the whole thing take too long to start up and filter out! Plus somehow Firefox blocks usage of the sqlite database while running.
Features:
- Filter works perfectly
- Firefox DataProvider included into code but disabled
Issues:
- Refreshing the view or loading lots of items takes too much time!
- Bookmarking is still disabled
As for hacking updates Natan Yellin set up a bzr branch on launchpad. Have a look here. To copy this branch open a terminal and go: bzr branch lp:gnome-doc-centric-playground
If someone can reach Federico please tell him to contact me 
Implementing a Gnome Journal/Timeline Filter
Sunday, November 9th, 2008 | Gnome, OS, Uncategorized | 4 Comments
As the topic says, I am working on a filter to filter in/out mimetypes into the timeline! As for now I took out Pidgin an bookmarking so i could improve the speed and memory consumption! They will be built back in soon.
I just noticed gnomejournal.org, thus I think the project needs a new name/codename… I think Gnome Timeline or “Gnome Zeitgeist”(GZG).
I could use some help with a Firefox plugin.. if some1 can send me a sample code of howto read in the firefox history using python i would be very thankful!
Tomorrow i will continue as for now I will sleep! The changes of today will be uploaded tomorrow since they are on my desktop and I am in bed!
Some new updates from the Gnome Journal Prototype
Wednesday, November 5th, 2008 | Gnome, OS, Uncategorized | 1 Comment
After a long day of studying, watchign series, hacking and lindy hoping, I thought it would be appropriate to tell the world (whoever is interested) about the new updates on the Gnome Journal Prototype.
I managed to get some academic and managment bacjup from my former boss and still current mentor Thorsten Prante. To do some advertising here a quick summary.
Thorsten Prante is a computer scientist and has worked in research at Fraunhofer, as scientific staff and deputy division manager, where he also lead software development efforts and co-directed an international research project. Thorsten has been involved in R&D projects and in academic research, also teaching at the Darmstadt University of Technology. His main interests are in interactive workspaces and personal information management. Interactive workspaces is a research area focused on how to tune-up working environments and relates to ubiquitous computing (including context-awareness), human-computer interaction, and computer-supported cooperative work. His interest in personal information management focuses on the use (manipulating, finding, keeping, maintaining, employing, experiencing) of information embedded in everyday activities of knowledge workers. He is currently working on his PhD.
I worked with him on a similar project before and managed to convince him to work support me on creating a smiliar project for Gnome.
As for hacking updates Natan Yellin set up a bzr branch on launchpad. Have a look here.
To copy this branch open a terminal and go:
bzr branch lp:gnome-doc-centric-playground
I managed to clean up the code alot. I took out pidgin again just until I manage to continue cleanign up. Another thing I am working on is improving the refresh rate of the Iconview. The concepts works however I have to be able to filter out unused days! Its a weired issue I will be writing about in the next days!
So I will continue hacking tomorrow! Me need to sleep! N8
Gnome Journal Prototype
Friday, October 31st, 2008 | Gnome, OS, Uncategorized | No Comments
Well I am still programing on it using python! Not sure if a switch to Mono is of big gain at the moment, since most of the code is based on Gimmie/Mayanna thus development could be pretty faster if I continue! However Mono would be a fresh start! Thus I wrote Prototype.
I created a git repository for it
What I am excited about the most is the fact that I fixed the memory leak I was having with Gimmie/Mayanna and thus will be working on it 100% again. I hope that Alex Graveley would show interest again in maintaining Gimmie.
I cant wait to apply the changes on the Iconview class form the Journal on Gimmie/Mayanna! I think this way I can get mayanna never to exceed the 30 MB limit! Would be amazing if I could then integrate the Timeline into Gimmie/Mayanna as an option!
Ideas for the Gnome Journal
Thursday, October 30th, 2008 | Gnome, OS, Uncategorized | 1 Comment
Soon I will be working on Gnome Journal. I thought a bit about the layout and I think the although the nemo approach is very interesting and advanced it seems pretty advanced and not as simple as Federico’s mock up. However grouping and filtering is a must IMHO.
Gnome Journal should be plugin based. Since it will be most probably written in Mono (still want to debate whether to use Python or Mono thus giving me the chance to also C# and Boo)maybe we can use the Gnome-Do plugin methodology! Plugins should be separated into Web based data providers and and local data providers :
First plugin set will all be data providers from the desktop! Those should be separated into default/gnome or default/other supported plugins.
1. Gtk’s recently used manager (default/gnome supported plugin). A recent applications plugin is redundant since the recently used item is always connected with its application! It should be allowed to create new Documents just like Federico intended! However the option should be provided by the plugin.
2. Tomboy Notes (default/gnome plugin). Same goes here! the plugin should allow the user to create his own Notes.
3. Web browsing/bookmarking history (default/gnome or default/other depends Firefox/Epiphany)! maybe bookmarking using the journal would not be such a bad idea!
4. Chat history (default/gnome or default/other depends on Pidgin/Empathy). This will display how was contacted when with an option of browsing chat history
5. Gnome Do executed commands (other). would be a nice feature
6. Rhythmbox/Banshee played songs! I think the gtk’s recent manager doesn’t detect them!
7. Evolution (default/gnome)! Recently read/written and maybe relieved mails too.
8. Download History. Might not be necessary if detected by the gtk’ recent manager.
As for Web based data provider the list can go on, my problem is how much of the data we will already have provided by our webbrowser plugin:
1. Google: We can try to get our Google searches. Youtube tagged favorites as well as Google Calendar data. Picasa uploaded pictures.
2. Facebook: Events can be viewed in the Timeline who did what etc. Would be a nice feature.
3. Flickr: Uploaded Pictures and comments
4. Del.icio.us: Display bookmars and when they were bookmarked!
5. Gnome-Online (Mughshot): This would ease up everything since we can read al levents from there or most of them!
6. Twitter: Who tweeted what when!
7. Last.fm: What did I listen to lately
I think this is enough for plugins. Another thought i had was to seperate the data and the data providers form the Journal application. Which brings me back to SDDT. The data could be stored into a sql light database or something and the journal just collects the data from it via a daemon running in the background! I also noticed that this could be an easy way to store a timeline! Since the Gtk.RecentlyUsedManager just delets old entries and puts them upfront. In other words if I used file a week ago and never again ever since I will see it as used last week! Now I open the same File again and voila Gtk.RecentlyUsedManager displays it as used today and doesnt remember that I used it last week. Bummer huh? So my solution is to have daemon copying the recently used form gtk and comparing it with the database. Now the Journal reads JSON files mdofied by the daemon, and decides whether it should or should not display a file if the time interval between the entries of a the file are less than a day. It is just a thought though.
Another nice feature would be drag and drop compatibility which is already supported by my prototype. So i can drag items form the timeline onto my Desktop or toher Folders.
So right now I am just brainstorming. Help would be appreciated!
More updates on the Timeline (semi working mockup)
Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008 | Gnome, OS, Uncategorized | No Comments
After chatting with Federico. I showed him my quick gimmie/mayanna based prototype! He will be looking at the code to decide if it should be rewritten in c# or if we will modify the now existing python code or just take some classes! I hope it is the last one!I know for sure is that I will be writing him his providers
I added some new buttons to the layout! and an idea for filtering! its not functional though.Try it out.
*UPDATE: Implemented (more or less took from gimmie/mayanna) a “create new document” dialog and button functionality.
**UPDATE: Implemented Tomboy support. Again taken from gimmie/mayanna
Here is a picture:
Quick timline update
Tuesday, October 21st, 2008 | Gnome, OS, Uncategorized | No Comments
I need a new name for it
*Update: Fixed some little bugs and issues. Still have to figure out howto refresh without consumign so much memory! Help me come up with a name! I am loving it
A Journaling system for Gnome
Sunday, October 19th, 2008 | Gnome, OS | No Comments
During the UI Hackfest in Boston a lot of ideas have been sketched and some of them already under development! The one that caught my attention the most was Federico’s Presentation. If this can be turned into reality it could be a step forward to reach Gnome 3.0.
It saddens me however that some of the ideas in the presentation have been already developed in Gimmie before. Gimmie provides a semi History browsing for everything from documents to applications and even Pidgin chats.
All it would take is some modifications to the Gimmie code and u got yourself a kick ass application that fulfills all of the Points set by Federico.
Here is a take on the Gimmie/Mayanna based version. It had some memory issues but all in all it does a pretty nice job for a timeline.
It updates on new events and supports tagging into favorites… its not much but it is a good example for an approach! I will give myself more time soon to really modify it all!
New name for Gnome Journal/Timeline
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