- <title>Valutakrambod - A python and bitcoin love story</title>
- <link>http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/Valutakrambod___A_python_and_bitcoin_love_story.html</link>
- <guid isPermaLink="true">http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/Valutakrambod___A_python_and_bitcoin_love_story.html</guid>
- <pubDate>Sat, 29 Sep 2018 22:20:00 +0200</pubDate>
- <description><p>It would come as no surprise to anyone that I am interested in
-bitcoins and virtual currencies. I've been keeping an eye on virtual
-currencies for many years, and it is part of the reason a few months
-ago, I started writing a python library for collecting currency
-exchange rates and trade on virtual currency exchanges. I decided to
-name the end result valutakrambod, which perhaps can be translated to
-small currency shop.</p>
-
-<p>The library uses the tornado python library to handle HTTP and
-websocket connections, and provide a asynchronous system for
-connecting to and tracking several services. The code is available
-from
-<a href="http://github.com/petterreinholdtsen/valutakrambod">github</a>.</p>
-
-</p>There are two example clients of the library. One is very simple and
-list every updated buy/sell price received from the various services.
-This code is started by running bin/btc-rates and call the client code
-in valutakrambod/client.py. The simple client look like this:</p>
-
-<p><blockquote><pre>
-import functools
-import tornado.ioloop
-import valutakrambod
-class SimpleClient(object):
- def __init__(self):
- self.services = []
- self.streams = []
- pass
- def newdata(self, service, pair, changed):
- print("%-15s %s-%s: %8.3f %8.3f" % (
- service.servicename(),
- pair[0],
- pair[1],
- service.rates[pair]['ask'],
- service.rates[pair]['bid'])
- )
- async def refresh(self, service):
- await service.fetchRates(service.wantedpairs)
- def run(self):
- self.ioloop = tornado.ioloop.IOLoop.current()
- self.services = valutakrambod.service.knownServices()
- for e in self.services:
- service = e()
- service.subscribe(self.newdata)
- stream = service.websocket()
- if stream:
- self.streams.append(stream)
- else:
- # Fetch information from non-streaming services immediately
- self.ioloop.call_later(len(self.services),
- functools.partial(self.refresh, service))
- # as well as regularly
- service.periodicUpdate(60)
- for stream in self.streams:
- stream.connect()
- try:
- self.ioloop.start()
- except KeyboardInterrupt:
- print("Interrupted by keyboard, closing all connections.")
- pass
- for stream in self.streams:
- stream.close()
-</pre></blockquote></p>
-
-<p>The library client loops over all known "public" services,
-initialises it, subscribes to any updates from the service, checks and
-activates websocket streaming if the service provide it, and if no
-streaming is supported, fetches information from the service and sets
-up a periodic update every 60 seconds. The output from this client
-can look like this:</p>
-
-<p><blockquote><pre>
-Bl3p BTC-EUR: 5687.110 5653.690
-Bl3p BTC-EUR: 5687.110 5653.690
-Bl3p BTC-EUR: 5687.110 5653.690
-Hitbtc BTC-USD: 6594.560 6593.690
-Hitbtc BTC-USD: 6594.560 6593.690
-Bl3p BTC-EUR: 5687.110 5653.690
-Hitbtc BTC-USD: 6594.570 6593.690
-Bitstamp EUR-USD: 1.159 1.154
-Hitbtc BTC-USD: 6594.570 6593.690
-Hitbtc BTC-USD: 6594.580 6593.690
-Hitbtc BTC-USD: 6594.580 6593.690
-Hitbtc BTC-USD: 6594.580 6593.690
-Bl3p BTC-EUR: 5687.110 5653.690
-Paymium BTC-EUR: 5680.000 5620.240
-</pre></blockquote></p>
-
-<p>The exchange order book is tracked in addition to the best buy/sell
-price, for those that need to know the details.</p>
-
-<p>The other example client is focusing on providing a curses view
-with updated buy/sell prices as soon as they are received from the
-services. This code is located in bin/btc-rates-curses and activated
-by using the '-c' argument. Without the argument the "curses" output
-is printed without using curses, which is useful for debugging. The
-curses view look like this:</p>
-
-<p><blockquote><pre>
- Name Pair Bid Ask Spr Ftcd Age
- BitcoinsNorway BTCEUR 5591.8400 5711.0800 2.1% 16 nan 60
- Bitfinex BTCEUR 5671.0000 5671.2000 0.0% 16 22 59
- Bitmynt BTCEUR 5580.8000 5807.5200 3.9% 16 41 60
- Bitpay BTCEUR 5663.2700 nan nan% 15 nan 60
- Bitstamp BTCEUR 5664.8400 5676.5300 0.2% 0 1 1
- Bl3p BTCEUR 5653.6900 5684.9400 0.5% 0 nan 19
- Coinbase BTCEUR 5600.8200 5714.9000 2.0% 15 nan nan
- Kraken BTCEUR 5670.1000 5670.2000 0.0% 14 17 60
- Paymium BTCEUR 5620.0600 5680.0000 1.1% 1 7515 nan
- BitcoinsNorway BTCNOK 52898.9700 54034.6100 2.1% 16 nan 60
- Bitmynt BTCNOK 52960.3200 54031.1900 2.0% 16 41 60
- Bitpay BTCNOK 53477.7833 nan nan% 16 nan 60
- Coinbase BTCNOK 52990.3500 54063.0600 2.0% 15 nan nan
- MiraiEx BTCNOK 52856.5300 54100.6000 2.3% 16 nan nan
- BitcoinsNorway BTCUSD 6495.5300 6631.5400 2.1% 16 nan 60
- Bitfinex BTCUSD 6590.6000 6590.7000 0.0% 16 23 57
- Bitpay BTCUSD 6564.1300 nan nan% 15 nan 60
- Bitstamp BTCUSD 6561.1400 6565.6200 0.1% 0 2 1
- Coinbase BTCUSD 6504.0600 6635.9700 2.0% 14 nan 117
- Gemini BTCUSD 6567.1300 6573.0700 0.1% 16 89 nan
- Hitbtc+BTCUSD 6592.6200 6594.2100 0.0% 0 0 0
- Kraken BTCUSD 6565.2000 6570.9000 0.1% 15 17 58
- Exchangerates EURNOK 9.4665 9.4665 0.0% 16 107789 nan
- Norgesbank EURNOK 9.4665 9.4665 0.0% 16 107789 nan
- Bitstamp EURUSD 1.1537 1.1593 0.5% 4 5 1
- Exchangerates EURUSD 1.1576 1.1576 0.0% 16 107789 nan
- BitcoinsNorway LTCEUR 1.0000 49.0000 98.0% 16 nan nan
- BitcoinsNorway LTCNOK 492.4800 503.7500 2.2% 16 nan 60
- BitcoinsNorway LTCUSD 1.0221 49.0000 97.9% 15 nan nan
- Norgesbank USDNOK 8.1777 8.1777 0.0% 16 107789 nan
-</pre></blockquote></p>
-
-<p>The code for this client is too complex for a simple blog post, so
-you will have to check out the git repository to figure out how it
-work. What I can tell is how the three last numbers on each line
-should be interpreted. The first is how many seconds ago information
-was received from the service. The second is how long ago, according
-to the service, the provided information was updated. The last is an
-estimate on how often the buy/sell values change.</p>
-
-<p>If you find this library useful, or would like to improve it, I
-would love to hear from you. Note that for some of the services I've
-implemented a trading API. It might be the topic of a future blog
-post.</p>
-
-<p>As usual, if you use Bitcoin and want to show your support of my
-activities, please send Bitcoin donations to my address
-<b><a href="bitcoin:15oWEoG9dUPovwmUL9KWAnYRtNJEkP1u1b">15oWEoG9dUPovwmUL9KWAnYRtNJEkP1u1b</a></b>.</p>
+ <title>Debian Edu interview: Yvan Masson</title>
+ <link>http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/Debian_Edu_interview__Yvan_Masson.html</link>
+ <guid isPermaLink="true">http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/Debian_Edu_interview__Yvan_Masson.html</guid>
+ <pubDate>Tue, 12 May 2020 06:30:00 +0200</pubDate>
+ <description><p>It has been way too long since my last interview, but as the
+<a href="http://www.skolelinux.org/">Debian Edu / Skolelinux</a>
+community is still active, and new people keep showing up on the IRC
+channel <a href="irc://irc.debian.org/#debian-edu">#debian-edu</a> and
+<a href="https://lists.debian.org/debian-edu/">the debian-edu mailing
+list</a>, I decided to give it another go. I was hoping someone else
+might pick up the idea and run with it, but this has not happened as
+far as I can tell, so here we are… This time the announcement of a new
+free software tool to
+<a href="https://framagit.org/Yvan-Masson/WhosWho">create a school year
+book</a> triggered my interest, and I decided to learn more about its
+author.</p>
+
+<p><strong>Who are you, and how do you spend your days?</strong></p>
+
+<p>My name is Yvan MASSON, I live in France. I have my own one person
+business in computer services. The work consist of visiting my
+customers (person's home, local authority, small business) to give
+advise, install computers and software, fix issues, and provide
+computing usage training. I spend the rest of my time enjoying my
+family and promoting free software.</p>
+
+<p><strong>What is your approach for promoting free
+software?</strong></p>
+
+<p>When I think that free software could be suitable for someone, I
+explain what it is, with simple words, give a few known examples, and
+explain that while there is no fee it is a viable alternative in many
+situations. Most people are receptive when you explain how it is
+better (I simplify arguments here, I know that it is not so simple):
+Linux works on older hardware, there are no viruses, and the software
+can be audited to ensure user is not spied upon. I think the most
+important is to keep a clear but moderated speech: when you try to
+convince too much, people feel attacked and stop listening.</p>
+
+<p><strong>How did you get in contact with the Skolelinux / Debian Edu
+project?</strong></p>
+
+<p>I can not remember how I first heard of Skolelinux / Debian Edu,
+but probably on planet.debian.org. As I have been working for a
+school, I have interest in this type of project.
+
+<p>The school I am involved in is a school for "children" between 14
+and 18 years old. The French government has recommended free software
+since 2012, but they do not always use free software themselves. The
+school computers are still using the Windows operating system, but all
+of them have the classic set of free software: Firefox ESR,
+LibreOffice (with the excellent extension Grammalecte that indicates
+French grammatical errors), SumatraPDF, Audacity, 7zip, KeePass2, VLC,
+GIMP, Inkscape…
+
+<p><strong>What do you see as the advantages of Skolelinux / Debian
+Edu?</strong></p>
+
+<p>It is free software! Built on Debian, I am sure that users are not
+spied upon, and that it can run on low end hardware. This last point
+is very important, because we really need to improve "green IT". I do
+not know enough about Skolelinux / Debian Edu to tell how it is better
+than another free software solution, but what I like is the "all in
+one" solution: everything has been thought of and prepared to ease
+installation and usage.</p>
+
+<p>I like Free Software because I hate using something that I can not
+understand. I do not say that I can understand everything nor that I
+want to understand everything, but knowing that someone / some company
+intentionally prevents me from understanding how things work is really
+unacceptable to me.</p>
+
+<p>Secondly, and more importantly, free software is a requirement to
+prevent abuses regarding human rights and environmental care.
+Humanity can not rely on tools that are in the hands of small group of
+people.</p>
+
+<p><strong>What do you see as the disadvantages of Skolelinux / Debian
+Edu?</strong></p>
+
+<p>Again, I don't know this project enough. Maybe a dedicated website?
+Debian wiki works well for documentation, but is not very appealing to
+someone discovering the project. Also, as Skolelinux / Debian Edu uses
+OpenLDAP, it probably means that Windows workstations cannot use
+centralized authentication. Maybe the project could use Samba as an
+Active Directory domain controller instead, allowing Windows desktop
+usage when necessary.</p>
+
+<p>(Editors note: In fact Windows workstations can
+<a href="https://wiki.debian.org/DebianEdu/Documentation/Buster/HowTo/Samba">use
+the centralized authentication in a Debian Edu setup</a>, at least for
+some versions of Windows, but the fact that this is not well known can
+be seen as an indication of the need for better documentation and
+marketing. :)</p>
+
+<p><strong>Which free software do you use daily?</strong></p>
+
+<p>Nothing original: Debian testing/sid with Gnome desktop, Firefox,
+Thunderbird, LibreOffice…</p>
+
+<p><strong>Which strategy do you believe is the right one to use to
+get schools to use free software?</strong></p>
+
+<p>Every effort to spread free software into schools is important,
+whatever it is. But I think, at least where I live, that IT
+professionals maintaining schools networks are still very "Microsoft
+centric". Schools will use any working solution, but they need people
+to install and maintain it. How to make these professionals sensitive
+about free software and train them with solutions like Debian Edu /
+Skolelinux is a really good question :-)</p>