X-Git-Url: http://pere.pagekite.me/gitweb/homepage.git/blobdiff_plain/a8c94673f3e4f51c47ece03204e624e68beafc38..1875e852d5398d59aabbe994836353fc40c639c9:/blog/index.html diff --git a/blog/index.html b/blog/index.html index c0a46149d8..9c70a143c7 100644 --- a/blog/index.html +++ b/blog/index.html @@ -19,6 +19,265 @@ +
+
Appstream just learned how to map hardware to packages too!
+
23rd December 2016
+

I received a very nice Christmas present today. As my regular +readers probably know, I have been working on the +the Isenkram +system for many years. The goal of the Isenkram system is to make +it easier for users to figure out what to install to get a given piece +of hardware to work in Debian, and a key part of this system is a way +to map hardware to packages. Isenkram have its own mapping database, +and also uses data provided by each package using the AppStream +metadata format. And today, +AppStream in +Debian learned to look up hardware the same way Isenkram is doing it, +ie using fnmatch():

+ +

+% appstreamcli what-provides modalias \
+  usb:v1130p0202d0100dc00dsc00dp00ic03isc00ip00in00
+Identifier: pymissile [generic]
+Name: pymissile
+Summary: Control original Striker USB Missile Launcher
+Package: pymissile
+% appstreamcli what-provides modalias usb:v0694p0002d0000
+Identifier: libnxt [generic]
+Name: libnxt
+Summary: utility library for talking to the LEGO Mindstorms NXT brick
+Package: libnxt
+---
+Identifier: t2n [generic]
+Name: t2n
+Summary: Simple command-line tool for Lego NXT
+Package: t2n
+---
+Identifier: python-nxt [generic]
+Name: python-nxt
+Summary: Python driver/interface/wrapper for the Lego Mindstorms NXT robot
+Package: python-nxt
+---
+Identifier: nbc [generic]
+Name: nbc
+Summary: C compiler for LEGO Mindstorms NXT bricks
+Package: nbc
+%
+

+ +

A similar query can be done using the combined AppStream and +Isenkram databases using the isenkram-lookup tool:

+ +

+% isenkram-lookup usb:v1130p0202d0100dc00dsc00dp00ic03isc00ip00in00
+pymissile
+% isenkram-lookup usb:v0694p0002d0000
+libnxt
+nbc
+python-nxt
+t2n
+%
+

+ +

You can find modalias values relevant for your machine using +cat $(find /sys/devices/ -name modalias). + +

If you want to make this system a success and help Debian users +make the most of the hardware they have, please +helpadd +AppStream metadata for your package following the guidelines +documented in the wiki. So far only 11 packages provide such +information, among the several hundred hardware specific packages in +Debian. The Isenkram database on the other hand contain 101 packages, +mostly related to USB dongles. Most of the packages with hardware +mapping in AppStream are LEGO Mindstorms related, because I have, as +part of my involvement in +the Debian LEGO +team given priority to making sure LEGO users get proposed the +complete set of packages in Debian for that particular hardware. The +team also got a nice Christmas present today. The +nxt-firmware +package made it into Debian. With this package in place, it is +now possible to use the LEGO Mindstorms NXT unit with only free +software, as the nxt-firmware package contain the source and firmware +binaries for the NXT brick.

+ +

As usual, if you use Bitcoin and want to show your support of my +activities, please send Bitcoin donations to my address +15oWEoG9dUPovwmUL9KWAnYRtNJEkP1u1b.

+
+
+ + + Tags: debian, english, isenkram. + + +
+
+
+ +
+
Isenkram updated with a lot more hardware-package mappings
+
20th December 2016
+

The Isenkram +system I wrote two years ago to make it easier in Debian to find +and install packages to get your hardware dongles to work, is still +going strong. It is a system to look up the hardware present on or +connected to the current system, and map the hardware to Debian +packages. It can either be done using the tools in isenkram-cli or +using the user space daemon in the isenkram package. The latter will +notify you, when inserting new hardware, about what packages to +install to get the dongle working. It will even provide a button to +click on to ask packagekit to install the packages.

+ +

Here is an command line example from my Thinkpad laptop:

+ +

+% isenkram-lookup  
+bluez
+cheese
+ethtool
+fprintd
+fprintd-demo
+gkrellm-thinkbat
+hdapsd
+libpam-fprintd
+pidgin-blinklight
+thinkfan
+tlp
+tp-smapi-dkms
+tp-smapi-source
+tpb
+%
+

+ +

It can also list the firware package providing firmware requested +by the load kernel modules, which in my case is an empty list because +I have all the firmware my machine need: + +

+% /usr/sbin/isenkram-autoinstall-firmware -l
+info: did not find any firmware files requested by loaded kernel modules.  exiting
+%
+

+ +

The last few days I had a look at several of the around 250 +packages in Debian with udev rules. These seem like good candidates +to install when a given hardware dongle is inserted, and I found +several that should be proposed by isenkram. I have not had time to +check all of them, but am happy to report that now there are 97 +packages packages mapped to hardware by Isenkram. 11 of these +packages provide hardware mapping using AppStream, while the rest are +listed in the modaliases file provided in isenkram.

+ +

These are the packages with hardware mappings at the moment. The +marked packages are also announcing their hardware +support using AppStream, for everyone to use:

+ +

air-quality-sensor, alsa-firmware-loaders, argyll, +array-info, avarice, avrdude, b43-fwcutter, +bit-babbler, bluez, bluez-firmware, brltty, +broadcom-sta-dkms, calibre, cgminer, cheese, colord, +colorhug-client, dahdi-firmware-nonfree, dahdi-linux, +dfu-util, dolphin-emu, ekeyd, ethtool, firmware-ipw2x00, fprintd, +fprintd-demo, galileo, gkrellm-thinkbat, gphoto2, +gpsbabel, gpsbabel-gui, gpsman, gpstrans, gqrx-sdr, gr-fcdproplus, +gr-osmosdr, gtkpod, hackrf, hdapsd, hdmi2usb-udev, hpijs-ppds, hplip, +ipw3945-source, ipw3945d, kde-config-tablet, kinect-audio-setup, +libnxt, libpam-fprintd, lomoco, +madwimax, minidisc-utils, mkgmap, msi-keyboard, mtkbabel, +nbc, nqc, nut-hal-drivers, ola, +open-vm-toolbox, open-vm-tools, openambit, pcgminer, pcmciautils, +pcscd, pidgin-blinklight, printer-driver-splix, +pymissile, python-nxt, qlandkartegt, +qlandkartegt-garmin, rosegarden, rt2x00-source, sispmctl, +soapysdr-module-hackrf, solaar, squeak-plugins-scratch, sunxi-tools, +t2n, thinkfan, thinkfinger-tools, tlp, tp-smapi-dkms, +tp-smapi-source, tpb, tucnak, uhd-host, usbmuxd, viking, +virtualbox-ose-guest-x11, w1retap, xawtv, xserver-xorg-input-vmmouse, +xserver-xorg-input-wacom, xserver-xorg-video-qxl, +xserver-xorg-video-vmware, yubikey-personalization and +zd1211-firmware

+ +

If you know of other packages, please let me know with a wishlist +bug report against the isenkram-cli package, and ask the package +maintainer to +add AppStream +metadata according to the guidelines to provide the information +for everyone. In time, I hope to get rid of the isenkram specific +hardware mapping and depend exclusively on AppStream.

+ +

Note, the AppStream metadata for broadcom-sta-dkms is matching too +much hardware, and suggest that the package with with any ethernet +card. See bug #838735 for +the details. I hope the maintainer find time to address it soon. In +the mean time I provide an override in isenkram.

+
+
+ + + Tags: debian, english, isenkram. + + +
+
+
+ +
+
Oolite, a life in space as vagabond and mercenary - nice free software
+
11th December 2016
+

+ +

In my early years, I played +the epic game +Elite on my PC. I spent many months trading and fighting in +space, and reached the 'elite' fighting status before I moved on. The +original Elite game was available on Commodore 64 and the IBM PC +edition I played had a 64 KB executable. I am still impressed today +that the authors managed to squeeze both a 3D engine and details about +more than 2000 planet systems across 7 galaxies into a binary so +small.

+ +

I have known about the free +software game Oolite inspired by Elite for a while, but did not +really have time to test it properly until a few days ago. It was +great to discover that my old knowledge about trading routes were +still valid. But my fighting and flying abilities were gone, so I had +to retrain to be able to dock on a space station. And I am still not +able to make much resistance when I am attacked by pirates, so I +bougth and mounted the most powerful laser in the rear to be able to +put up at least some resistance while fleeing for my life. :)

+ +

When playing Elite in the late eighties, I had to discover +everything on my own, and I had long lists of prices seen on different +planets to be able to decide where to trade what. This time I had the +advantages of the +Elite wiki, +where information about each planet is easily available with common +price ranges and suggested trading routes. This improved my ability +to earn money and I have been able to earn enough to buy a lot of +useful equipent in a few days. I believe I originally played for +months before I could get a docking computer, while now I could get it +after less then a week.

+ +

If you like science fiction and dreamed of a life as a vagabond in +space, you should try out Oolite. It is available for Linux, MacOSX +and Windows, and is included in Debian and derivatives since 2011.

+ +

As usual, if you use Bitcoin and want to show your support of my +activities, please send Bitcoin donations to my address +15oWEoG9dUPovwmUL9KWAnYRtNJEkP1u1b.

+
+
+ + + Tags: debian, english, nice free software. + + +
+
+
+
Er lover brutt når personvernpolicy ikke stemmer med praksis?
9th December 2016
@@ -310,7 +569,7 @@ tredjeparts analyseverktøy og annonsetracking er helt på linje med det som er normalt for norske kommersielle nettsteder.

Angående spørsmålet ditt: -
Du vil fortsatt vise i våre interne systemer om du blir Ekstra-bruker, +
Du vil fortsatt vises i våre interne systemer om du blir Ekstra-bruker, vi skrur bare av tredjeparts tracking.»

@@ -367,6 +626,29 @@ nettleserinformasjon er fortsatt tilstede, så det er ingen optimal løsning, men det er bedre enn å håpe at f.eks. Google og alle som lytter på veien skal prioritere norsk lov over sin lokale lovgivning.

+ +

Oppdatering 2016-12-09: Fikk svar fra direktøren Høie på mitt +spørsmål litt etter at jeg hadde publisert denne artikkelen:

+ +
+ +

Vi kommer til å annonsere en oppdatert policy, og skal undersøke om +vi er pliktig å varsle Datatilsynet.

+ +

Det vi uansett ønsker å gjøre først, er å gå gjennom hele policy +sammen med utviklerne og advokat, så vi er sikre på at vi går frem +riktig og at det ikke er flere tvetydigheter som skjuler seg i +teksten.

+ +

Har du andre idéer eller konkrete innspill til hva som kan gjøre +policy tydeligere, tar vi gjerne imot det. Dette er et felt vi ønsker +å være ryddige på.

+ +
+ +

Vi får se om de liker mine innspill, som i grunnen er å ikke pusse +på personvernpolicyen men i stedet slutte å spre lesernes +personopplysninger til eksterne aktører.

@@ -975,261 +1257,6 @@ working.

-
-
How to talk with your loved ones in private
-
7th November 2016
-

A few days ago I ran a very biased and informal survey to get an -idea about what options are being used to communicate with end to end -encryption with friends and family. I explicitly asked people not to -list options only used in a work setting. The background is the -uneasy feeling I get when using Signal, a feeling shared by others as -a blog post from Sander Venima about -why -he do not recommend Signal anymore (with -feedback from -the Signal author available from ycombinator). I wanted an -overview of the options being used, and hope to include those options -in a less biased survey later on. So far I have not taken the time to -look into the individual proposed systems. They range from text -sharing web pages, via file sharing and email to instant messaging, -VOIP and video conferencing. For those considering which system to -use, it is also useful to have a look at -the EFF Secure -messaging scorecard which is slightly out of date but still -provide valuable information.

- -

So, on to the list. There were some used by many, some used by a -few, some rarely used ones and a few mentioned but without anyone -claiming to use them. Notice the grouping is in reality quite random -given the biased self selected set of participants. First the ones -used by many:

- - - -

Then the ones used by a few.

- - - -

Then the ones used by even fewer people

- - - -

And finally the ones mentioned by not marked as used by -anyone. This might be a mistake, perhaps the person adding the entry -forgot to flag it as used?

- - - -

Given the network effect it seem obvious to me that we as a society -have been divided and conquered by those interested in keeping -encrypted and secure communication away from the masses. The -finishing remarks from Aral Balkan -in his talk "Free is a lie" about the usability of free software -really come into effect when you want to communicate in private with -your friends and family. We can not expect them to allow the -usability of communication tool to block their ability to talk to -their loved ones.

- -

Note for example the option IRC w/OTR. Most IRC clients do not -have OTR support, so in most cases OTR would not be an option, even if -you wanted to. In my personal experience, about 1 in 20 I talk to -have a IRC client with OTR. For private communication to really be -available, most people to talk to must have the option in their -currently used client. I can not simply ask my family to install an -IRC client. I need to guide them through a technical multi-step -process of adding extensions to the client to get them going. This is -a non-starter for most.

- -

I would like to be able to do video phone calls, audio phone calls, -exchange instant messages and share files with my loved ones, without -being forced to share with people I do not know. I do not want to -share the content of the conversations, and I do not want to share who -I communicate with or the fact that I communicate with someone. -Without all these factors in place, my private life is being more or -less invaded.

-
-
- - - Tags: english, personvern, sikkerhet, surveillance. - - -
-
-
- -
-
My own self balancing Lego Segway
-
4th November 2016
-

A while back I received a Gyro sensor for the NXT -Mindstorms controller as a birthday -present. It had been on my wishlist for a while, because I wanted to -build a Segway like balancing lego robot. I had already built -a simple balancing -robot with the kids, using the light/color sensor included in the -NXT kit as the balance sensor, but it was not working very well. It -could balance for a while, but was very sensitive to the light -condition in the room and the reflective properties of the surface and -would fall over after a short while. I wanted something more robust, -and had -the -gyro sensor from HiTechnic I believed would solve it on my -wishlist for some years before it suddenly showed up as a gift from my -loved ones. :)

- -

Unfortunately I have not had time to sit down and play with it -since then. But that changed some days ago, when I was searching for -lego segway information and came across a recipe from HiTechnic for -building -the -HTWay, a segway like balancing robot. Build instructions and -source -code was included, so it was just a question of putting it all -together. And thanks to the great work of many Debian developers, the -compiler needed to build the source for the NXT is already included in -Debian, so I was read to go in less than an hour. The resulting robot -do not look very impressive in its simplicity:

- -

- -

Because I lack the infrared sensor used to control the robot in the -design from HiTechnic, I had to comment out the last task -(taskControl). I simply placed /* and */ around it get the program -working without that sensor present. Now it balances just fine until -the battery status run low:

- -

- -

Now we would like to teach it how to follow a line and take remote -control instructions using the included Bluetooth receiver in the NXT.

- -

If you, like me, love LEGO and want to make sure we find the tools -they need to work with LEGO in Debian and all our derivative -distributions like Ubuntu, check out -the LEGO designers -project page and join the Debian LEGO team. Personally I own a -RCX and NXT controller (no EV3), and would like to make sure the -Debian tools needed to program the systems I own work as they -should.

-
-
- - - Tags: debian, english, robot. - - -
-
-
- -
-
Aktivitetsbånd som beskytter privatsfæren
-
3rd November 2016
-

Jeg ble så imponert over -dagens -gladnyhet på NRK, om at Forbrukerrådet klager inn vilkårene for -bruk av aktivitetsbånd fra Fitbit, Garmin, Jawbone og Mio til -Datatilsynet og forbrukerombudet, at jeg sendte følgende brev til -forbrukerrådet for å uttrykke min støtte: - -

- -

Jeg ble veldig glad over å lese at Forbrukerrådet -klager -inn flere aktivitetsbånd til Datatilsynet for dårlige vilkår. Jeg -har ønsket meg et aktivitetsbånd som kan måle puls, bevegelse og -gjerne også andre helserelaterte indikatorer en stund nå. De eneste -jeg har funnet i salg gjør, som dere også har oppdaget, graverende -inngrep i privatsfæren og sender informasjonen ut av huset til folk og -organisasjoner jeg ikke ønsker å dele aktivitets- og helseinformasjon -med. Jeg ønsker et alternativ som ikke sender informasjon til -skyen, men derimot bruker -en -fritt og åpent standardisert protokoll (eller i det minste en -dokumentert protokoll uten patent- og opphavsrettslige -bruksbegrensinger) til å kommunisere med datautstyr jeg kontrollerer. -Er jo ikke interessert i å betale noen for å tilrøve seg -personopplysninger fra meg. Desverre har jeg ikke funnet noe -alternativ så langt.

- -

Det holder ikke å endre på bruksvilkårene for enhetene, slik -Datatilsynet ofte legger opp til i sin behandling, når de gjør slik -f.eks. Fitbit (den jeg har sett mest på). Fitbit krypterer -informasjonen på enheten og sender den kryptert til leverandøren. Det -gjør det i praksis umulig både å sjekke hva slags informasjon som -sendes over, og umulig å ta imot informasjonen selv i stedet for -Fitbit. Uansett hva slags historie som forteller i bruksvilkårene er -en jo både prisgitt leverandørens godvilje og at de ikke tvinges av -sitt lands myndigheter til å lyve til sine kunder om hvorvidt -personopplysninger spres ut over det bruksvilkårene sier. Det er -veldokumentert hvordan f.eks. USA tvinger selskaper vha. såkalte -National security letters til å utlevere personopplysninger samtidig -som de ikke får lov til å fortelle dette til kundene sine.

- -

Stå på, jeg er veldig glade for at dere har sett på saken. Vet -dere om aktivitetsbånd i salg i dag som ikke tvinger en til å utlevere -aktivitets- og helseopplysninger med leverandøren?

- -
- -

Jeg håper en konkurrent som respekterer kundenes privatliv klarer å -nå opp i markedet, slik at det finnes et reelt alternativ for oss som -har full tillit til at skyleverandører vil prioritere egen inntjening -og myndighetspålegg langt foran kundenes rett til privatliv. Jeg har -ingen tiltro til at Datatilsynet vil kreve noe mer enn at vilkårene -endres slik at de forklarer eksplisitt i hvor stor grad bruk av -produktene utraderer privatsfæren til kundene. Det vil nok gjøre de -innklagede armbåndene «lovlige», men fortsatt tvinge kundene til å -dele sine personopplysninger med leverandøren.

-
-
- - - Tags: norsk, personvern, sikkerhet, surveillance. - - -
-
-
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