X-Git-Url: http://pere.pagekite.me/gitweb/homepage.git/blobdiff_plain/a8c94673f3e4f51c47ece03204e624e68beafc38..2377a19a2fcd67c09830cbb4a2a81cfd5a6f00d6:/blog/archive/2016/12/12.rss diff --git a/blog/archive/2016/12/12.rss b/blog/archive/2016/12/12.rss index 2d35d62087..f9d4af8878 100644 --- a/blog/archive/2016/12/12.rss +++ b/blog/archive/2016/12/12.rss @@ -6,6 +6,247 @@ http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/ + + Appstream just learned how to map hardware to packages too! + http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/Appstream_just_learned_how_to_map_hardware_to_packages_too_.html + http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/Appstream_just_learned_how_to_map_hardware_to_packages_too_.html + Fri, 23 Dec 2016 10:30:00 +0100 + <p>I received a very nice Christmas present today. As my regular +readers probably know, I have been working on the +<a href="http://packages.qa.debian.org/isenkram">the Isenkram +system</a> 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, +<a href="https://tracker.debian.org/pkg/appstream">AppStream</a> in +Debian learned to look up hardware the same way Isenkram is doing it, +ie using fnmatch():</p> + +<p><pre> +% 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 +% +</pre></p> + +<p>A similar query can be done using the combined AppStream and +Isenkram databases using the isenkram-lookup tool:</p> + +<p><pre> +% isenkram-lookup usb:v1130p0202d0100dc00dsc00dp00ic03isc00ip00in00 +pymissile +% isenkram-lookup usb:v0694p0002d0000 +libnxt +nbc +python-nxt +t2n +% +</pre></p> + +<p>You can find modalias values relevant for your machine using +<tt>cat $(find /sys/devices/ -name modalias)</tt>. + +<p>If you want to make this system a success and help Debian users +make the most of the hardware they have, please +help<a href="https://wiki.debian.org/AppStream/Guidelines">add +AppStream metadata for your package following the guidelines</a> +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 +<a href="https://wiki.debian.org/LegoDesigners">the Debian LEGO +team</a> 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 +<a href="https://tracker.debian.org/pkg/nxt-firmware">nxt-firmware +package</a> 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.</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&label=PetterReinholdtsenBlog">15oWEoG9dUPovwmUL9KWAnYRtNJEkP1u1b</a></b>.</p> + + + + + Isenkram updated with a lot more hardware-package mappings + http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/Isenkram_updated_with_a_lot_more_hardware_package_mappings.html + http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/Isenkram_updated_with_a_lot_more_hardware_package_mappings.html + Tue, 20 Dec 2016 11:55:00 +0100 + <p><a href="http://packages.qa.debian.org/isenkram">The Isenkram +system</a> 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.</p> + +<p>Here is an command line example from my Thinkpad laptop:</p> + +<p><pre> +% isenkram-lookup +bluez +cheese +ethtool +fprintd +fprintd-demo +gkrellm-thinkbat +hdapsd +libpam-fprintd +pidgin-blinklight +thinkfan +tlp +tp-smapi-dkms +tp-smapi-source +tpb +% +</pre></p> + +<p>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: + +<p><pre> +% /usr/sbin/isenkram-autoinstall-firmware -l +info: did not find any firmware files requested by loaded kernel modules. exiting +% +</pre></p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>These are the packages with hardware mappings at the moment. The +<strong>marked packages</strong> are also announcing their hardware +support using AppStream, for everyone to use:</p> + +<p>air-quality-sensor, alsa-firmware-loaders, argyll, +<strong>array-info</strong>, avarice, avrdude, b43-fwcutter, +bit-babbler, bluez, bluez-firmware, <strong>brltty</strong>, +<strong>broadcom-sta-dkms</strong>, calibre, cgminer, cheese, colord, +<strong>colorhug-client</strong>, dahdi-firmware-nonfree, dahdi-linux, +dfu-util, dolphin-emu, ekeyd, ethtool, firmware-ipw2x00, fprintd, +fprintd-demo, <strong>galileo</strong>, 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, +<strong>libnxt</strong>, libpam-fprintd, <strong>lomoco</strong>, +madwimax, minidisc-utils, mkgmap, msi-keyboard, mtkbabel, +<strong>nbc</strong>, <strong>nqc</strong>, nut-hal-drivers, ola, +open-vm-toolbox, open-vm-tools, openambit, pcgminer, pcmciautils, +pcscd, pidgin-blinklight, printer-driver-splix, +<strong>pymissile</strong>, python-nxt, qlandkartegt, +qlandkartegt-garmin, rosegarden, rt2x00-source, sispmctl, +soapysdr-module-hackrf, solaar, squeak-plugins-scratch, sunxi-tools, +<strong>t2n</strong>, 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</p> + +<p>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 +<a href="https://wiki.debian.org/AppStream/Guidelines">add AppStream +metadata according to the guidelines</a> to provide the information +for everyone. In time, I hope to get rid of the isenkram specific +hardware mapping and depend exclusively on AppStream.</p> + +<p>Note, the AppStream metadata for broadcom-sta-dkms is matching too +much hardware, and suggest that the package with with any ethernet +card. See <a href="http://bugs.debian.org/838735">bug #838735</a> for +the details. I hope the maintainer find time to address it soon. In +the mean time I provide an override in isenkram.</p> + + + + + Oolite, a life in space as vagabond and mercenary - nice free software + http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/Oolite__a_life_in_space_as_vagabond_and_mercenary___nice_free_software.html + http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/Oolite__a_life_in_space_as_vagabond_and_mercenary___nice_free_software.html + Sun, 11 Dec 2016 11:40:00 +0100 + <p align="center"><img width="70%" src="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/images/2016-12-11-nice-oolite.png"/></p> + +<p>In my early years, I played +<a href="http://wiki.alioth.net/index.php/Classic_Elite">the epic game +Elite</a> 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.</p> + +<p>I have known about <a href="http://www.oolite.org/">the free +software game Oolite inspired by Elite</a> 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. :)</p> + +<p>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 +<a href="http://wiki.alioth.net/index.php/Main_Page">Elite wiki</a>, +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.</p> + +<p>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.</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&label=PetterReinholdtsenBlog">15oWEoG9dUPovwmUL9KWAnYRtNJEkP1u1b</a></b>.</p> + + + Er lover brutt når personvernpolicy ikke stemmer med praksis? http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/Er_lover_brutt_n_r_personvernpolicy_ikke_stemmer_med_praksis_.html @@ -299,7 +540,7 @@ tredjeparts analyseverktøy og annonsetracking er helt på linje med det som er normalt for norske kommersielle nettsteder.</p> <p>Angående spørsmålet ditt: -<br>Du vil fortsatt vise i våre interne systemer om du blir Ekstra-bruker, +<br>Du vil fortsatt vises i våre interne systemer om du blir Ekstra-bruker, vi skrur bare av tredjeparts tracking.»</p> </blockquote> @@ -356,6 +597,29 @@ nettleserinformasjon</a> 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.</p> + +<p>Oppdatering 2016-12-09: Fikk svar fra direktøren Høie på mitt +spørsmål litt etter at jeg hadde publisert denne artikkelen:</p> + +<blockquote> + +<p>Vi kommer til å annonsere en oppdatert policy, og skal undersøke om +vi er pliktig å varsle Datatilsynet.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +</blockquote> + +<p>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.</p>