X-Git-Url: https://pere.pagekite.me/gitweb/homepage.git/blobdiff_plain/97e171dcd3d604a0124920f72385175d55aafa99..a9ff15fcf9b9bf4541d5c04110f74ca08803113c:/blog/index.html diff --git a/blog/index.html b/blog/index.html index 7b1665f54d..af7a6c3066 100644 --- a/blog/index.html +++ b/blog/index.html @@ -19,6 +19,100 @@ +
+
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
+%
+

+ +

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 +not 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
@@ -1160,125 +1254,6 @@ 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. - - -
-
-
-

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