tamangdaan.org

Okay, just a brand that I just came up for the community-powered map. I hope it's not trademarked by Eli Soriano.

Community-powered Road Map 2007 Edition

Note: This is the continuation of the map idea from last year.

I was lying in bed and I started thinking of how to implement this with Google Maps. If you haven't used it, you can only use satellite mode when you need to go to more detailed zoom levels.

I was drawing lines on the floor on how I would render lines on top of Maps but a quick glance at the API led me to Encoded Polylines (example). Now I don't have to worry about that.

The following should be the core elements of a polyline data [that will be stored in a database].

1. Coordinates (x,y)
2. Direction
   
3. Connected nodes

I haven't read the whole documentation yet but there should be an event when the center is changed. So when that happens, you call the function that will add the polylines if there are any. All you need is to grab the points that are within the region shown in the map (there are lots of ways).

For traffic reports and path suggestion, you'll need a very good algorithm and add other properties like traffic volume, density and distance from next/previous point. Some nice-to-haves for your algorithm could be road width and road quality. More analysis can be done if traffic data was recorded.

It feels so doable, doesn't it? Sounds like a good afternoon exercise.

The $100 Desktop Per Family Program

I just heard about Intel's WiFi tower and that it's only available in developing countries. I have this school of thought if a WiFi mesh is better.

I'm thinking of a wirelessmesh+LTSP+subUSD100desktops (PhP5000 desktops) deployed in a barangay. What's nice about it, is that the mesh instantly gives a local network. Internet access can be sold, if even possible, given for free. That local network can get an internal social network or a barangay/community portal thing.

I'm looking at a 2-year plan to sell a unit and prepaid internet access. If you do the math that's about PhP210 a month (PhP7/day) excluding internet access and power charges. You can even prepare packages that sells desktops with higher specs.

To add to this idea, the LTSP server can also have asterisk installed and provide an IP-PBX and affordable local, national and international calls through VoIP. That would be so cool.

Note: There's a topic posted at PTB but it seems to be down ATM.

The Killer Linux Embedded Startup

Has anyone thought of a WiFi radio? I'm all for the digital home. I have an access point and a media server running gnump3d and samba. A WiFi radio would be great even if it's just an AppleTV-like thing with only RCA jacks. I'd definitely buy one of those. I'm waiting for a startup to work on this. Somebody please!

And yes, I'm reviving this blog and the Technophilia idea is dead (got to use good code and practiced mod_rewrite though).

[TechnophiliaPH] Almost open

Do you know that technophilia.com is being sold for USD2400? It's a joke and it's hella overpriced. So I went for technophilia.biz. I'm still deciding where to host it.

Technophilia PH

Coming soon for all technophiles in the Philippines, Technophilia PH. ETA of the beta is two weeks from this post's date.

Features:

• Price Comparisons
• Gadget Tracker
• PC Builder
• Shop Directory
• User Reviews/Ratings
• All the other Web2.0 buzzwords

I'm planning to build another box and it's kinda hard to track all those parts from different shops. I gave it some thought and decided to start this. A real domain will be out as soon as all the features are laid out.

A Community Powered Map

I commute to work for almost an hour and a half and sometimes when I try to go around the metro, I have to use my psychic powers. Then during the day, it's always rush hour so finding the best route isn't that easy.

So why not make a community-powered map? When I was in Hong Kong last summer, I reached the destinations that I was planning to go to through their directory. But since we don't have complete and accurate data on the locations (that is official), why not build our own?

Community members can post road congestion, traffic patterns, locations, suggestion to routes and roads. The site could then create some uploadable file for GPS or other navigating device (I don't have one so I don't know how this works).

A WAP version should also available. It would probably work better if community members could send and recieve road traffic conditions via SMS (because, like most people, I don't have money to pay for GPRS).

For validating user-uploaded content, the community will have to rate the quality of a post. There should be a moderating group too (just like in any working organization).

Would this work? Will an overlay map for Google Earth suffice? Trapik.com doesn't work for me. This would help with further localization (read: not just limited to the metro).