Magic Gulong

tamangdaan.org

2007-05-26T00:52:00.000+08:00

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

2007-05-15T16:12:00.000+08:00

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].

Coordinates (x,y)
Direction
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

2007-04-03T20:29:00.000+08:00

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

2007-03-27T16:40:00.000+08:00

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

2006-05-21T22:03:00.000+08:00

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

2006-05-15T21:30:00.000+08:00

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

2006-05-11T11:37:00.000+08:00

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).

Introducing, the Magic Gulong!!

2006-05-03T14:06:00.000+08:00

People usually ask why we should reinvent the wheel if there is something that already works. This is usually in a debate with those against the people who are afraid of change. They're right ...sometimes. But I'm the type of person who loves making things, from stories to crafts and even babies. I'm also a very lazy person and a great procrastinator. I'm also one of those people that loves change.

I usually have lots of ideas on just about anything. Most of them related to computers and [information] technology. .01% of those ideas are materialized, 19.99% are started but never completed (most of them never even went out of the premature phases) and 80% of those goes nowhere.

I'm not here to reinvent stuff. I'm here to make new stuff. Usually from a group of stuff that works to make something that works even better. So why reinvent the wheel? Because you can make one that has extra grip, dirt cheap, doesn't worn out and made of human shit. Okay, I messed up on the last one.

From this blog, I'll be posting my ideas. Most of them will be licensed, with a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license. This way, anyone may feel free to get my ideas and get them materialized (that is, as long as they share it too and give me some credit <winks>).