Can the ipad be a productivity improvement tool for software developers. What tools are out there to help while being away from my main work station or laptop ?
Are there remote tools available and is touch screen in this case a positive or negative factor ?
I use iTap RDP. I VPN in and use that app to get instant access to my workstation without actually having to be there. I wouldn't do a lot of work there, but it's great for doing those one or two things that 'gee if I was at my desk...' could solve.
"...help while being away..." Help with what?
Most of your stadard remote tools are available (SSH, RDP, VNC) but I would think in general they would be a lot more beneficial to sysadmins who can resolve problems without being at their desk, or in the office (Jump Desktop + VPN + 3G = WIN when a service crashes when you are at a conference).
However, I don't see how it would help with software development at all.
Related
I'm nxj beginner.
I have some questions about bluetooth communication between PC and brick.
First, when bluetooth communication occurs, where is the birthplace processing this datas?
In other words, I want to know whether these datas will be processed on CPU or brick.
Second, what is exact roles CPU and brick in bluethooth communication?
That means what is processed on CPU and what is processed on brick.
I have searched almost web site but I can't find this anywhere.
Please help me. Thanks.
You can see it in the package structure.
lejos.nxt.*
This package contains classes running on the NXT-brick. All code in this package will be compiled for the brick and will run on the brick.
lejos.pc.*
Here the difference is not that clear. This is java-code you compile for personal computer. So most code runs on your computer. But some classes (e.g: RemoteMotorController) only send messages to the NXT-brick which gives commands to the motors.
lejos.pc.comm provides API's that allow you to communicate/control the nxt robot from the PC.
When importing the the libs to an Android project, it allows you to build an instance of the same environment used on a pc, but within android.
I agree it can be tough finding some things out. It would be great if there was as stronger lejos presence on SO
This question is months old and has remained un-answered I actually have a lot of questions about it myself, but I might be able to provide some insight for utter novices.
when using bluetooth with Android and NXJ robots, you use either lejos.pc.comm or lejos.NXJ.
Both provide APi's to do almost the same thing, but work a little differently. I don't know nearly enough about the NXJ api, but I do know that it is the one that lets you manipulate the robot much more effectively, such as outputting data to it's LCD screen, which you can't do with the pc.comm api
As far as I can tell, the pc.comm API uses both Android Bluetooth API's and it's own protocols to allow communication with Lego LCP commands.
(I want to come back to this, but I'm writing a dissert on the topic so I'll try to update it in a couple of days. Seems not many are interested though, shame)
I have this idea of writing an application to automatically sync files to a specific place for an ipad every time the ipad is plugged in the computer.
The problem is I've never developed a software like this before. Right now I have these two big questions:
- How to detect when an ipad is plugged in the computer?
- How to connect to and copy files over the ipad?
To make things clear, the application I want to develop should have similar functions like iTools (not iTunes).
Does anyone here have experiences in developing this kind of application? Would you please share with me how to start with this project, because I'm clueless :(
There is a rather simple option; use a internet based service to accomplish this task - just as DropBox, iCloud and similar services do it already. Maybe you can get a lot closer to your goals by simply connecting to the API of DropBox, SugarSync or alike.
Using a direct (USB-) connection to the device will be rather tough to implement and, to my knowledge, will prevent you from selling the resulting software through Apple's channels. I am not saying that it was impossible (see iExplorer) but I am saying that such endeavor will involve a lot of reverse engineering of undocumented functions to a degree that might be considered illegal in certain countries. Additionally, maintaining such software will be very demanding as Apple frequently introduces changes within their communication protocol/s.
I have been developing using a single 15.4" laptop for a while (duh!). Actually I am quite comfortable. I use compiz Grid, scale, window and some other nice add ons, to easily navigate.
I am now impressed by other dual monitor related questions on Stackoverflow and am buying more monitors.
Since I am not exactly used to these multiple monitor setups, I have a few (possibly basic) queries.
If I buy just one monitor, will I be able to set up it for a different resolution than on my laptop, on Ubuntu. What packages I need to install on ubuntu to better manage multiple monitors.
If I buy 2 22" monitors and intend to use the laptop screen as well, wont the third one appear like an odd man. Does it happen even if I have just 2 monitors.
I have used Dell and HP monitors in my earlier company and I feel HP is so much better. Obviously I would love to have a monitor that has little corners and nearly all visible screen, like iPhone. Is there a specific recommended model.
For a 3 monitor setup, is it absolutely necessary to buy an extra graphics card. Are there any other better solutions.
You can have two monitors at different resolution on Ubuntu just fine. I used to connect an Ubuntu laptop to a TV using HDMI and it worked fine. Something annoying is what monitor gets to be the main one, because you get all your desktop there. I thing generally the biggest one is the main one, which is not what I wanted for the TV, but probably what you want.
I'm not sure if it's possible to get a third monitor in any way on a laptop. I'd recommend you to go for the biggest monitor you can (budget and laptop capabilities, can you go to 30"?) and use the laptop as secondary screen space (useful for a browser, or docs, or im/tweeter/mails, etc.
A CRT monitor can be set up with most any resolution you like, while a LCD monitor works best at it's max resolution.
You can mix monitors with different resolutions without problems in Windows, I can't imagine that it would be very hard in Linux either.
Be carefully dual head on Linux still sucks. The only time i got a triple screen configured with a GUI frontend and without .XConfig hacks was with Mandriva Spring 2007 never before and never after with any of Suse, Mandriva, CentOS.
It really sucks. It seems that configuration like dual head on one card and single head on another one is just not in the head of the programmers. You can enable all cards (maybe dual head is not always supported) or none.
Windows and MacOSX are the only systems which work fine. But MacOSX (and Hackintoshs) do not support dual head on all supported cards, for example my two 7300GTS cards can't run as dual head on MacOSX.
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Closed 10 years ago.
Possible Duplicate:
iPhone Development on Hackintosh
I really want to get started, but man are those Macs expensive...especially for a non-US like me.
I'm thinking about trying to run OS X in VMWare. But would this prohibit me from doing iPhone development? I will gladly buy a copy of OS X to give Apple their due...
Thanks,
Makil
The answer is yes.
To develop iPhone applications, you need the iPhone SDK, which in turn requires Mac OS X version 10.5 (Intel). If you can satisfy this requirement in your OS X installation, then you can build iPhone apps. Whether you can test them just as easily depends on USB support in your installation.
The fact that the Mac Mini is $599 is irrelevant to the question and how inexpensive it is, is relative. What is inexpensive to one may not be to another (especially since the OP states that he is not in US, where it might be much more than $599).
Yes, its possible. But, issue is that iPhone SDK gets frequent updates and requires updated version of Mac OS X - updating hackintosh is pain (you can do better development on MacMini instead of wasting time to upgrade) and you will never know when your hackintosh will be unbootable!
USB, Audio are another issues I have seen in hackintosh.
It's definitely possible, and it's not even that hard if you're buying the parts with the intention of running OS X on them.
Most of the difficulties and incompatibilities people experience are due to attempting to try out OS X on hardware they already have. They may have an AMD system which needs a Voodoo kernel, they may have a Radeon 4xxx which will only work in VESA mode without hardware acceleration. Of course these things can be made to work, and it is getting easier all the time, but it's more effort and it's where the bulk of the problems come from.
Once you do get your Hybrid Mac working (as I affectionately prefer to call them) it still won't be as perfectly painless as the ideal (note: not actual!) Mac owning experience. But still, with a little common sense you get a lot more computer for a half or less of the price.
Edit: as for running OS X in a VM on a PC, it's really not very nice at all. It's a tremendous hassle to get it to boot at all, and even then it's not very usable as an environment, often without working sound/LAN/etc. You can obtain complete VMWare images of OS X which may not even work inside different virtualised environments!
Technically: yes. Legally: no. The OSX EULA doesn't permit it.
Note that having the right tools for your job is important, and the unknowns of running OSX on non-Apple hardware could lead to problems down the road. The Mac Mini isn't that expensive at $599, assuming you've already got a keyboard, mouse and monitor.
I know it will work, if you can get the damn thing to install and your able to get usb working.
I currently own a G4 mac mini and had a 2nd gen intel IMac (had to sell it to pay the bills). I paid for my iphone developer lic., bought a 2nd gen touch, booted my mini, downloaded the iphone sdk... Oh no, you need 10.5. Bought and installed 10.5... Oh no, you need an intel mac. Forced sdk install, apps build great for the simulator, but what is this, I can't sign my code. More hacking... Oh no, provisioning error. Connected the touch, unable to mount dev partition. I now left with no job, no money and no way to release my apps to try to make some money.
Oh, yeah, I'm going to try to install hackintosh in vmware, but only because I'm flat broke. Also, I wouldn't buy a another mini knowning that my g4 mini cost $599 (back in the day) but once I was done making it usable, I spent over $1000 ($200 aftermarket 1gig ram upgrade, $99 keyboard/mouse, $150 monitor, etc). Of course it's cheaper for better hardware now, but the mini nickel and dimes you to death. Do yourself a favor and just get a macbook, that will be my next buy.
And the funny and/or worst part about all of this is, I don't even like OSX or the iphone/touch.
I've tried, but I haven't successfully run OS/X in VMware. I do know someone who's successfully developed iPhone apps on a hackintosh, but getting your hackintosh set up is quite difficult.
I'm in the same boat, I don't want to shell out foir a Mac until I know I'm comfortable with the toolchain, and I'd like to get a feel for iPhone development using my current hardware. Interested to hear of others experiences.
I was (with some effort) able to install OS X, snow leopard, as well as the dev tools onto my IBM X61 and have had no issues with it or developing IPhone apps on it. I have the OS fully functioning. Note: I bought a retail copy of Snow Leopard for my project.
Why? I had more time than money. If I had to choose again and I had the $1500 beans (+tax, + whatever) to buy a mac book pro I would have as it certainly wasn't 'simple'. But I didn't.
But now that I have done it, I have an immensely cool IBM MacBook :) and am quite proud of the accomplishment. I also learned an awful lot in the process. Was it hell? Yes.. Was it worth it? Yes...
Hope that helps!
A Mac Mini is $599 and comes with OS X ($129 by itself). The specs on the Mac Mini aren't awe-inspiring but they're perfectly usable. I just wouldn't be able to justify saving a few hundred bucks (max) by buying a bargain basement PC and running it as a Hackintosh. You lose all ability to get support from Apple, you have no guarantees it won't break compatibility in the future, and you are highly unlikely to get the same relatively seamless experience of a real Mac.
Bottom line, whatever money you save, you'll probably end up paying for/regretting later. I own both a Mac Mini and a Macbook and I've had a better experience with both than with any PC I've bought or built in the past. I just wouldn't recommend trying to make an end run around this for the sake of a few hundred bucks. Heck, if you add up VMWare ($189) and Leopard ($129) and the cost of even a bargain PC, you're pretty close to a Mac Mini already, so I can't see this being worth it.
Every indication I have, based on my experience in embedded computing is that doing something like this would require expensive equipment to get access to the platform (ICE debuggers, JTAG probes, I2C programmers, etc, etc), but I've always wondered if some ambitious hacker out there has found a way to load native code on a Blackberry device. Anyone?
Edit: I'm aware of the published SDK and it's attendant restrictions. I'm curious if anyone has attempted to get around them, and if so, how far they got.
I've seen this question pop up in a number of different forums over time. The original Blackberries were programmable in C++ but I think that RIM ran up against the problems of trying to implement a secure platform in the C/C++ compile to native paradigm.
The devices do have JTAG ports, but unless one could get hands on the RIM code as a place to start the problem is enormous.
I also have to wonder how useful a Blackberry with a replacement FOSS operating system would be, since it would not likely have the protocols to connect to BES or BIS, send PIN's etc. If one was simply looking for a the power of the hand held computing platform I suspect there are many more likely candidates available.
No, C++ is no longer a supported RIM development tool, as they phased it out a number of years ago. Client applications can be developed in Java (or one of a few 5GL frameworks), and web + sever-side apps can be developed using standard tools.
For those looking for updated information, the new Playbook os, also known as QNX, also known as Blackberry 10 (or it will be when the phones running it come out) is in fact c/c++ based, also using QML and a C++ add on called Cascades.
Unfortunately the official SDK website only seems to mention Java. According to wikipedia, different versions of the BlackBerry use different processors. Combined with the fact that RIM uses a proprietary operating system for the devices, it becomes pretty difficult to develop native code without official tools. There is also a partial API-level security restriction which would further prohibit advanced tinkering.
Just randomly searching for an answer to this and came across http://supportforums.blackberry.com/t5/Tablet-OS-SDK-for-Adobe-AIR/Native-C-C-SDK/td-p/778009 which mentions that BB intend to release a C/C++ SDK soon, more details will be provided at the 2011 Game Developer Conference.