The Chumby

A compact Linux-based WiFi enabled internet device with a touchscreen that uses Adobe Flash technology widgets for playing media, viewing websites, blogs, rss feeds etc. It is priced at about $180.

The business model and the hardware are interesting.

In the next five years,there is going to be a deluge of web enabled connected devices. The Chumby is just a precursor of what is to come. With a WiFi connection, 3.5 inch touch screen (at 12Hz), and designed like a clock radio, the Chumby uses AC power, 350Mz ARM9 controller, 64MB SDRAM,64MB NAND flash ROM, stereo 2W speakers, microphone and USB 2.0 ports.

The business model is to use ads for profit. It is also aiming to benefit from its openness. You can download Chumby’s blueprints, hack into its hardware widgets and design your own .

This idea of allowing users, including other device manufacturers and competitors access to the internals of the device is interesting. However, this is not free as in freedom. This is free as in free to collaborate. The main closing factor is that most Chumbies have to use the Chumby network and see the ads there.

This is indeed a huge disadvantage. If the concept of connected devices takes off, as predicted, it will be on open standards. As of now, the walled garden concepts are the ones that are operating in the low volumes compared to the potential volume of the internet enabled device market.

A main disadvantage of the Chumby is that it is not mobile/portable.

Read more about it.

Chumby at Wikipedia
A night with Chumby
Gadgeteer
Gizmodo
Chumby is open, but not for business.

Vim Power

It is an enriching experience to tap into Vim, the venerable editor with more than three decades of history behind it. My Vimfu is nowhere near the levels of the masters out there. Vimfu Mastery is a process. There is a lot this editor has to offer. People tell me they find new features and uses even after years of using it.

Fortunately, much help is available and the requirements are only a keyboard and the right attitude. Here I have put together some of the resources I have bumped into. This is by no means comprehensive. It is just a small learning map of that I have been using. I will be updating it as I continue my quest to improve my Vimfu skills.

Vim Online
Story of Vim
Seven Habits
Color Schemes
Vimbook
A Byte of Vim
Wikibooks Learning the vi Editor/Vim
Vim Tips Wiki
The Vim Editor for Beginners
The Vi Lovers Home Page
Why oh WHY, do those…
The Vim Graphical Cheatsheet
Efficient Editing with Vim
Mailing Lists – vim@vim.org
IRC Channels – freenode , irc.freenode.net, #vim and IRCNET, #vim
Google archive
Vim Webring
Pixelbeat Vim Tips
Vim Like a Pro
Vim Basics
Learn vi/vim in 50 lines and 15 minutes
15 Best Vim Plugins
Vim Plugins you should know about
Comfortable PHP Editing in Vim
Coding Domain Vim
JSTAP Vim page
WebDesign10
HuYi’s Vim page
Daily Vim
Jano’s Vim Macro Page
vi Complete Key Binding List
Vi-Improved IRC Tutorial
Kent’s Vim Page
An Intro to Vim Video Tutorial
Vim Fu

Stephen Fry wishing a Happy Birthday to GNU

What is GNU? Linux? Free Software. Many people ask me this question and I end up explaining it again and again. Sometimes, confusing them. This is a video that was in circulation sometime ago. I was again asked this question yesterday. I am a big fan of Stephen Fry. I think he gives a good introduction in his own unique style.

I am glad to note that there are subtitles for this in Kannada and Malayalam. Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Oriya and other translations… anyone?

The GNU page for the video
http://www.gnu.org/fry/

If you wish to download a high quality version. You can use it offline for classroom and workshop purposes or for translation
http://ma.tt/dropbox/2008/09/gnu/

Translations
http://www.gnu.org/fry/happy-birthday-to-gnu-translation.html

Kannnada Subtitles
http://www.gnu.org/fry/happy-birthday-to-gnu-kannada.srt

Malayalam Subtitles
http://www.gnu.org/fry/happy-birthday-to-gnu-malayalam.srt