Open source corner (news group)
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[edit] Teklogs:News archive/Google Announces $10 Million Android Developer Challenge
On November 12 Google announced the Android Developer Challenge, which will provide $10 million to developers who build mobile applications for Android, the first complete, open, and free mobile platform. The Challenge is designed to support the developer community and spark innovation on the Android platform by awarding cash prizes ranging from $25,000 to $275,000 to developers whose applications are picked by a panel of judges.
"We've built some interesting applications for Android but the best applications are not here yet and that's because they're going to be written by developers, we'd like to reward these developers and recognize them as much as possible." — Sergey Brin, Co-founder and President, Technology, Google.
Android was announced on Novenber 5 by a group called the Open Handset Alliance, a group of more then 30 industry leading technology companies. The Alliance will provide developers with a new level of openness that enables them to work more collaboratively. Today, the Alliance released an early look at the Android software developer kit (SDK) that includes the documentation, sample projects, development tools, emulator, and libraries that developers will need to build an Android application. November 5's Android SDK announcement can be found on the Alliance blog: http://android-developers.blogspot.com.
The $10 million total in the Android Developer Challenge will be distributed equally between the Android Developer Challenge I and II. Submissions for Challenge I will be accepted from January 2 through March 3, 2008, and the 50 most promising entries will be recognized by end of March with each receiving $25,000 awards to fund further development. These 50 entries will then be eligible for even greater recognition by applying by May 1, 2008 for ten awards worth $275,000 each and another ten worth $100,000 each. Recognition for the top apps among those entries will be announced by end of May 2008. Challenge II will launch after the first handsets built on the platform become available in the second half of 2008.
A panel of technology and mobile experts selected from the Open Handset Alliance member organizations and the industry in general will judge all qualifying entries. Awards will be given to the developers whose applications leverage all that the Android platform has to offer in order to provide consumers with the most compelling experiences. Developers retain all intellectual property and other rights to their applications. Interested developers should:
- Download the SDK at http://code.google.com/android/download.html
- Build a great app.
- Submit an application between January 2 and March 3, 2008.
Additional information about the Android Developer Challenge can be found at http://code.google.com/android/adc.html
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This article is taken in part from: http://www.google.com/intl/en/press/pressrel/20071112_android_challenge.html
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[edit] Teklogs:News archive/Freeciv has a new look
Freeciv is an open source application based on Sid Meier's Civilization series published by Microprose, with version 2.1.0 out Freeciv has a new 21st century look.
Based on estimations by Daniel Markstedt (below) thousands of people (at least) play Freeciv.
I (Timothy J. Crowell) interviewed Daniel Markstedt (a.k.a. Hima), a Freeciv project administrator about the project by email:
Timothy:
I am wanting to do a report on Freeciv in Teklogs.
- Daniel:
- I'll try to answer your questions as well as possible. Let's start out by telling you a bit about myself and my involvement in this project:
- I started playing Freeciv early 2005; found out about it while looking for a civ-like game that could be played on hexagonal tiles. Became a contributor winter 2005, originally designated as "nations maintatiner". Since then I've become involved with various aspects of the project, my latest responsibility being the release cycle, i.e. getting releases out the door.
Timothy:
How many developers are currently working on the project?
- Daniel:
- We are four active developers, together with a number of lurking ex-devs, occational hackers, artists and opinion machines. =)
Timothy:
How many users do you think play Freeciv?
- Daniel:
- Very hard to estimate, as recent Freeciv versions have had a singleplayer focus. Since the release of the last major version a week ago we've gotten over 16,000 downloads. Most of these are Windows binaries as most Linux mainstream distro users wait for binaries to hit their respective package repositories, so the total installed base is most certainly much higher.
Timothy:
How is the project expected to grow?
- Daniel:
- We hope for a creative ecosystem to evolve around the game, where programmers and content creators can cooperate creating a more enjoyable game. There's also a partership with the GGZ Gaming Zone folks in the works. I'm really excited about this, as it will make online Freeciv gaming so much more accessible and attractive.
Timothy:
What is the current development status of Freeciv?
- Daniel:
- A lot of exciting new features have been implemented in 2.1.0 - including scripting, improved modability, battlegroups etc. Together with graphical updates, it's gotten a makeover that finally brings the game into the 21th century!
- Unfortunately, lack of programmer hours has left quite a few of the new features half-finished and poorly documented. Right now, we're hard at work sorting out a number of long-standing low-level flaws in the code.
Timothy:
What is the future of Freeciv?
- Daniel:
- For 2.2, we have a built-in editor, more advanced terrain, and more customizable units rules planned. Together with the improvements already in place in 2.1, this version will become a powerful platform for modifications and scenarios.
- To complement this, we have for a time been in contact with the talented people of the Apolyton Scenario League, a group of veteran Civ2 scenario creators that are looking to Freeciv as an alternative to their aging creative platform. Keep your eyes open for an announcement of the first official SL scenario for Freeciv! ;)
Timothy:
Do you have fun playing Freeciv?
- Daniel:
- Yes! In short bursts, at least. I personally love leading the primitive land wars of the first 50-something turns of a game. A fundamental design flaw in Civ, starting with the original game, is that further you get in the game, the longer each turn takes as you get caught up managing multiple wars and dozens of cities. As I grow older, I have less and less time left for gaming. I believe the answer is the previously mentioned scenario scene. A scenario can usually be finished between 50-100 turns, making it possible to play a game from start to finish in two-three hours. This, I believe, is the future of Freeciv - at least for me. :)
Timothy:
What Operating System do you play Freeciv on?
- Daniel:
- Mac OS X Panther, Windows XP, Ubuntulinux.
Timothy:
What is the current quality of play on Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)?
- Daniel:
- Unknown, though there has been some mixed positive reports on the forums. Remember that Freeciv is built upon common and freely-available libraries. As soon as these libraries have been stabilized on the new platform, Freeciv will run flawlessly with little or no modification - as was the case on Windows Vista.
Timothy:
What is wrong with the sound on Freeciv in Mac OS X Leopard?
- Daniel:
- It's a not a Leopard-specific issue. I have the same problem on my ancient iBook running Panther. Our OSX packager has on the other hand been able to build his packages with sound support, so it's certainly possible - just quite difficult.
Timothy:
Anything more you want to tell me about Freeciv?
- Daniel:
- Freeciv is a great game, if you approach it with an open mind. It's not quite like Civ2, most certainly not Civ4, but the kind of Civ-like game a group of enthusiasts wanted to play themselves. Join the Freeciv community and make the game _you_ like to play! This is the power of Open Source. =)
- Daniel (continued):
- Hope this made sense. Most of it written over a late-night session. ;) Please ask for more details or clarifications if needed!
- Sincerely,
- ~Daniel
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[edit] Teklogs:News archive/Google unveils cell phone software and alliance
Posted on 21:37, 5 November 2007 (UTC) by Tcrow777 Talk | Teklogs
Google's cell phone strategy took shape Monday with the announcement of a new open software platform and an alliance of wireless heavyweights that will help form the development community for the planned phones. – CNET
Looks like the iPhone and Microsoft Windows Mobile could face competition, this new Google Android mobile phone operating system and software suite incorporates open source software.
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[edit] Teklogs:News archive/Google to unveil 'Android' phone software
Posted on 18:45, 3 November 2007 (UTC) by Tcrow777 Talk | Teklogs
Google is ready to unveil a suite of software for mobile phones based on open-source technology, backed by some of the largest wireless industry companies in the world. – CNET
Google is yet again taking over something, Search engines, Internet advertising... and now Mobile phone software. press conference on Monday to unveil the project. Google is expected to be releasing something along the lines of "a complete mobile-phone software stack".
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