identicons

Back in August using Bug Labs Release 1.4.1, Simon Lewis and I got his Bug Labs bug identicon app that generates identicons based on GPS coordinates to work. Unfortunately that used the Bug Labs synchronous API i.e. polling which runs down the battery. The working version is 1.0.3 and you can see the output of 1.0.3 in the video above.

It's still broken in Bug Labs Release 1.4.2  Full yak shaving details after the jump!

So the next step was to try the asychronous API. It didn't work. The Concierge component framework would crash:

root@bug:~# tail -f /var/log/concierge.log
[Thu Jan 01 00:01:39 GMT 1970] [INFO] CoolApp 1.1.1: code != lastCode
[Thu Jan 01 00:01:39 GMT 1970] [INFO] IdenticonComponent: Initialized image and got sun.awt.qt.QtImage@86b11f3a
[Thu Jan 01 00:01:39 GMT 1970] [INFO] IdenticonComponent: image == sun.awt.qt.QtImage@86b11f3a
[Thu Jan 01 00:01:39 GMT 1970] [INFO] CoolApp 1.1.1: CoolApp.newIdenticon(...)
[Thu Jan 01 00:01:39 GMT 1970] [INFO] CoolApp 1.1.1: CoolApp.newIdenticon(...): Writing /usr/share/java/./storage/default/39/data/identicons/4915.17N_1234.19W.png
[Thu Jan 01 00:01:40 GMT 1970] [INFO] CoolApp 1.1.1: Got position update
[Thu Jan 01 00:01:40 GMT 1970] [INFO] CoolApp 1.1.1: Latitude[0.8596597123194212 rad] Longitude[-2.1480144386300855 rad]
[Thu Jan 01 00:01:40 GMT 1970] [INFO] CoolApp 1.1.1: Computing digest
[Thu Jan 01 00:01:40 GMT 1970] [INFO] CoolApp 1.1.1: Got digest
[Thu Jan 01 00:01:40 GMT 1970] [INFO] CoolApp 1.1.1: code == lastCode

II) every other time it didn't appear to run, it just hangs after it starts

ar]:
java.lang.LinkageError: trying to redefine class com.buglabs.bug.jni.common.CharDevice (bad class loader?)
    at java.lang.Class.addToLoaderCache(Native Method)
    at java.lang.Class.loadSuperClasses(Unknown Source)
    at java.lang.ClassLoader.defineClass(Unknown Source)
    at ch.ethz.iks.concierge.framework.BundleClassLoader.findOwnClass(Unknown Source)
    at ch.ethz.iks.concierge.framework.BundleClassLoader.findDelegatedClass(Unknown Source)
    at ch.ethz.iks.concierge.framework.BundleClassLoader.findClass(Unknown Source)
    at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(Compiled Method)(Unknown Source)
    at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(Unknown Source)
    at java.lang.Class.loadSuperClasses(Unknown Source)
    at java.lang.ClassLoader.defineClass(Unknown Source)
    at ch.ethz.iks.concierge.framework.BundleClassLoader.findOwnClass(Unknown Source)
    at ch.ethz.iks.concierge.framework.BundleClassLoader.findClass(Unknown Source)
    at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(Compiled Method)(Unknown Source)
    at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(Unknown Source)
    at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClassInternal(Unknown Source)
    at com.buglabs.bug.input.pub.InputEventProvider.run(Unknown Source)
    at java.lang.Thread.startup(Unknown Source)
[Thu Aug 06 21:46:14 UTC 2009] [INFO] Registering info service.
[Thu Aug 06 21:46:14 UTC 2009] [INFO] Registered servlet /support
STARTING file:./com.buglabs.bug.service.jar
[Thu Aug 06 21:46:14 UTC 2009] [INFO] Registered servlet /service
[Thu Aug 06 21:46:14 UTC 2009] [INFO] Registered servlet at /service.
[Thu Aug 06 21:46:14 UTC 2009] [INFO] Registered resources /
STARTING file:./com.buglabs.bug.program.jar
[Thu Aug 06 21:46:14 UTC 2009] [INFO] UserAppManager init: false
[Thu Aug 06 21:46:14 UTC 2009] [INFO] Registered servlet /program
[Thu Aug 06 21:46:14 UTC 2009] [INFO] Registered servlet /configuration
STARTING file:./com.buglabs.bug.module.jar
[Thu Aug 06 21:46:14 UTC 2009] [INFO] Registered servlet /module
[Thu Aug 06 21:46:14 UTC 2009] [INFO] Registered servlet at /module.
[Thu Aug 06 21:46:14 UTC 2009] [INFO] Registered servlet /package
[Thu Aug 06 21:46:14 UTC 2009] [INFO] Registered servlet at /package.
STARTING file:./com.buglabs.bug.bmi.jar
[Thu Aug 06 21:46:14 UTC 2009] [INFO] Added modlet factory com.buglabs.bug.module.gps (0001) to map.
[Thu Aug 06 21:46:14 UTC 2009] [INFO] Added modlet factory com.buglabs.bug.module.camera (0005) to map.
[Thu Aug 06 21:46:14 UTC 2009] [INFO] Added modlet factory com.buglabs.bug.module.lcd (0003) to map.
[Thu Aug 06 21:46:14 UTC 2009] [INFO] Added modlet factory com.buglabs.bug.module.motion (0002) to map.
[Thu Aug 06 21:46:14 UTC 2009] [INFO] Added modlet factory com.buglabs.bug.module.vonhippel (0007) to map.
[Thu Aug 06 21:46:14 UTC 2009] [INFO] Added modlet factory com.buglabs.bug.module.audio (000A) to map.
[Thu Aug 06 21:46:14 UTC 2009] [INFO] Added modlet factory com.buglabs.bug.module.wifi (0008) to map.
[Thu Aug 06 21:46:14 UTC 2009] [INFO] Added modlet factory com.buglabs.bug.module.bugbee (0009) to map.
[Thu Aug 06 21:46:14 UTC 2009] [INFO] Creating pipe /tmp/eventpipe
[Thu Aug 06 21:46:14 UTC 2009] [INFO] Execution Completed.  Response:
[Thu Aug 06 21:46:15 UTC 2009] [INFO] Initializing existing modules
[Thu Aug 06 21:46:15 UTC 2009] [INFO] Registering existing module with message: 0003 0 0 ADD
[Thu Aug 06 21:46:15 UTC 2009] [INFO] Started modlet from factory com.buglabs.bug.module.lcd...
[Thu Aug 06 21:46:15 UTC 2009] [INFO] Registering existing module with message: 0001 0 1 ADD
[Thu Aug 06 21:46:15 UTC 2009] [INFO] GPSModlet setting active (external) antenna
CoolAppServiceTracker: start
[Thu Aug 06 21:46:16 UTC 2009] [INFO] CoolApp 1.1.1: CoolApp.start()
[Thu Aug 06 21:46:16 UTC 2009] [INFO] Started modlet from factory com.buglabs.bug.module.gps...
[Thu Aug 06 21:46:16 UTC 2009] [INFO] Listening to event pipe. /tmp/eventpipe
STARTING file:./com.buglabs.bug.event.jar
[Thu Aug 06 21:46:16 UTC 2009] [INFO] Registered servlet /event
[Thu Aug 06 21:46:16 UTC 2009] [INFO] Registered servlet at /event.
STARTING file:./com.buglabs.bug.slp.jar
---------------------------------------------------------
  Framework restarted in 7.075 seconds.
--------------------------------------------------------- 

So I had high hopes for the recently introduced Bug Labs Release 1.4.2. I hoped that the asynchronous API would be fixed. Based on the 1.4.2 release notes, I didn't think it was fixed and today I am blogging this to confirm it's still broken in 1.4.2 Instead of a crash with a nice traceback, I now just get signal 11 with no traceback:

Poky Linux 3.1 on BUG
root@bug:~# tail -f /var/log/concierge.log 
RESTORED BUNDLE file:./com.buglabs.bug.program.jar
RESTORED BUNDLE file:./com.buglabs.bug.module.jar
RESTORED BUNDLE file:./com.buglabs.bug.bmi.jar
RESTORED BUNDLE file:./com.buglabs.bug.event.jar
RESTORED BUNDLE file:./com.buglabs.bug.slp.jar
RESTORED BUNDLE file:/usr/share/java/apps/CoolApp.jar
STARTING file:./service-tracker.jar
STARTING file:./com.buglabs.osgi.shell.jar
Process #3983 received signal 11
Process #3983 being suspended

Again, I don't have the time but here's a fun game design session for MooseCamp 2009. If you are interested, edit the wiki page and come to the session if approved!

The following ideas are DRAFT (and i bet others have already thought of similar things). Please ADD YOUR OWN and let's discuss at MooseCamp 2009!

Hope to run this game as part of BarCamp Vancouver 2009 or earlier!

Terms:

Identicon = unique graphic generated from a number (originally used by WordPress and other blogging systems to identify people based on their IP address for comments) in this case the number would be latitude and longitude, i.e. GPS coordinates

Yarn Bombing = grafitti with yarn in the real world aka 'knit grafitti'

Identicons, Yarn bombing and Mobile - An eternal golden braid

The idea is a unique mobile tech twist on a scavenger hunt and yarn bombing.

1. the organizers of the game put up a bunch of identicons on a map to identify locations that have been 'yarn bombed'
2. goal: find all the yarn bombs ('ybs') before the other players do
3. mobile twist: you have to prove  you found the yarn bomb by using your mobile phone in one of the following ways
   1. post a picture of the yb to flickr, picasa, twitpic, etc or somewhere on the web and tag it and text the url to the organizers or in some way the organizers can get it electronically
   2. send a text to the organizers proving you found the yb
   3. send an MMS to the organizers proving you found the yb
   4. do a Bright Kite Checkin proving you found the yb
   5. basically anything that you can do from a mobile phone to prove you found the yb without  phoning the organizers or leaving them voicemail!

Variations

1. don't put the identicons on a regular map i.e. make the locations part of the hunt or hint at them e.g. all skytrain stations in Yaletown
2. business model: do this for events as an ice breaking thing
3. don't use the identicon algorithm to generate the graphic, create an algorithm so that the graphic  hints at the location
4. generate the identicons on the fly by putting the ybs on a bicycle or something moving using a mobile app that updates a map on the web or some sort of web based hint!