[04:36] <ChinnoDog> adom: I'm aiming for anything that can be taught in 2-4 hours. I don't have any Pi experience. Maybe find something neat we can build with a Zero and we can all build it.
[14:18] <adom> ChinnoDog: yeah that sounds great
[14:19] <adom> I'll look over some RPi Zero projects online and mention some that may sound like good idea if I find any.
[14:20] <adom> (assuming you do the same, choice is yours)
[15:39] <ChinnoDog> adom: Might have to see if I can get access to issues of MagPi
[15:59] <adom> I actually have a fun project which was one of my own projects.  It wouldn't be too complex, and should be accomplishable within a couple hours no problem.  Also it adds a lot of value to RPis in projects.
[15:59] <ChinnoDog> What project is that?
[16:01] <adom> In short, its setting up an elegant, persistent phonehome connection.  And it is very simple to clone over to other RPis.  So you dropfile this onto each RPi you use and every one of them are then accessible remotely for you, no matter what firewalls/networking they're behind.
[16:03] <adom> The idea stemmed originally from my [still unstarted] project of creating a digital picture frame for my family that reaches out to the internet to pull down new pics added to a shared cloud folder so my sisters and I could all add pics to the folder and on my mom's wall new pictures would just show up randomly.  I wanted to have a method to remotely access the RPi for remote maintenance etc, and I
[16:03] <adom> wanted to replicate the project for multiple family members so I wanted a solution that was easy to replicate/clone to additional RPi solutions.
[16:04] <ChinnoDog> I like the idea of building the whole picture frame. Have you priced any displays?
[16:05] <ChinnoDog> Actually maybe that doesn't matter. Could make a dongle that goes into a TV and just frame the cheapest TV you can find.
[16:06] <adom> Yeah I'd love to work on that project, but I don't think its a 2-4 hour project.  Or at least not for our first meetup I'd think.  Could def approach it iteratively, so first session could be phonehome configuration, then add on to overall project in future meetups.  I like this idea because it ramps up our RPi knowledge/experience as we get further into the more advanced areas of the larger project.
[16:07] <adom> To talk more on displays for this project, the best idea online (which I plan to do) is to repurpose an old laptop display.
[16:08] <adom> So that's a decent sized chunk of the overall project; repurposing old laptop display.
[16:08] <ChinnoDog> We could. The phonehome isn't useful by itself though. I think to keep people engaged the information will have to be immediately usable.
[16:08] <adom> They're great for this because you can make it a very thin solution to fit inside a picture frame enclosure.
[16:09] <ChinnoDog> For the first session I was thinking about teaching people how to git/github by creating a jekyll site in class and then having people submit bugs and contribute to it.
[16:10] <adom> the phonehome is very useful IMO.  any Linux system will maintain a persistent connection to a publically available server so that all are remotely accessible.  in other words, you put a RPi project inside a network and you can remotely access it without needing to forward ports inside that network etc.
[16:10] <adom> oh that sounds good too
[16:10] <adom> I'd love an intro to git/github.  And then we could use that knowledge for future projects.
[16:11] <ChinnoDog> I agree phonehome is useful but I think most people won't know what to do next! Maybe we would find an existing project that is already made that would be useful to be able to deploy and connect to on the fly and combine them.
[16:12] <adom> maybe the phonehome lesson is small enough to just add onto your git lesson, as it revolves around a single bash script.  so we learn git and use it to maintain our own phonehome script.
[16:12] <adom> I hear you.  I'm open to however we want to approach.  This is your rodeo, I'm just here to help how I can and learn along the way.
[16:12] <ChinnoDog> If there is time. Time is the most precious commodity in a lab I think.
[16:13] <adom> yeah that's why I don't know if entire digital picture frame project would be a good fit.
[16:13] <ChinnoDog> No please, whatever you want to present please do. I'm just making suggestions based on my intent. I want people to go home thinking they learned something they can apply right now.
[16:13] <adom> maybe later meetups?
[16:13] <adom> right on
[16:14] <ChinnoDog> Throwing together a usable frame project seems like it would not be that difficult.
[16:14] <adom> I think both git/github knowledge and phonehome knowledge are immediately beneficial.
[16:14] <adom> the project as a whole has a lot of moving parts.
[16:16] <ChinnoDog> The first version of a Pi picture frame can be terrible. The MVP always is!
[16:16] <ChinnoDog> The hardware is unlikely to change though.
[16:18] <ChinnoDog> Could be horribly overcomplicated. Install Ubuntu and launch a gallery app at startup.
[16:21] <adom> I just see the overall project as an iterative, phased approach.  phase 1 = research best RPi OS/software for random picture slideshow. phase 2 = software implementation/configuration/testing, phase 3 = set up hardware
[16:22] <ChinnoDog> That sounds... slow. I'm not saying that as a developer. I know things take time. I'm saying that from the perspective of the impatient user that takes forever.
[16:22] <adom> I mean if you want to just accomplish "a digital picture frame that shows a slideshow", then yeah you could probably bang somethign out in an afternoon.  I've just been planning this project for awhile and intended to put some research into best looking/operating solution options, also considering that I'll need to maintain all issues, all remotely.
[16:23] <adom> we could def do a MVP version like you're envisioning if you want.
[16:23] <adom> we don't need to approach my intended end-game solution.
[16:24] <ChinnoDog> The MVP can still match your vision. Ask everyone to help.
[16:24] <adom> that makes it easier to fathom of a 2-4 hour hack session.
[16:24] <ChinnoDog> If we can bang one together in two hours everyone will also know how to write patches and updates.
[16:26] <adom> For example, rather than using custom method for slideshow such as starting a gallery app/package on startup etc, there are a handful of digital signage solutions out there that run on RPis which already have some baked-in management possibilities.  So you have a nice little web dashboard to remotely manage your family members' frames rather than SSHing to them etc.
[16:28] <adom> Then there's the idea of pulling images from a cloud folder...I know Dropbox has a native LInux client, and GDrive is accomplishable too I believe.  Should the RPi constantly pull a new image every x minutes, or should it just keep a specific folder synced constantly so it has all pics (seems better in case system loses internet access) etc
[16:29] <adom> Just saying, since this is a larger project I've been wanting to work on, I've thought about a lot of the variables involved.  Admittedly I'm probably overthinking most of it.
[16:50] <ChinnoDog> We can do all of it, just not all at once.
[16:52] <adom> yeah sure
[16:53] <adom> I'd def love to [finally] learn git/github for sure.
[17:02] <adom> Hey also, can we also host a Webex or similar remote session during the meetups?  That way if someone can't make it out that day they could at least join remotely and participate or at least just listen in.
[17:02] <adom> We can discuss best remote meeting/collaboration solutions, but just fyi I have a full Webex account through work and I can record sessions and all that.  Video + screensharing etc.
[18:31] <adom-mobile> There we go...
[18:34]  * adom winks at adom-mobile
[18:49] <adom-mobile> Okay got app set up to auto join. Now I have a mobile IRC connection.
[18:51] <ChinnoDog> If they did then no one would show up. Plus, every time you do the presentation it gets better. We don't need a meetup to make videos, we can do that at home in our underwear.
[18:51] <ChinnoDog> I lost the first part of that somehow. I was saying that for my own use I would rather not make a recording.
[18:52] <ChinnoDog> At open source conferences they don't usually record sessions because no one would show up.
[18:59] <adom> Well we could add mini videochats/screenshares in between physical meetups as well.  Just saying.
[19:19] <ChinnoDog> For a future session I'd like to do one on IRC since it is required knowledge for communicating on many open source projects.
[19:40] <adom> ChinnoDog: can you pls mention my nick. testing irssinotifier.
[19:55] <ChinnoDog> adom: testing
[19:56] <adom> for some reason not working...
[19:56] <adom> troubleshooting now
[19:58] <ChinnoDog> adom: adom adom adom
[20:03] <ChinnoDog> I just thought of an app I would love to load onto a Pi
[20:03] <ChinnoDog> I would have to write it though....
[20:03] <adom> whats taht?
[20:04] <ChinnoDog> There is a camera connector on the new Pi Zero. I want to hook one up to a tiny shoulder mounted camera and have it do a real time facial recognition searches against my social media sites so it can whisper peoples names to me via an ear bud.
[20:08] <ChinnoDog> Maybe it will read me their last twitter post too
[20:09] <ChinnoDog> I mean, it could tell me tons of things about them. I can see how this could be used for evil but I just want to remember who I am talking to.
[20:10] <adom> That does sound awesome, but I think the largest hurdles are the facial recognition software, the accuracy of said software, the assumption peoples' profile pics will be of their faces (and good enough quality for the software to recognize), and lastly all that combined within short enough time to update you quickly.
[20:11] <adom> However, the last bit isn't as important to me...you could just walk along and as time goes on it will provide you a list of people you've walked past or talked to today.
[20:11] <ChinnoDog> The facial recognition libraries are free! There are limited faces to choose from so it should be easy to identify high probability matches.
[20:12] <adom> Also, as for profile pic accuracy etc, you'd probably get more accurate results as you tie in additional social networks such as LinkedIn etc.  Most people use good front-facing pics for LinkedIn and professional social networks.
[20:12] <ChinnoDog> It could. My personal social breadcrumb trail.
[20:12] <adom> yeah
[20:12] <adom> sounds cool
[20:12] <ChinnoDog> Maybe it could listen for when people tell you their name
[20:12] <ChinnoDog> Then it can capture offline info too
[20:16] <ChinnoDog> I'm against computers that make us stupider by remembering things for us. It has to challenge us to remember on our own as well.
[20:16] <ChinnoDog> Maybe after we walk away it can quiz us on the person's name
[20:16] <ChinnoDog> The computer can program us.
[20:17] <adom> well maybe a goal of the project is that at end of day it provides you picture and name of people you saw today.  to reinforce your memory of them.
[20:17] <ChinnoDog> Yea. I would love that.
[20:18] <adom> like maybe it only operates if you press a button.  so you're talking to Jane Doe and can't remmber her name so you press the button. you do this few times during the day with other people.  end of day it provides you (email? some web UI?) a list of the people you were talking to when you pressed the button.
[20:19] <ChinnoDog> I like the idea of it prompting you when possible so it has no interface
[20:19] <ChinnoDog> I could log to your personal web site / database though
[20:19] <ChinnoDog> s/I/It/
[20:20] <ChinnoDog> It is the little angel/devil on your shoulder whispering things to you that you should already know.
[20:21] <ChinnoDog> I don't know if that meme has a name but if so that is what it should be called.
[20:22] <adom> heh
[20:22] <adom> So I've had an idea for a long time that is very similar to yours...
[20:23] <adom> I've dreamt of this idea to have a camera system to take in license plate numbers and allow you to leave notes/ratings/whatever for that plate.  So if the guy behind you is tailgating you, you'd choose the rear camera source and it would read in the plate and log it in a database along with a comment/note/whatever from you.
[20:24] <adom> I envisioned some obvious canned notes such as "tailgator", "phone usage", "no turn signal", etc
[20:24] <adom> and also a rating system like 1-5 stars
[20:25] <ChinnoDog> Another element of social breadcrumb collection.
[20:25] <ChinnoDog> Though I don't know about the rating system. I don't really care who is tailgating me unless I already know them.
[20:25] <adom> I don't really know the end game for this, but thought it would be cool, considering most of us usually drive close to the same route to and from work every day.
[20:25] <adom> well if you logged that data, now you would kind of know them.  from previous times they were near you in traffic.
[20:25] <ChinnoDog> It would be cool if it could recognize friends in their cars.
[20:26] <ChinnoDog> Or if it would let me know there is a licensed ham in the other lane
[20:27] <adom> I imagined I'm driving and then up on a screen pops warning message like "Rear vehicle entry found: (5/5) good driver - uses turn signals"
[20:27] <ChinnoDog> That is way more information than I want. lol
[20:28] <adom> I'm really into merging technology with vehicles.  Mainly my vehicles to be honest haha
[20:29] <adom> I've gotten into overlanding a lot, which is basically camping trips that require 4x4 vehicles.  Like camping with people at the top of small mountains and all that.
[20:30] <adom> And vehicle comms is one area of overlanding I'm starting to get into.  CB, ameteur radio, 2-way/GMRS/FRS etc
[20:30] <ChinnoDog> Camping in a tent next to the car or camping inside the car?
[20:30] <adom> while getting into that, I'm getting more into other vehicle-based technology, and I've started to think more about technologies that overlanders don't use but would be cool, or ones that don't exist yet. and then I think about them even for daily driving use.
[20:30] <adom> tent
[20:30] <adom> you bring a tent
[20:31] <adom> many overlanders have RTTs (Roof Top Tents) attached to their rig which makes it all the easier.
[20:31] <adom> the idea is having everything necessary for an offroad trek/adventure, all organized and accessible within your overlanding rig.
[20:31] <adom> its a fun hobby, but its expensive for sure
[20:32] <adom> have to go slow on the purchases. easy to rack up the credit card balance if you're not careful.
[20:35] <ChinnoDog> I don't have a 4x4. :-( I thought about building a tiny teardrop trailer though.
[20:39] <adom> are you still in that boat?
[20:40] <ChinnoDog> Still have boat. It is in NC though. :-(
[20:42] <adom> ahh
[20:46] <ChinnoDog> Just bought a house in Manassas
[20:52] <adom> nice grats
[20:54] <adom> got irssinotifier working now
[20:54] <adom> (yay)
[20:55] <adom> so now I should get notified of mentions, and I have an IRC app on my phone now so if I get mentioned I can log in as adom-mobile from my phone.
[20:55] <adom> heading home for the day early to beat traffic.  let's get the first meetup set up and get to hackin!
[21:51] <swift110> hey all
[22:49] <ChinnoDog> hi swift110
[22:50] <swift110> how are you ChinnoDog