Una visión actual del software libre y su futuro: After the Software Wars

After the Software Wars: un libro de Keith Curtis. Altamente recomendable para los que deseen tener una visión más clara de las razones por las que el software libre es bueno, su modelo de desarrollo funciona y tiene futuro. Además, habla de la situación de otras tecnologías actuales (lenguajes de programación, fabricantes, etc…) y es relativamente actual, por lo que muestra a mi modo de ver una visión bastante acertada en muchos campos:

Lulu: After the Software Wars

Tiene unos capítulos finales en los que se va un poco a la luna, pero se le perdona por lo acertado que está en el resto del libro ;) Todo un descubrimiento

 

enero 20, 2011

BBC Podcast Closures: Football 2 – Debate 0

BBC 5live radio has decided to close the “Your Call” Podcast which is part of 5live Breakfast. It was a lively debate in which you could hear people calling from all the UK to express their opinions and discuss them with other callers.

I listened to this phone in quite often. For foreign English learners it was an unvaluable tool which enabled us to listen to lots of different British accents and expressions. It was one of the few ways you could hear street talk in a moderated broadcast. I suppose expats have also lost a great way of keeping in touch with the current emotions of their country.

Seems like this closure was due to some kind of economic reasons. Cuts happen everywhere nowadays. But the fact that BBC is keeping the football phone ins and closing this one devoted to general debate is somewhat appaling.

@bbc5live kindly answered me via twitter that I could use BBC iPlayer to listen to the program. But I can’t: the BBC iPlayer mobile is suprisingly blocked overseas. So no more 5live podcast listening while commuting or cleaning the house. The Internet is going mobile, and the BBC sends us to the PC. The Internet wants open standards and free access to information, and the BBC closes program blogs and uses the closed platform which is Facebook.

It is very disappointing.

I remember listening to the BBC World Service since when I was a kid. Got my first shortwave radio when I was 9. I tuned in to the frequencies written on a huge colourful poster which you could get by request via snail-mail letter to the BBC in London and which I eagerly awaited every season. On my first trip to London, I caught a glimpse of the BBC Bush House from a bus going through Aldwych. What an amazing moment! I learnt so much from the BBC… And nowadays, it still seems to be one of the few places where a journalist is allowed to ask twice if a politician deliberately dodges a question.

And now they’re closing the breakfast phone in podcast while they keep two football phone in podcasts still online.

In the past few days, a 24h news channel was closed here in Spain too, to be replaced by a 24h Big Brother broadcast. You may be learning fast from us, British fellows. But don’t. You’re the BBC. Remember what you mean to people’s lives, to history, to journalism… and please reconsider your decision.

 

enero 18, 2011

Touch Screen for Flight Simulator

Is a touchscreen a good present for Flight Simmers this Christmas? Not everybody can afford to have a full, expensive cockpit at home. But all of us flightsimmers struggle to get our simulation “as real as it gets”.

I have been doing some Internet research on touchscreens for flight simulators, trying to find any review on whether it’s really worth it to shell out the money to be able to really “push” or “pull” the buttons directly with your fingers on the screen. But I didn’t find much help. After all I bought one and I’m really happy with it! It’s working quite well on a Windows 7 Professional with FS2004.

So I’m writing this review to tell you my experience. I usually fly Wilco Airbus A320, but this applies to anyone flying anything with an FMC and lots of pushbuttons. I just have to say I’m amazed at how much realism you can get with a touchscreen. Of course it’s tricky at first and sometimes it just doesn’t work, but you get better at it with practice.

Programming the FMC is real fun on a touchscreen, although the most thrilling of it all is being able to push DIR and feeling the plane go there. It is also nice to push or pull the autopilot buttons (HDG/SPD) or ALT to start the descent.

Turning knobs and wheels is not so easy with a touchscreen. And that’s where my other gadget comes in: an M-Panel from VRInsight. They have loads of expensive panels but this one is a cheap, multifunction one. You get a COMM Box, Autopilot Control, and lots of user clickable buttons, PLUS A ROTARY KNOB!!

So I would say I’m quite happy with this setup: the touchscreen is for everything that you want to push or click, and the M-Panel is great for the rotary knobs which are tricky to rotate with the touchscreen (or activating things that are not easily accesible in critical times like the transponder, flaps, or the Landing Lights).

These touch screens are beginning to get relatively cheap: mine was less than 300€ (an HP 2310ti) and anyway even if it wasn’t for the touchscreen the display is anyway of great quality to begin with.

So if you’re looking for a xmas present for a flight simmer, here is my current setup in my “super budget virtual cockpit” to give you gift ideas. I’m sure he or she would be glad to receive these as presents because they are great and not too expensive. They are in order of what I’d like to get first if I’m into Flight Simming of commercial or IFR flights:

  • Saitek Pro Flight Rudder Pedals
  • Touchscreen (for example an HP2310ti)
  • M-Panel from VRInsight
  • TrackIR

On a side note, for those of you are into virtual ATC, the touchscreen performs great on the IvAC program for ATC on IVAO. It even handles iPhone-like pinching zooming in and out. Amazing! Although the buttons and I/O font size may need to be tweaked a little!

Looking forward to your comments on touchscreen technology for Flight Simulators! I hope I can post a video soon!

 

diciembre 8, 2010

Espacio aéreo cerrado

Situación actual disponible en: CFMU NOP

 

diciembre 4, 2010

Installing Linux on a Toshiba NB305

I’ve just written this installation guide. It’s amazing how compatible Linux is with such a new hardware.

http://www.immv.es/index.php?page=linux-on-a-toshiba-nb305

I’m not extremely happy with battery life, though, but it might get better with newer kernels or disabling some tweaks that are now needed for suspend to work.

julio 25, 2010