Comments Off on Debian Appreciation Day!

By TeK, August 17, 2010 17:35

Thank Debian http://thank.debian.net

or burn some CPU cycles for debian! 😉

<script type="text/javascript" src="http://valessiobrito.info/projetos/debian/others/dad/happydebian.js"> </script>

Comments Off on Viper Video Editor Review

By TeK, August 15, 2010 19:24

Kollege Helmchyn programmed a video editor in python: VIPER

It uses mplayer and mencoder to play and encode videoclips. this way, it reads almost every video codec and can create various outputs. The frontend is programmed in Python and TK GUI-lib. you can combine multiple videoclips in a timeline and select their length and in/out points.  it plays all those clips in preview windows – very nice TK video widget!

so far the interface is not complete and there are no effects or transitions built in. if you know mencoder/mplayer options, you can put your own filters by specifying  command-line parameters. i like the timeline, but there are no multiple layers and its not so easy to define the length and start/end points of the clips without seeing at which frames they will cut.

the export works very well and the dialog gives useful hints on the codecs and encoding options. It is already stable and you can use all functions of the interface.

this software is specially interesting for me, because i want a VJ player in python with mplayer, to trigger clips live on parties..  i go investigate the source code… 🙂

Comments (1)

By ZBog, August 15, 2010 11:28

I personally prefer to choose the Color Code by myself but when you suggest multiple sketches can be an help to dont repeat yourself.
the best tool is free to use on-line:
colorschemedesigner
with Html / Css / text / ACO (photoshop palette) / GPL (Gimp palette!) generator to save the color schem

Linux tools:
Firefox Plugin: Palette Grabber 0.4.1 [testing now come back visit us to know more!]

http://registry.gimp.org/node/15833 [Python plugin!]

AGAVE
ich spiele gerade mit diesen color code generator Agave
Agave is nothing special is only 1,262 kb big

I have found a Python plugin to let Agave run in Gimp ::
Color Scheme Helper for Gimp

A Python plugin that start the color scheme designer Agava for creating a new color scheme. The created color scheme can be saved as a Gimp color palette and loaded into Gimp.
In the software engine the only pretty idea is the contrast between text-background calculation…
changing the color automatically shows if is better a white or a black text on top of this color: Agave calculate if the bg color has a number higher then 555555 THEN the text is black and the opposite when the choosed gamma color is darker then 555555 the text will be white.

I m using AGAVE  as teaching tool, to show direct example of text contrast to graphic design students.

#tk: based on math – hmm naja interesting algorithm anyway … hehe ya should generate for special things like: body-font, screen-bgcolor, … i want some faders that automagically apply like livestyle to the site 😀 with correct pi and phi equations.

Color Scheme Generator version 3.51  has many new features!

The preview page I dont really like it use the colors in illogical contrast with the background

Comments Off on Timetracking Linux and Web Tools

By TeK, August 15, 2010 04:04

Here’s a comparison of some programs in debian/ubuntu repositories, that help to keep track of your worktimes

KTimetracker
This is in the Debian and Ubuntu repositories. it is programmed for the KDE window environment, but if you have all the KDE libraries already, just run this in a terminal:

wait! update first

it’s best practise to update the repositories before installing something, to get the latest versions:

sudo apt-get update

btw: sudo is only required in ubuntu, in debian type ‘su’ to get root access

sudo apt-get install ktimetracker

++
+ Nice and simple interface.
+ Timers
You can start and stop a timer when you begin and end a working session so you get the exact time.

+ It can even watch your desktops, including the virtual ones, so you can put all your work windows for example on desktop 2 and switching to 1 is enough to do something else and stop the counter. you will wonder about the short times it tracks (without mailchecks, etc.) !

must test the export..

For me this wins, because of the desktop tracking and  (sub) timers!

Gnome Time Tracker

Installation in Debian / Ubuntu:

sudo apt-get install gnotime

++
Nice interface with description and “diary” textfields. Nice list of projects and timers to count worktime on a daily basis are integrated.

—
Some things in the interface are broken or not understandable: export does not allow to select a file, maybe something must be created first?

Subprojects? must test..

Tine2.0 Web Groupware

++
Nice webinterface. Besides Todolist, Calendar, CRM and few more modules, a Time-tracking tool is built into this web groupware.

+ So called “Time-accounts” represent the different projects. You can add “time-sheets” to these projects for every session or ideally the hours of every day. There are filters to show only one project or a relevant period or user. You can save these filter options as a favorite view. That’s really cool and flexible! One problem is, that you cannot redefine the default favorite, which it show at first.

+ Tine can store € per hour, “billable” and more billing infos, so you it automatically calculates the full time and price of a project.

—
There is no counter to start and stop the session times. You can only enter the periods, after you finished the day work. Its useful to keep track of the works of a team, but if you want to track the exact times, you need another timer-software and enter the periods from there to tine  :-/

Must test:  Exports!   It ~should~ export .ods, which would be reaaaaally helpful to present the time-sheet to clients directly or put it in a bill! But maybe i have to fill a bug report on that..

eGroupware

Is a good, old PHP web groupware with many, many modules. The project module interface is not easy to understand, but when you get it, you can even use time counters online.

++
Many functions in the projects module,…

—
EGroupware is a huge system, only for timetracking you do not want to install it. There are many options to setup, specially if there is more than one user, it gets really complicated to give correct permissions to everyone.

OpenOffice Table with Formulars

still the easiest and best solution?

++
+ Table calculation software offers a nice overview with dynamic calculations: Press [F2] in a table cell and you can enter formulars for calculation. This way, you can, for example, enter exact minutes and get hours by [cell] * 60.

+ In OpenOffice Writer you can keep track of times in a simple table inside a odt text-office document. No need to use Calc, the Table calculation

Also the other programs offer ways to enter billing info like € per hour.

—
– Teamwork? Its not easy to work together on stupid office documents. They are practically always locked by other users 😉

.odt file coming soon..

Comments (1)

By ZBog, August 14, 2010 11:35

After 4 years in the Open Source scene I m finally able to generate a complete video with Open Source Software.
Was an hard work, many video editors are started but none is complete.
Guys cooperation! please!
Do not try to do only your own stuff, if there are some developer reeding this post, please start to develop Blender features.
YES after my testing, Blender is the best Video Sequence Editor the open market propose:
– stable, Blender dont crash [ if you dont change the CPU usage settings and at the same time rendering (:P) ]
– has many functionality and easy to add FX when you know the technical words that the software use
– Is planned to render, so the dimension of the output has completly individual setup. You can choose between standard formats, but also choose the dimensions of the video in pixels AND the dimensions of the pixel individually, mix up the settings, things that in Kdenlive & co I did not found, there are in Kdenlive many choises between different format and pixel dimensions, no more paranoia about strange web video format, you can make your video with your own custom format
– with particles engine and video texture can be used for post production and compositing like After Effects
– Titles and credits, the text is already editable in EDIT MODE
– Good windows Customization, you can combine the editing windows, but you can choose between 5 view mode in a quick drop down menu, again also the drop down menu has ADD NEW to personalize.

I tought was banal speak abuot Blender video editor but then I have recognize that not all the nerds are informed about, then soon I will post more info about video editing on Blender.

All the other free software I tried have some gap to fill.
There is no chance, I can proudly say
I m a Blender!

Italian article that thinks the same as me:
http://blenderedintorni.blogspot.com/2006/12/situazione-del-video-editing-in-linux.html

Comments (5)

By ZBog, August 13, 2010 21:06

Snufu suggested Ecosia on this Blog

Search engine test

Ecosia.org

—————————-

I was looking  for:

(Gitschiner strasse 61)
At first it gave not such a good result compared to other search engines.

1.wrong result
2.wrong result
3.wrong result
4.wrong result
5.wrong result
6.ABC-ETech
robot portal:  http://www.pointoo.de/poi/Berlin/Abc-etech-775582.html
7.wrong result
8.ABC-ETech
www.abc-etech.de
robot portal: http://www.berlin.city-map.de/01110000/abc-etech
9.wrong result

but as second chance I searched a Blender Video Sequence Editor
The research gave better quality
then I decided to give a chance to Ecosia to be my eco “sucht-machine”
and I have installed the add-on for Mozilla many browsers are compatible

znout.com
I asked Znout the same questions :

(Gitschiner strasse 61)
gave medium results, also if reacts super-fast, the results are 7 matching on 10

(Blender video sequence editor)
full prestation fast and correct

But it anyway uses the google search engine.
———-
another one to test: Forestle.org

Comments Off on search engine comparisation

By ZBog, August 13, 2010 02:50

I have let it run a question  “gitschiner strasse” in multiple search engine, just to check  REALLY  what was happening on a Berlin Address
and combine it with my curiosity to run a quality test

Google
————————————–

(Question:  Gitschiner 61)

1.Flow tech GmbH
beim “Silber Mitglieder” von einen SportVerein
http://www.mtv1860.de/handball/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=252&Itemid=147
2.Beim Robot-Portal: http://www.cylex-telefonbuch.de/suche/deutschland/bundesland-berlin/stadt-berlin/l-0049-plz–strasse-gitschiner%20str._name–s1_filter-0.html
ABC-ETECH Inh. Dietmar Brillski Elektrotechnik (0) 0 5
beim Robot-Portal: http://www.klicktel.de/branchenbuch/abc-etech-inh-dietmar-brillski-elektrotechnik,berlin,4617500,QOIVZNWW92A5C7.html
3.Zebra Comunication Gmbh
info@ethno-trade.de
ethno-trade.de
Beim Schlechte Evil Portal Pop up Bastards links:
http://web2.cylex.de/firma-home/zebra-communications-gmbh-2352671.html
4. http://www.firmendb.de/firmen/6302631.php
beim Robot-Firmen Portal with no firma signed in (:|)
5.K. Mumcu
beimbeim Robot telephone catalogue

Yahoo  ??
——————

( Gitschiner strasse 61)

1.The first, Top, search result is wrong give the number 91 – Buahahah –
2.wrong result : strasse nummer 94
3.  wrong result  94
4.“Dreieck Funkturm (motorway Hannover-Nürnberg), urban motorway to Tempelhofer Damm – Mehringdamm – Gitschiner Strasse – Skalitzer Strasse – Warschauer Straße “
5.wrong result
6.….

(Yahoo…Gitschiner 61)
1.Youtube- Miss Moth
2.wrong result
3.wrong result
4. Zebra comunication
5. Tutorial diversion (miss moth
6. wrong result
7. http://reinhold-friedl.de/
8.” JANUARY 24
REINHOLD FRIEDL / PHILIP SAMARTZIS / MICHAEL VORFELD – inside piano, prepared electric guitar, percussion, electronics
8P, new loft Christopher Dell
http://www.zeitkratzer.de for information
(culled from Sarah Wong – danke!) “beim: http://www.chaindlk.com/community/index.php?topic=3422.0
9. wrong result
10. Robot route Map

(Yahoo failed the exame)
Aaargh I have used YahOO()()00°° !!!  I M DOING ONLY FOR RESEARCH, CHILDREN DO NOT DO IT AT HOME!
————————————————————————————————–

—————–

Answers.com
—————–
(Gitschiner strasse 61)

1.FE61
Offünungyeit 19:30 (jeden 1. und 3. Do im Monat)
Beim a sharing english website, human generated content, It specify on the page that in berlin they spaces are legal
http://www.qype.co.uk/lists/610322-Squats-in-Berlin
2.Musicians: Christopher Dell (vibraphon), Christian Ramond (bass), Felix Astor (drums) www.christopher-dell.de
Recent CD: DRA: DRAREAL (edition niehler werft 2004)
Christopher Dell, c/o Institut für Improvisationstechnologie,
++49 (0)30 6167-5351, Fax ++49 (0)30 6167-5351, cd@christopher-dell.de
Beim: Bundeskonferenz Jazz (German Jazz Meeting) :http://www.bkjazz.de/index.php?id=78
3.[24/1/2009] Berlin, Germany
new loft, 8:00 pm, free entry
Christopher Dell, Gitschiner str. 61, 10969 Berlin
Beim musicianßs site http://www.reinhold-friedl.de/

http://ecosia.org
—————————-

(Gitschiner strasse 61)

1.wrong result
2.wrong result
3.wrong result
4.wrong result
5.wrong result
6.ABC-ETech
beim robot portal:  http://www.pointoo.de/poi/Berlin/Abc-etech-775582.html
7.wrong result
8.ABC-ETech
www.abc-etech.de
beim  robot portal: http://www.berlin.city-map.de/01110000/abc-etech
9.wrong result

Ask.com
———————————————–

(Gitschiner strasse 61)

BTW NOTICE: Cool simulated pop up setup to turn off the search bar on the top of the blank page results for ever, in cookie, its Css styled not external js nasty-popup

1.“    March 27th, 2010, Villa Newman (Gitschiner Str. 61), Berlin, MISS MOTH: “Home Tour – the Answers to Solutions”
March 13th, 2010, Villa Newman (Gitschiner Str. 61), Berlin, Launching MISS MOTH       ”
beim : http://www.tutorialdiversions.org/1.html
a.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uuwg9Fv-LAI
b.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZLM6atqEJ0
c.http://www.myspace.com/mistressmoth
d.qype → Fe61
e.Edition Niehler Werft
Music Label
http://www.christopher-dell.de/enw.htm
Beim: http://rateyourmusic.com/label/edition_niehler_werft/

———————————–

NO results:
—–

(CC http://search.creativecommons.org/ )

———
(Amazon . Gitschiner strasse 61)

————
(de.wikipedia no results / similar results)

well those last search engines are empty but are the engines that we can fit into….. then we will fill theme;)

Comments (1)

By ZBog, August 12, 2010 15:28

There are some tricks to have “style”

When your graphical production does not look harmonic || professional || complete, you have to work on your sketches and find the main style (like a corporate identity) that represents the project.

Colors & Light
The colors change, based on the ambient light where you watch them, that means  if you want to have a realistic effect on your illustrations you cannot use a warm gray and a cold gray in the same image, in nature that will not happen.
But you can use those gray variants  to create a surreal image for example.
Remember that the colors are influencing the mood, so use them with a meaning.
If you are working on web, search for the standard  colors for similar projects, because the meaning of the colors is really different in the different continents and the meaning changes a bit even between the European countries.

Background
The Background is really boring to make but really important to do.
Empty background is a ZEN solution, white for day, and Black for night. works only in ZEN context.
None color works as a single color in professional illustrations.
If you want to use one tone a good suggestion is to make a material background:
*  take many different white and trow them together on the paper
* take a brush technique and use one color, you will get a single color but with brushes signs, a bit of 3D

Minimize or exaggerate
When something does not convince you, here is the best trick to be used:
* minimize: take it out and delete it, minimize the objects  and the number of images helps to make the structure easier to read and be modeled.
* exaggerate: the other way is to take this not stylish component and repeat it, use it multiple times, even always.
For example you are not sure if a text needs to have a Outline color, you can take out the Outline at all minimize(), or make it fat, stronger color and repeat it for multiple text on the composition (exaggerate).

Harmonia and Elegance
Don’t be afraid, is easy. Everything around you can be represented by math, mathematics as convention to explain the world, Music is math based, and Art too. You can compose your images with math help, use the “guide lines”  to see clearly the position of your object on the page, to calculate the empty spaces … and remember Math,  Geometry, Perspective, Harmonia and Elegance are all the same thing !
z.B. Leonardo Da Vinci
The elegance is into clear lines, so if you use a Vector Program  smooth your lines or draw with a smoother plugin activated:
Inkscape  you can realize this in many ways; for example take the tool ->  [ EDIT PATH BY NODES ]  ; now click on -> [ Make selected nodes symmetric ]
Elegance has few lines, not many particulars, like an Armani suite 😛
Harmonia is based on the cycle of the objects, how and how many times the object is represented.
If there is an object on the left and on the right is empty, that means the emptyness has a meaning, when there is no meaning make full the right side with something that balance the left content.

In history of art the idea of composition is always present, every artist uses a personal way to do it, but many people use the 3,14 rule, go check how the greek temples were built, how Eisenstein decided the video Editing of “Panzerkreuzer Potemkin”, how  Bruno Munari plans his graphics design.

Probably I will be banned from many Graphics websites after this post, because those tricks and tips are the precious knowledge of who work and study ART || GFX

but you know what? lets support and produce Evolution: OPEN SOURCE, OPEN MIND, NOT COMMERCIAL, SHARE ALIKE

Alice Z Bognetti

Comments Off on Firefox Firebug plugins for designer

By ZBog, August 4, 2010 16:06

Well supercool plugins for designers arrived fresh on FireBug

Pixel Perfect
Add the layout design in alpha transparency directly over the website in the browser.

CSS usage
Check which css properties are actually called from the code and applied. NOTICE: not everythin inactive is not used, it analyzes only the current page

(I love Firebug!)