Lubyk demo feedback and Raspberry Pi

[Gaspard Bucher <gaspard@...>]

Hi List !

While waiting for the linux port of lubyk to reach maturity, and because I promised to give feedback on the demo a couple of weeks ago, here we go.

Although there were some very nice people around the table (thanks to Patrick Rapin and François Perrad from the list for joining us), the demo went havoc (crash, crash, crash) because of... recursive data in a yaml file that ended being sent over the network. Damn !

This at least proves one important thing: software stability comes with hours of usage in many different contexts (something lubyk clearly lacks at the moment).

I promised to do a screencast but I want to augment the library (prototypes) before making a video. In the meantime, here are some images and explanations on two important new features: script parameters and remote logging.

http://lubyk.org/en/post397.html

As Marc Balmer and Patrick Rapin will surely agree, software combined with hardware makes things a lot more fun. This is why I ordered a Raspberry Pi (35$ computer) with the goal of making this thing the next Commodore 64 by adding:

- plug&play networking

- Lua live scripting

- distributed computing

This should make the small computer even more attractive for teaching purposes: every kid gets a small computer on which he/she can program simple games that run on old CRT monitors (snakes, ping pong, adventure, etc), eventually with hacked joysticks, wiimotes or improvised controllers handmade with cheap electronics. All this with dirty hands, spilled coke and noise.

The first step is to build a debian based linux image with the required dependencies (LuaJIT, Qt, avahi). If anyone with linux image building skills wants to join in (or just mentor me in the process), please let me know, I am not used to cross-compilation and such.

The era of pure digital media consumerism is reaching an end: it's time to take control back with a great programming language (without continue, with commas, without "sys.argv" and a very musical "#" to make people sing alength 
/əˈlôNG/).

                                                               Gaspard