So far i have been busy setting up the new site:
www.trackaway.org
the forums:
forums.trackaway.org
the Trac:
trac.trackaway.org...
While i did no coding this past week, much have been paved for the new development round...
stay tuned!!!
giovedì 31 marzo 2011
mercoledì 23 marzo 2011
Future of FreeTrack
I am giving my toughts about FreeTrack future...
Right now release 1.3 is out and is collecting many suggestions and support... and from this feedback its clear to me that this software has to go forward and become something more.
It is assured that this is free-software and its released under GPL... this is to clear out any doubts from anybody's mind!
Anyway, i come to some conclusions:
1- FreeTrack is a bad choice for a name
2- A dedicated server with all kind of cool stuff is required
3- OVI store is mandatory as far as Nokia support
4- Support for Android is also mandatory (given Nokia choices)
5- Some parts needs to be rewritten
So, lets analyze one by one
Freetrack is a bad choice for a name
Who likes it? I dont, too much, because it dound cheap. Moreover, Free Track is abused and there are other projects out there (within completely different context) which share the name. This forced me to use QtFreeTrack in many situations, which leads to confusion with FreeTrack, wuich is the real name.
So we need to move from FreeTrack name... And we come to this new awesome name: Track@Way, track YOUR Way the Way you Want!
What do you think? Does it rings more than FreeTrack, uh?
A dedicated server with all kind of cool stuff is required
It comes easily that, moved away from FreeTrack name, this project needs its own space on the web. Google Code is cool, very easy, a great starting point... but we need forums, a full trac with milestone support... a REAL web site for a bit of show off... and some more ideas i am churming on in my mind (like showing off some FreeTrack, or Track@Way, functionalities online).
So i got the domain (trackaway.org), got some good and cheap space (afterall, i didnt make not even enouogh money to cover for Nokia's initial fees back then when i registered, so its not like we can spend money right now)... and applied some of my sysadmin skills.
Now we have forums, experimental trac, HG repository up and running... while the actual move to this trac and hg repo will take some time, the forums are already hitting some traffic and i expect more after, with new 1.3.25 release, the link will be also on the app itself.
OVI store is mandatory as far as Nokia support
I dont like this too much, but there it is: today either you are on a app store or you are out. And we are on OVI, and this is good. Download rate is pretty impressive (for OVI store at least), and so it will always be supported even if the "cut" they take from the SUPPORTER releases is simply a theft and make me wonder.
Supporting OVI is a bit a pain, but its necessary. As a side point, shall we support also Nokia N900? Its a relaly SMALL market and a diying one too, so is the effort worth it? let me know what do you think.
Support for Android is also mandatory
So basically Nokia said Symbian is dead and Qt is dead-in-the-water as far as Nokia entire future. Very good (please tell me which is the idiot i can metaforically shot to, for this decision), this has the only meaning that FreeTrack is dead within one year unless Qt gets actively ported to some other mobile device and FreeTrack too. Because no way i am rewriting all the codebase to some C#, ObjectiveC or whatever.
Luckily some great guy (and not only him) called BogDan Vatra is working actively on a good Android port of Qt, which is already working with apps in the Android market (so much for the slowliness and awkwardness of OVI store)... So we just need to wait for QtMobility to be a little bit more "ready" on Android and we can have an Android port too.
This port will pose some interesting challenges: like real multi-resolution support (now its there, but never tested), multi-device support and so on.
Some parts needs to be rewritten
The biggest area which needs much more work is the map area. I want to have a "map repository" inside FreeTrack (Track@Way), so that you "import" maps, and they are automatically available at each restart. You do not need anymore to "load" them, you just "see" them. Some way to sort between maps which covers the same area is required tough, and also some map management to manage inported maps, cache and so on. Its a lot of work, but very important and thats where i am going to go as soon as possible.
Also, the track code needs to be rewritten. It has to be exploded in differen classes, made more robust, more easy to unterstand, better overall...
Well, many things needs to be done. I would also like to implement a class to manage all different ways to express cohordinates... And use it troughout FreeTrack (Track@Way)...
So a lot of coding is required. Put this toghether support for Android... and there you have a Track@Way 1.0 with enough juice to rock you out of your mind!
So...
What do you think? I need your feedback and your inputs guys...
Right now release 1.3 is out and is collecting many suggestions and support... and from this feedback its clear to me that this software has to go forward and become something more.
It is assured that this is free-software and its released under GPL... this is to clear out any doubts from anybody's mind!
Anyway, i come to some conclusions:
1- FreeTrack is a bad choice for a name
2- A dedicated server with all kind of cool stuff is required
3- OVI store is mandatory as far as Nokia support
4- Support for Android is also mandatory (given Nokia choices)
5- Some parts needs to be rewritten
So, lets analyze one by one
Freetrack is a bad choice for a name
Who likes it? I dont, too much, because it dound cheap. Moreover, Free Track is abused and there are other projects out there (within completely different context) which share the name. This forced me to use QtFreeTrack in many situations, which leads to confusion with FreeTrack, wuich is the real name.
So we need to move from FreeTrack name... And we come to this new awesome name: Track@Way, track YOUR Way the Way you Want!
What do you think? Does it rings more than FreeTrack, uh?
A dedicated server with all kind of cool stuff is required
It comes easily that, moved away from FreeTrack name, this project needs its own space on the web. Google Code is cool, very easy, a great starting point... but we need forums, a full trac with milestone support... a REAL web site for a bit of show off... and some more ideas i am churming on in my mind (like showing off some FreeTrack, or Track@Way, functionalities online).
So i got the domain (trackaway.org), got some good and cheap space (afterall, i didnt make not even enouogh money to cover for Nokia's initial fees back then when i registered, so its not like we can spend money right now)... and applied some of my sysadmin skills.
Now we have forums, experimental trac, HG repository up and running... while the actual move to this trac and hg repo will take some time, the forums are already hitting some traffic and i expect more after, with new 1.3.25 release, the link will be also on the app itself.
OVI store is mandatory as far as Nokia support
I dont like this too much, but there it is: today either you are on a app store or you are out. And we are on OVI, and this is good. Download rate is pretty impressive (for OVI store at least), and so it will always be supported even if the "cut" they take from the SUPPORTER releases is simply a theft and make me wonder.
Supporting OVI is a bit a pain, but its necessary. As a side point, shall we support also Nokia N900? Its a relaly SMALL market and a diying one too, so is the effort worth it? let me know what do you think.
Support for Android is also mandatory
So basically Nokia said Symbian is dead and Qt is dead-in-the-water as far as Nokia entire future. Very good (please tell me which is the idiot i can metaforically shot to, for this decision), this has the only meaning that FreeTrack is dead within one year unless Qt gets actively ported to some other mobile device and FreeTrack too. Because no way i am rewriting all the codebase to some C#, ObjectiveC or whatever.
Luckily some great guy (and not only him) called BogDan Vatra is working actively on a good Android port of Qt, which is already working with apps in the Android market (so much for the slowliness and awkwardness of OVI store)... So we just need to wait for QtMobility to be a little bit more "ready" on Android and we can have an Android port too.
This port will pose some interesting challenges: like real multi-resolution support (now its there, but never tested), multi-device support and so on.
Some parts needs to be rewritten
The biggest area which needs much more work is the map area. I want to have a "map repository" inside FreeTrack (Track@Way), so that you "import" maps, and they are automatically available at each restart. You do not need anymore to "load" them, you just "see" them. Some way to sort between maps which covers the same area is required tough, and also some map management to manage inported maps, cache and so on. Its a lot of work, but very important and thats where i am going to go as soon as possible.
Also, the track code needs to be rewritten. It has to be exploded in differen classes, made more robust, more easy to unterstand, better overall...
Well, many things needs to be done. I would also like to implement a class to manage all different ways to express cohordinates... And use it troughout FreeTrack (Track@Way)...
So a lot of coding is required. Put this toghether support for Android... and there you have a Track@Way 1.0 with enough juice to rock you out of your mind!
So...
What do you think? I need your feedback and your inputs guys...
New 1.3.24 release
Today i am releasing FreeTrack 1.3.24.
Main bugfix and enhancements:
- added language selection from config dialog
- improved gpx save speed
- improved breadcrumbs export
- added links to the forums
- added warning when opening maps with invalid filenames
go get it!
Main bugfix and enhancements:
- added language selection from config dialog
- improved gpx save speed
- improved breadcrumbs export
- added links to the forums
- added warning when opening maps with invalid filenames
go get it!
martedì 22 marzo 2011
News news news!
Hi All!
just to let you know that there is a bright new forum here:
http://forums.trackaway.org
This and more great news will be coming...
just to let you know that there is a bright new forum here:
http://forums.trackaway.org
This and more great news will be coming...
Slow progress... but progress...
Hi all!
i have been oberated at work recently, so not many news here so far. This does not mean that development or progress has stopped tough... I am refining many ideas, and i can assure you there are many big news coming up...
Right now 1.3 is consolidating (1.3.23 on OVI right now) always more bugfree than before. Your feedback is flowing great, and so ideas and new suggestions.
The only thing i can anticipate right now is that there will be a dedicated forum soon...
Take care...
i have been oberated at work recently, so not many news here so far. This does not mean that development or progress has stopped tough... I am refining many ideas, and i can assure you there are many big news coming up...
Right now 1.3 is consolidating (1.3.23 on OVI right now) always more bugfree than before. Your feedback is flowing great, and so ideas and new suggestions.
The only thing i can anticipate right now is that there will be a dedicated forum soon...
Take care...
martedì 15 marzo 2011
New update on 1.3
Guys,
thanks to your important feedback i fixed three bugs on map calibration:
1- latitude loaded with incorrect sign for WESTward latitudes
2- map calibration incorrect when two points are vertically aligned
3- some manually edited cal files would not load
I have released it as 1.3.22 on the web site and will release shortly on OVI too.
thanks to your important feedback i fixed three bugs on map calibration:
1- latitude loaded with incorrect sign for WESTward latitudes
2- map calibration incorrect when two points are vertically aligned
3- some manually edited cal files would not load
I have released it as 1.3.22 on the web site and will release shortly on OVI too.
lunedì 7 marzo 2011
Status on Release 1.3
After finding one more bug (and fixing it on the web site release), FreeTrack 1.3 is officially out.
On OVI Store things are a big more complicated as usual. The free 1.3 release is still at 0% progress while the SUPPORTER release is at 99,3% done since two days.
This means that maybe the SUPPORTER release shall be out by this week, while the free release wont be out until at least mid-march.
Sorry guys! By the way, i have no idea why OVI is publisinh the supporter first, since i have commited to QA after the free release.
Anyway, meanwhile get it free from the website!
On OVI Store things are a big more complicated as usual. The free 1.3 release is still at 0% progress while the SUPPORTER release is at 99,3% done since two days.
This means that maybe the SUPPORTER release shall be out by this week, while the free release wont be out until at least mid-march.
Sorry guys! By the way, i have no idea why OVI is publisinh the supporter first, since i have commited to QA after the free release.
Anyway, meanwhile get it free from the website!
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