Posts about open source

Stellarium

Stellarium is free open source planetarium for your computer.

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Google Summer of Code Projects

Over the last three years Google Summer of Code has provided 1500 students from 90 countries the chance to work on open source projects. Each participant will receive $4,500 as a stipend. Student applications will be accepted from March 24th to March 31st.

Details on the software projects are available now. Given the short time that the application is actually open getting a start looking for projects that interest you might be wise.

externs.com offers listings of science internships and engineering internships.

Related: Preparing Computer Science Students for JobsOpen Source for LEGO Mindstorms Open Source: The Scientific Model Applied to Programmingposts on fellowships and scholarships

Google Summer of Code 2008

Over the last three years Google Summer of Code has provided 1500 students from 90 countries the chance to work on open source projects. It also has provide some great software and software enhancements to the open source community. Google has increased their funding by another $1 million. Each participant will receive $4,500 as a stipend.

I don’t understand why they have such a short window of opportunity to apply – but this is how they do it every year. They are accepting applications from open source projects, to act as mentoring organizations, through March 13th. Student applications will be accepted from March 24th to March 31st. See Google’s announcement.

externs.com offers listings of science internships and engineering internships.

Related: Preparing Computer Science Students for JobsIT Employment Hits New High AgainA Career in Computer ProgrammingHoward Hughes Medical Institute Summer Research JobsThe Joy of Workposts on fellowships and scholarships

Open Source 3-D Printing

Fab@home 3d printer

3-D Fabrication Goes Open Source

Hod Lipson and Evan Malone of Cornell University have cooked-up a cheap DIY 3-D printer – the Fab@Home – that they believe could lead to the widespread use of fabrication machines by hobbyists and experimenters. Fabrication machines, or fabbers, operate on the same principle as inkjet printers, but instead of squirting out ink onto paper, they squirt plastic or other materials into three-dimensional shapes. Commercial systems average around $100,000, but you can build Cornell’s Fab@Home for about US$2,300 worth of off-the-shelf parts.

Related: fab@homeCornell Computational Synthesis LabA Plane You Can Print

Open Source for LEGO Mindstorms

Lego Tribot

Open Source Firmware, Developer Kits for LEGO® MINDSTORMS®:

“Most often, innovation comes from the core community of users. Our ongoing commitment to enabling our fan base to personalize and enhance their MINDSTORMS experience has reached a new level with our decision to release the firmware for the NXT brick as open source,” said Søren Lund, director of LEGO MINDSTORMS.

photo: Lego TriBot – a flexible 3-wheeled driving robot with sound, light, touch and ultrasonic sensors – see more details.

Related: Books – Building Robots With Lego Mindstorms and LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Hacker’s Guide – Posts Lego LearningFun k-12 Science and Engineering LearningBuilding minds by building robotsBuy the Lego Mindstorms NXT kit online – $250

Why Desktop Linux Will Not Take off

I am getting a new computer and will use Ubuntu (a Linux flavor) as the operating system. I find this article interesting though I don’t necessarily agree. I think there is a decent chance that desktop Linux will take off in the next 3 years. Why Desktop Linux Will Not Take off, and Why You Don’t Want It to, Average computer buyers:

worst nightmare after melting in a lava pit might be to have to compare between distributions, desktops, window managers, file browsers, web browsers, mail clients, instant messaging clients, music players and movie players before they could do anything with their brand new desktop computer—or before they had a mental breakdown.

the Linux desktop has been designed and implemented by technology enthusiasts, for technology enthusiasts. If they were to seriously try to make it appealing to the masses, the effort would collapse halfway because they would be dismayed by the result. My take is that things are just fine the way they are, and the Linux desktop for Dummies an utopia.

The option is for a cover to be placed over the operating system that is easy for most to use. That is what Apple does. And that is what Ubuntu does (and Ubuntu is free). For me the likelihood of Linux desktop taking off is great especially when you consider how many of the new desktops will be placed in India, China, Brazil…

Related: Give Children a Computer and Stand Back$100 Laptops for the World