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I'll volunteer 2 months full-time development for free, with a few conditions. - I'm looking for a job in New Zealand, Australia, or Canada. Not Seattle (sorry

I'll volunteer 2 months full-time development for free, with a few conditions. - I'm looking for a job in New Zealand, Australia, or Canada. Not Seattle (sorry Bill). I'd stop job hunting to work on this, so someone else will have to find me a job. - I'd develop for the MacBook Pro 2014, because that's my hardware. Only one Linux distro (probably Ubuntu). - Weekly check-in emails (maybe twice a week). A plan set out at the beginning with the deliverables for each week. Am I qualified? No idea. Currently I work at OSE, a microSD card manufacturer in Taiwan, where I've bit-banged control systems protocols and done big data analysis. The closest side project I did to this is KeyMouSerial, which logs keyboard & mouse movements on my laptop, sends them to an Arduino, which behaves like a keyboard for a Raspberry Pi. I'm disillusioned with Apple now, and wanting to hop to Linux. I also want to port iTunes and AppleScript, though I think there's less demand for those two.

tzahola 8y ago
Sorry for being off-topic, but I can't resist asking why on Earth would you want to port iTunes and AppleScript? Everyone I know (except the HN user actsasbuffoon) loathes iTunes, while AppleScript is just... silly, compared to other scripting languages.
- peterburkimsher 8y ago
  I miss the old iTunes 10 interface, which I use as a database manager (I like smart playlists, playlist folders, and Genre > Artist > Album columns). AppleScript because it has so many APIs. BetterTouchTool makes heavy use of it. I taught myself how to code in it when I was 13, and I still use it now.
  - tzahola 8y ago
    >AppleScript because it has so many APIs. You mean the commands you can use on apps like iTunes, Finder, Photos, etc.? Those are not AppleScript-specific per se (AFAIK there used to be an option to write Automator scripts in JS). You'd need the Linux/Gnome/KDE equivalent of the Open Scripting Architecture ( https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/AppleScript/Conceptual/AppleScriptX/Concepts/osa.html https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/Ap... ) with active participation from app developers. Sounds like a huge overtaking.
    - peterburkimsher 8y ago
      Yes, it would be a huge undertaking. I've already rewritten my own apps for offline maps, calendar, notes, and I plan to write contacts and iTunes too. When there's a standard API comparable to Apple Events/OSA within those core apps, I'd hope to have enough leverage to persuade other app developers to accept pull requests.
      - snuxoll 8y ago
        We already have D-Bus to cover sending events to applications, what's really missing is a standard way to enable scripting. I've had a similar idea myself but never got around to implementing it, but I think a standard D-Bus interface applications could implement to expose a scripting dictionary along with a Python/Ruby/Whatever library to implement a more OSA-like interaction would go a long way.
      - gurkendoktor 8y ago
        Out of curiosity, what GUI toolkit have you written these apps in/for? Something Mac-like (GNUStep)?
    - corv 8y ago
      Yes, you can still write Automator scripts with JavaScript! Unfortunately the documentation is AppleScript only.
      - tzahola 8y ago
        So, in 2018, at peak JS, it's practically an easter egg that you can write Automator scripts in JavaScript. I guess this is indicative of Apple's commitment to macOS automation...
  - jhasse 8y ago
    > I like smart playlists, playlist folders, and Genre > Artist > Album columns Doesn't Rhythmbox have that?
- optimuspaul 8y ago
  I like iTunes, I don't understand why people hate it. Applescript is silly in some respects. It was the first scripting language I learned so it has a special place in my heart. I would totally spend the time to port that if someone was wanting help with that. It's quirky and not difficult to pick up. I can't imagine it having much of a market outside of the Mac ecosystem though. I guess I'm also curious why.
- actsasbuffoon 8y ago
  Howdy. You've now met someone who thinks iTunes is decent for his uses.
- dwighttk 8y ago
  I like iTunes as a music player. I've never seen another app that tempted me to make the effort to switch. There are a few warts in its other tasks (which should be spun of into another app), but once I switched to iCloud syncing for my phone I stopped seeing those.
meuk 8y ago
> I'm looking for a job in New Zealand, Australia, or Canada. Not Seattle (sorry Bill). I'd stop job hunting to work on this, so someone else will have to find me a job. I think letting someone else job hunt for you is unconventional for a reason (it's probably a bad idea).
- peterburkimsher 8y ago
  Recruiters do exist, but that's not my idea. I'd rather that a project manager in one of those countries use this as a kind of long interview. If I succeed/work well with them, then they'd hire me.
  - meuk 8y ago
    I certainly wish you the best! A lot of people say they support Linux and open source, but are not willing to put significant effort in themselves (that includes me, to be honest).
nixpulvis 8y ago
I would be amazed if someone is going to be willing to find you a job because you decided to work on some OSS. However, having a project like this to talk about is great interview material. As for actually building this, I'd be very excited to see this being worked on. It's going to need a lot of different hardware to test with, so the more people working on it the better.
greenhatman 8y ago
Sorry if this is a stupid question, but do we need new Linux drivers for MacBook touch pads? Mine is working fine on my 2015 MackBook with Linux Mint. Am I missing something obvious?
- nkristoffersen 8y ago
  I’m not sure but when I tried using my external mac touchpad on Ubuntu it wouldn’t handle scrolling (two fingers).
- gurkendoktor 8y ago
  Maybe not new drivers, but the existing ones drive me nuts. For example, I often rest my thumb on the bottom left corner of the trackpad (where I press to click). That interferes with my cursor movement on Linux, but not on macOS, which ignores my resting thumb with 100% accuracy.
rayiner 8y ago
I hate to be negative, but what makes you think you can do in two months what Microsoft has failed to do in several years (Microsoft's Precision Touchpad is still a ways away from a Mac touchpad).
- peterburkimsher 8y ago
  I probably can't finish it. But I can start, and document it all. The 2 month time is because that's how long I spent on summer internships before (I rewrote Pixelgarde in 6 + 8 weeks, and a driver for a Fisher & Paykel Healthcare CPAP in less than 3 months). Second, my ankle's broken so I'm taking time off my normal work. Third, I hope that if I do the alternative (keep applying for jobs), I'd get an offer within 2 months.
- rxhernandez 8y ago
  Who ever accused Microsoft of always doing their best to have the best product on the market at all costs?
- yunyu 8y ago
  Really? Outside of the lack of force touch, I haven't found the Surface touchpads to be any worse than Macbook ones in terms of accuracy.
  - rayiner 8y ago
    I haven’t spent much time with the Surface touchpad. On my X1C, which has the Precision touhpad driver, little things are off. E.g. moving the cursor with one finger while others are resting on the touchpad will hiccup a bit.
- seltzered_ 8y ago
  > I'd develop for the MacBook Pro 2014, because that's my hardware. Only one Linux distro (probably Ubuntu). While I haven't used desktop linux as a host os in years, but I agree on the sentiment that the macbook trackpad is easier/probably implemented well already. Years ago, I spent a bit of time bootstrapping thimblemac.com which involved hacking around and using privateframeworks for the trackpad. Much of the work in that space is seemingly based off of code from back in 2009 - http://blog.sendapatch.se/2009/november/multitouch-on-unibody-macbooks.html http://blog.sendapatch.se/2009/november/multitouch-on-unibod... , and from searching github just now staring briefly at https://github.com/robotrovsky/Linux-Magic-Trackpad-2-Driver https://github.com/robotrovsky/Linux-Magic-Trackpad-2-Driver it looks like they've gotten things implemented fairly well. Between being more interested in surface-like tablets and watching the diy keyboard community's growth, I wonder how hard it would be to create an Open-Source-HardWare typecover that included a touch pad. There have been things like the macdec and express keyboard (https://www.wired.com/2011/02/macdec-tea-tray-holds-keyboard-and-trackpad/ https://www.wired.com/2011/02/macdec-tea-tray-holds-keyboard... , https://bullettrain.com/products/express-keyboard-platform?variant=3508308246568 https://bullettrain.com/products/express-keyboard-platform?v... ), but given the slimness of the force touch trackpad and info around slim keyboards I bet you could make something small enough to pair with a tablet. You could start by making a slim diy keyboard (think https://keeb.io/collections/frontpage/products/dilly-3x10-ortholinear-keyboard-for-kailh-choc-low-profile-switches https://keeb.io/collections/frontpage/products/dilly-3x10-or... but slimmer) that had an insert for a bluetooth apple magic trackpad, then optimize the design from there.

tzahola 8y ago

Sorry for being off-topic, but I can't resist asking why on Earth would you want to port iTunes and AppleScript? Everyone I know (except the HN user actsasbuffoon) loathes iTunes, while AppleScript is just... silly, compared to other scripting languages.

peterburkimsher 8y ago
I miss the old iTunes 10 interface, which I use as a database manager (I like smart playlists, playlist folders, and Genre > Artist > Album columns). AppleScript because it has so many APIs. BetterTouchTool makes heavy use of it. I taught myself how to code in it when I was 13, and I still use it now.
- tzahola 8y ago
  >AppleScript because it has so many APIs. You mean the commands you can use on apps like iTunes, Finder, Photos, etc.? Those are not AppleScript-specific per se (AFAIK there used to be an option to write Automator scripts in JS). You'd need the Linux/Gnome/KDE equivalent of the Open Scripting Architecture ( https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/AppleScript/Conceptual/AppleScriptX/Concepts/osa.html https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/Ap... ) with active participation from app developers. Sounds like a huge overtaking.
  - peterburkimsher 8y ago
    Yes, it would be a huge undertaking. I've already rewritten my own apps for offline maps, calendar, notes, and I plan to write contacts and iTunes too. When there's a standard API comparable to Apple Events/OSA within those core apps, I'd hope to have enough leverage to persuade other app developers to accept pull requests.
    - snuxoll 8y ago
      We already have D-Bus to cover sending events to applications, what's really missing is a standard way to enable scripting. I've had a similar idea myself but never got around to implementing it, but I think a standard D-Bus interface applications could implement to expose a scripting dictionary along with a Python/Ruby/Whatever library to implement a more OSA-like interaction would go a long way.
    - gurkendoktor 8y ago
      Out of curiosity, what GUI toolkit have you written these apps in/for? Something Mac-like (GNUStep)?
  - corv 8y ago
    Yes, you can still write Automator scripts with JavaScript! Unfortunately the documentation is AppleScript only.
    - tzahola 8y ago
      So, in 2018, at peak JS, it's practically an easter egg that you can write Automator scripts in JavaScript. I guess this is indicative of Apple's commitment to macOS automation...
- jhasse 8y ago
  > I like smart playlists, playlist folders, and Genre > Artist > Album columns Doesn't Rhythmbox have that?
optimuspaul 8y ago
I like iTunes, I don't understand why people hate it. Applescript is silly in some respects. It was the first scripting language I learned so it has a special place in my heart. I would totally spend the time to port that if someone was wanting help with that. It's quirky and not difficult to pick up. I can't imagine it having much of a market outside of the Mac ecosystem though. I guess I'm also curious why.
actsasbuffoon 8y ago
Howdy. You've now met someone who thinks iTunes is decent for his uses.
dwighttk 8y ago
I like iTunes as a music player. I've never seen another app that tempted me to make the effort to switch. There are a few warts in its other tasks (which should be spun of into another app), but once I switched to iCloud syncing for my phone I stopped seeing those.

meuk 8y ago

> I'm looking for a job in New Zealand, Australia, or Canada. Not Seattle (sorry Bill). I'd stop job hunting to work on this, so someone else will have to find me a job. I think letting someone else job hunt for you is unconventional for a reason (it's probably a bad idea).

peterburkimsher 8y ago
Recruiters do exist, but that's not my idea. I'd rather that a project manager in one of those countries use this as a kind of long interview. If I succeed/work well with them, then they'd hire me.
- meuk 8y ago
  I certainly wish you the best! A lot of people say they support Linux and open source, but are not willing to put significant effort in themselves (that includes me, to be honest).

nixpulvis 8y ago

I would be amazed if someone is going to be willing to find you a job because you decided to work on some OSS. However, having a project like this to talk about is great interview material. As for actually building this, I'd be very excited to see this being worked on. It's going to need a lot of different hardware to test with, so the more people working on it the better.

greenhatman 8y ago

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but do we need new Linux drivers for MacBook touch pads? Mine is working fine on my 2015 MackBook with Linux Mint. Am I missing something obvious?

nkristoffersen 8y ago
I’m not sure but when I tried using my external mac touchpad on Ubuntu it wouldn’t handle scrolling (two fingers).
gurkendoktor 8y ago
Maybe not new drivers, but the existing ones drive me nuts. For example, I often rest my thumb on the bottom left corner of the trackpad (where I press to click). That interferes with my cursor movement on Linux, but not on macOS, which ignores my resting thumb with 100% accuracy.

rayiner 8y ago

I hate to be negative, but what makes you think you can do in two months what Microsoft has failed to do in several years (Microsoft's Precision Touchpad is still a ways away from a Mac touchpad).

peterburkimsher 8y ago
I probably can't finish it. But I can start, and document it all. The 2 month time is because that's how long I spent on summer internships before (I rewrote Pixelgarde in 6 + 8 weeks, and a driver for a Fisher & Paykel Healthcare CPAP in less than 3 months). Second, my ankle's broken so I'm taking time off my normal work. Third, I hope that if I do the alternative (keep applying for jobs), I'd get an offer within 2 months.
rxhernandez 8y ago
Who ever accused Microsoft of always doing their best to have the best product on the market at all costs?
yunyu 8y ago
Really? Outside of the lack of force touch, I haven't found the Surface touchpads to be any worse than Macbook ones in terms of accuracy.
- rayiner 8y ago
  I haven’t spent much time with the Surface touchpad. On my X1C, which has the Precision touhpad driver, little things are off. E.g. moving the cursor with one finger while others are resting on the touchpad will hiccup a bit.
seltzered_ 8y ago
> I'd develop for the MacBook Pro 2014, because that's my hardware. Only one Linux distro (probably Ubuntu). While I haven't used desktop linux as a host os in years, but I agree on the sentiment that the macbook trackpad is easier/probably implemented well already. Years ago, I spent a bit of time bootstrapping thimblemac.com which involved hacking around and using privateframeworks for the trackpad. Much of the work in that space is seemingly based off of code from back in 2009 - http://blog.sendapatch.se/2009/november/multitouch-on-unibody-macbooks.html http://blog.sendapatch.se/2009/november/multitouch-on-unibod... , and from searching github just now staring briefly at https://github.com/robotrovsky/Linux-Magic-Trackpad-2-Driver https://github.com/robotrovsky/Linux-Magic-Trackpad-2-Driver it looks like they've gotten things implemented fairly well. Between being more interested in surface-like tablets and watching the diy keyboard community's growth, I wonder how hard it would be to create an Open-Source-HardWare typecover that included a touch pad. There have been things like the macdec and express keyboard (https://www.wired.com/2011/02/macdec-tea-tray-holds-keyboard-and-trackpad/ https://www.wired.com/2011/02/macdec-tea-tray-holds-keyboard... , https://bullettrain.com/products/express-keyboard-platform?variant=3508308246568 https://bullettrain.com/products/express-keyboard-platform?v... ), but given the slimness of the force touch trackpad and info around slim keyboards I bet you could make something small enough to pair with a tablet. You could start by making a slim diy keyboard (think https://keeb.io/collections/frontpage/products/dilly-3x10-ortholinear-keyboard-for-kailh-choc-low-profile-switches https://keeb.io/collections/frontpage/products/dilly-3x10-or... but slimmer) that had an insert for a bluetooth apple magic trackpad, then optimize the design from there.