Hey there, I looking for a new project, I like making simple windows programs many simple tools that would edit ini files or so one but with nice UI's and simple to use
so the end user feels it was worth using the tool over messing with the file them self's
But this day and age I finding it hard to find what tools or projects to create, I guess I don't know where to look to find a nice project, what would be a good way to
find a good project idea, I sure people all have there own ideas on who they get there to there end projects so any ideas would be great to listen to.
Once you have your idea how do you set out doing it how do you map your work, I know many like private github or opensource they like to use public github
but how do you track what people want, how do you emulate all the systems your going to need to test on.
Thanks in advance.
[B]KuroRanger[/B]
I don't actually write stuff for the (sole) purpose of it being used by others.
I take care that my code is adaptable and extensible, but beyond that I usually write stuff for myself.
When I start making some idea reality I just start by writing some code.
If I feel it getting a good potion of my time and dedication I put it in a private git repo and write stuff into a TODO file.
Beyond that I don't really make a plan on how to progress; I also switch around a couple of projects.
I try to keep it portable by using strict compiler settings and abiding by common idioms. I don't really test beyond my own system.
At some point I need to take non-gcc compatible compilers into account for my CMake file :)
I plan to look into cross-compiling at some point, but for actual testing of the binaries I would probably search for someone who runs the platform. If I can't find anyone and I really want to test it, I'd just set up a VM.
This does not account for different hardware configurations though. Not much I can do about that except spending money, which I'm really not willing to do. At least not for any of my current projects.
[editline]16th August 2013[/editline]
If you're just looking to do [i]something[/i], you could look at the bug-tracker for some open-source project and try to help getting tickets done.
Testing on different systems, what is that? I'm not serious, but you probably can't emulate everything on one system unless it's a WebDev project.
If you want to test for Macs you need a Mac, if you want to test for Linux and Windows you need to install Linux and Windows.
A VM may work for very simple things but it's probably more tedious than dual booting in the long run.
Unless you're making a huge commercial product just get other people to do it for you, add an extremely verbose error message with instructions on how to report it, then you will get bug reports.
As for ideas, I usually just stumble across a problem, then stop half-way when I find something more interesting :v:
If you're good at coding look for open source/free software projects to contribute to if you're feeling charitable, or just browse forums and see if there's a problem you can solve with programming (or a puzzle competition you can cheat in).
You can use Google Docs forms or the issue trackers on Bitbucket and Github to collect suggestions, if you're really desperate for ideas post a free-text survey link at some place more frequented than this subforum (you will get a ton of garbage that way though, make it clear you have no idea whether you'll finish the stuff even if you intend to).
Bitbucket has unlimited private repos, if you don't want to post your code.
Sincerely,
Tamschi
[sp]Don't sign your posts.[/sp]
[QUOTE=ZeekyHBomb;41859480]I don't actually write stuff for the (sole) purpose of it being used by others.
I take care that my code is adaptable and extensible, but beyond that I usually write stuff for myself.
When I start making some idea reality I just start by writing some code.
If I feel it getting a good potion of my time and dedication I put it in a private git repo and write stuff into a TODO file.
Beyond that I don't really make a plan on how to progress; I also switch around a couple of projects.
I try to keep it portable by using strict compiler settings and abiding by common idioms. I don't really test beyond my own system.
At some point I need to take non-gcc compatible compilers into account for my CMake file :)
I plan to look into cross-compiling at some point, but for actual testing of the binaries I would probably search for someone who runs the platform. If I can't find anyone and I really want to test it, I'd just set up a VM.
This does not account for different hardware configurations though. Not much I can do about that except spending money, which I'm really not willing to do. At least not for any of my current projects.
[editline]16th August 2013[/editline]
If you're just looking to do [i]something[/i], you could look at the bug-tracker for some open-source project and try to help getting tickets done.[/QUOTE]
Hey, thanks for your input, when I create things just for me I set it up in my own systems no git as its just easy for me when working offline, coding or creating things takes my time up all the time hehe.
Hardware dedicated software I feel limits your following unless you wanted to control the hardware or take use of something only that hardware can offer, so when it comes to testing I try and test it with known troublesum setups like AV's and things like this, I try and run Alphas and Betas when making public software.
[editline]16th August 2013[/editline]
[QUOTE=Tamschi;41859568]Testing on different systems, what is that? I'm not serious, but you probably can't emulate everything on one system unless it's a WebDev project.
If you want to test for Macs you need a Mac, if you want to test for Linux and Windows you need to install Linux and Windows.
A VM may work for very simple things but it's probably more tedious than dual booting in the long run.
Unless you're making a huge commercial product just get other people to do it for you, add an extremely verbose error message with instructions on how to report it, then you will get bug reports.
As for ideas, I usually just stumble across a problem, then stop half-way when I find something more interesting :v:
If you're good at coding look for open source/free software projects to contribute to if you're feeling charitable, or just browse forums and see if there's a problem you can solve with programming (or a puzzle competition you can cheat in).
You can use Google Docs forms or the issue trackers on Bitbucket and Github to collect suggestions, if you're really desperate for ideas post a free-text survey link at some place more frequented than this subforum (you will get a ton of garbage that way though, make it clear you have no idea whether you'll finish the stuff even if you intend to).
Bitbucket has unlimited private repos, if you don't want to post your code.
Sincerely,
Tamschi
[sp]Don't sign your posts.[/sp][/QUOTE]
Very useful thanks and DER yes I forgot about google doc's and I also remember there is a app for google sites what can also act like a bug tracker, some times the simple things can go over our heads.
I would say I am more of a php/lua scripter then I am anything else but the helping out a open source project would also be fun but can also be stressful, I have looked on forums in the past to help people make there ideas or concepts deviantart is great for that, I made many of there media players or window frames just so they can see how it would look in the past.
[QUOTE=kuroranger;41859578]Hey, thanks for your input, when I create things just for me I set it up in my own systems no git as its just easy for me when working offline, coding or creating things takes my time up all the time hehe.[/QUOTE]
I use git because I develop on two systems and so I have a backup in case I do anything stupid.
I also used git bisect once. Cool stuff.
[QUOTE]Hardware dedicated software I feel limits your following unless you wanted to control the hardware or take use of something only that hardware can offer, so when it comes to testing I try and test it with known troublesum setups like AV's and things like this, I try and run Alphas and Betas when making public software.[/QUOTE]
It doesn't have to be hardware dedicated software in order for it to be wise to test on different hardware.
Android comes to mind. And when you're doing any kind of desktop-user oriented hardware-accelerated stuff (without only using a high-level framework), testing on AMD, Intel and nVidia graphics devices is a good idea, if not even multiple different devices from these vendors.
[QUOTE]I would say I am more of a php/lua scripter then I am anything else but the helping out a open source project would also be fun but can also be stressful[/QUOTE]
I submitted a bunch of patches to various open-source software and it has certainly not been stressful.
You don't need to function in any official capacity in order to contribute patches.
Unless of course you try to argue for some controversial feature or the developers declare some bug as feature something like that.
Maybe you'll also have fun looking into a new programming language.
I would learn a new language but problem I have I would forget the things I already know lol have a few problems with mem and if I don't keep up with one I get lost very easy plus I like lua and PHP :)
I not sure its the language I have a problem with its more of how the world is changing moving to mobile devices and becoming very locked in to the simple touch with a finger world, this to me wasts much of the screen with a mouse you have way more hit spots and more you can do with one section, maybe this is me been old but its just how I feel I think the world as lost some of its creativity
I did not suggest learning a new language in order to fix any problem.
I thought you were looking for something to do and looking into a couple of interesting languages, say Lisp, Haskell or Scala, is something you might find worthwhile. Even if you won't use them for anything serious in the end.
It's not completely useless either. You'll learn new ways of tackling problems and perhaps find better tools suited for a certain job.
Unless you forget fundamental things, I don't think there's anything wrong with having to look stuff up.
Even with small standard libraries, like the ones in C or Lua, I find myself having to look up stuff.
But of course if you think you would not benefit from the excursion, or even that it would be harmful, feel free to simply ignore my suggestion.
While mobile devices with touch interface are certainly gaining a lot of popularity, I doubt that the combination of keyboard and mouse will go away anytime soon.
I'm unsure how this should relate to a lack in creativity though. I'm still waiting for Minority Report-like interfaces :) (not strictly a touch interface though)
[QUOTE=ZeekyHBomb;41860488]I did not suggest learning a new language in order to fix any problem.
I thought you were looking for something to do and looking into a couple of interesting languages, say Lisp, Haskell or Scala, is something you might find worthwhile. Even if you won't use them for anything serious in the end.
It's not completely useless either. You'll learn new ways of tackling problems and perhaps find better tools suited for a certain job.
Unless you forget fundamental things, I don't think there's anything wrong with having to look stuff up.
Even with small standard libraries, like the ones in C or Lua, I find myself having to look up stuff.
But of course if you think you would not benefit from the excursion, or even that it would be harmful, feel free to simply ignore my suggestion.
While mobile devices with touch interface are certainly gaining a lot of popularity, I doubt that the combination of keyboard and mouse will go away anytime soon.
I'm unsure how this should relate to a lack in creativity though. I'm still waiting for Minority Report-like interfaces :) (not strictly a touch interface though)[/QUOTE]
That kind of interface is here :) just not really worth the money it costs to make one right now lol, I never took it as you was telling me to take a new language up that way I just saying sadly my own problems make that little harder, I know there are better language out there that will do jobs much better then I can do in the languages I use :)
Well I agree the mouse has a long life but I feel it will become more business or desktop only soon laptops as we knew them are slowly changing.
The creative comment was pointed at tabs and phones sorry it was off topic lol hehe
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