Latinux Magazine V1N0_EN by Latinux Inc. (Venezuela)

EMBOT mobile robot p. 16

Know the winner of the “Maddog Challenge”p. 15

Exclusive! Jon “Maddog” Hall

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ENGLISH VERSION

l a ti n u x

magazine

Vol. I Nº 0

Events II Edition Campus Party Colombia 24/7

FISL 10 Free Software International Forum "In terms of technological exclusion, the Third World doesn't exists if we are connected” Polkan García "A cheap way to change the world" Exploring the Ipod power MALOKA Robotics clubs

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TIPS & TRICKS " How to enhance a picture

and not die in the attempt " p. 11

CONTENT 2

EDITORIAL

Sponsored by: Latinux Cluster

The Cluster Latinux is an enterprises, educational institutions and consultants network specialized in solutions based in free technologies, including consulting and training for these solutions. At the same time, it focuses in consulting, support, maintenance, developing and enterprises solutions installation services based in free technology worldwide. Inside business opportunities opened from Latinux, one is to cover the no satisfied demand from organizations, companies and governments related to free software development and the chance to take advantage of products and services with a specific local success or in a whole conglomerate acting area. All Latinux participant enterprises are well established in their own working area and all have a long experience with free technology.

LATINUX PRESS

Published for: Latinux Press, a division of Latinux Inc. Adress: Av. Samuel Lewis, Edificio Central, PH. Panamá. República de Panamá Phone: +13055177853 Email: info@latinuxpress.com

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robotic clubs 1 4 Maloka Diego Corrales Challenge" 1 5 "Maddog Lauretta

Editor in Chief Ricardo Strusberg Associated Editor Mariana Henríquez Graphic Design María “Tatica” Leandro Fotography Mariana Henríquez María “Tatica” Leandro Translation Martha Romero Management Jacqueline Perez de Strusberg Electronic Subscription María Zamora For local contacts: brasil@latinuxmagazine.com chile@latinuxmagazine.com colombia@latinuxmagazine.com puertorico@latinuxmagazine.com republicadominicana@latinuxmagazine.com mexico@latinuxmagazine.com uruguay@latinuxmagazine.com usa@latinuxmagazine.com venezuela@latinuxmagazine.com

- "Mobile Robot" 1 6 Embot Luis Felipe Carvajal and Andrés Calderón

In Touch "Free Software: ¿An altruistic philosophy based on solidarity?" Tips & Tricks Web buttons Diffusion Zone "Sugar on a Stick" "Arduino, open hardware"

Latinux Magazine

p. 1

EDITORIAL

"A Phoenix's fly: let's see how it goes." It was 1983, in Venezuela, when with a group of friends and Simon Bolivar University's students I accepted the challenge of editing the first Personal Computer Magazine in the country: Sistemas (Systems). It was an unforgettable path of experiences. Those where the times when informatics tools for printed media production were limited and expensive at the same time. In fact, the first issue was hand-crafted, printed at the university own printing department with the editors and contributors working together along the process, as a way to reduce costs and learn the “trade”. At that moment, without knowing it yet, I had a glimpse of the path I will follow professionally: to teach everything I've learned and to continue learning for the rest of my life.

Linux and two years since the company where I was ( and I am) technology vicepresident or CTO (as is known in the USA) was exclusively dedicated to work as Consultants in Free Software based projects with the additional task of explaining the advantages of it. That is why Corvus Latinoamerica (Latinux Venezuela today) besides several Free Software International companies, such as: Caldera and SuSE; and other not as free at the moment (Sun Microsystems and IBM), additionally with the Venezuelan Linux Users Group organized the first Latin America Free Software Seminar and Exposition, called Linuxweek'99. Framed inside Linuxweek'99, the Cluster Latinux idea was born. But this is another tale, which will be told in a future issue as an article.

Cluster Latinux work and contribution, presented as the periodic magazine with the most strong presence and reach inside Latin America, supported with our physical presence in 8 countries in the region. And this issue that you are reading, in digital format (Acrobat PDF), in our web site in HTML format or in the traditional paper form is the issue number zero, it is the first step and a project transformed into reality. And what could be best, for this first issue, that to reunite two important milestones in the Cluster Latinux history: a technological magazine edition and the coverage of two big technological events: the Campus Party in Colombia and the Brazil's FISL

Sistemas, the personal computing magazine, as it was called, which had Alberto Hung, a friend, as Editor in Chief; carried out its goal for almost two years. It was a resource used to pass on all our experiences in technology and informatics. We shared code for computers as Atari, Apple II, Sinclair Z80 and Commodore. We motivated others to copy, improve and comment code. Does this look familiar to you? Yes, at that moment and in a natural way we applied what is known today as the foundation of Free Software.

Today, 26 years after the first issue of Sistemas, in a world highly interconnected, with content publication and distribution technology that make the Sistemas era look like the Stone age, is born from its ashes, as a Phoenix, Latinux Magazine; confronting a new challenge: to publish a magazine in free technologies. A periodic publication (monthly, initially), which must take advantage of the best of the publication technologies and get ready for the “electronic publications” era. A publication, inspired and supported by the

Ricardo Strusberg

In 1999 Sistemas was a memory, a beautiful experience. Despite that, the essence of the impulse which promoted it was alive and kicking. Six years had passed since my first encounter with

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Latinux Magazine

(Venezuela) strusberg@latinux.com

EVENTS

Campus party Colombia 2009 The Campus Party 2009 was a re-affirmative scene “It is possible to generate knowledge and content, thanks to a dream, to the networks, to the technology, to the sponsors, to the corferías, and to every one of the campers participating in this great party”.

(Polkan García, Campus Party Colombia Director).

To know the person at the other side Campus Party 2009 we see, clearly, how of the network is possible at the it moves and the way it does. From Campus Party “Arenas”. celestial mechanics in astronomy, we land to know the futurist activity in no This is about a technological conventional robot locomotion; we party where it is possible to be transfered learned about the computer from virtual to real, from the interaction personalization art (Mooding), we saw the with the computer screen to the “face-to- latest line of products from the apple face” meeting. This event incarnates a people, we were able to observe the technology world reality show, one innovations implemented in open code “twenty four seven” of games, creativity, (Free Software) and even to explore the science, innovation, digital leisure, stay- network as a creation, design and up-late faces, gamers euphoric cheers, innovation fertilized field. With all of this concentrated developers in front of their is hard not to realize the technological blue screens and campers smiles, happy commotion shaking and existing in the about getting their knowledge reward; this world for which we have to thank the was spread in creative spaces, workshops, history that is being written by the men conferences, competitions and 6.6 GB of and women sitting in front of a computer. Internet connection provided by Telefónica Telecom, official event About the inauguration sponsor. J

Going into the content and thematic zones, the phrase of Galileo Galilee – astronomer, philosopher, physic and mathematician - gets attention: “Eppur si muove”, translated “Yet, it moves”, and, It really moves! , in the

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u l i a n

M ed i n a

( Te l e f o n i c a

“This is, really, one thrilling night, one of those that make people rattle (…) Who could have imagined a seven days party in which we will get drunk, but with only one thing: knowledge”. Te l e c o m

TECHNOLOGICAL REALITY SHOW MEMORIES - 24/7 Entire inauguration The event inauguration ended with a countdown. As a funny detail, being this a technological event, the screen didn't work but, despite this, the Colombians gracious attitude and a happy explosion created the mood to scream animately 10! 9! 8! 7! 6! 5! 4! 3! 2! 1! 0! and the clapping and cheers and that divine sensation to start at once this technological party covered the room and everybody there. Immediately, after the inauguration, the music from the Delux Club band invaded the Campus Party “Arena” with lights, smoke and more cheers, immersing all presents in an electronic and rock environment. At the end, for those who haven't lived one and for those who want to live it again, reserve your tickets for 2010!

P r es i d en t ) :

Latinux Magazine

Lauretta

(Venezuela) lauretta@latinuxmagazine.com

EVENTS

President Lula da Silva opening The President of Brazil, Lula da Silva, offered a memorable speech, at the Foro International del Software Livre (FISL), performed in Porto Alegre with an attendance of over 8000 people.

FREE SOFTWARE INTERNATIONAL FORUM 2009 - FISL 1 0

In Brazil, Free Software has become one of the pillars of the technology use and production policies at Government level. This fact has led to good expectations. Brazil is one of the most compromised countries with the open code program inside the region and the world. This free software fidelity brought a direct benefit: according with the authorities, in 2008 the State saved 370 millions of reales, about US$ 167.80 millions.

was a great tension between those who wanted the adoption of free software in Brazil and other who through that we must made business as usual: buy and pay for others intelligence, and, thank God, the decision to use free software prevailed in our country. […] Prevailed, simply, the idea of freedom”.

thing: we don't know everything, only part, (…) but if we add a little of what everybody knows, we are going to be able to built everything we need, once and for all we are going to democratize this country, so everyone of us can be free and be able to do good deeds.”

“We learned to love ourselves. We are discovering we are able to do lots of things. We are discovering that nobody

He ends addressing the audience: “ Finally, this country has met with itself. Finally this country is having freedom of

Next, some excerpts from the speech are highlighted: “Now that the dish is ready, it is simple for the people just to eat it. But, this dish creation wasn't a game. I remember the first meeting we had at the Granja do Torto, where I didn't understood anything about this language we were taking a decision about; and there

is better than us. Maybe some are at the information proof”. same level, but they are not better: they don't have more creativity than us. What You are invited to read the whole speech we need, is an opportunity “. at our portal magazine.linux.org. He dedicates several words to Marcelo Branco, General manager of the FISL 10: “Marcelo, you can be sure of one

Latinux Magazine

lauretta

(Venezuela) lauretta@latinuxmagazine.com

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IN TOUCH

J on "Maddog" Hall

Jon “Maddog”Hall is an informatics Guru traveling the world in order to promote and show Linux's uses advantage as operating system. Currently, Linux International President and Executive Director. Hall has constructed a career and a life around free software, it is his center and purpose in life.

Jon “Maddog” hold a degree in commerce and engineering at Drexel University and a diploma in computer science at Rensselaer Technological Institute. He has occupied several positions as programmer, system analyst, system administrator, products director, marketing technical director, writer and consultant for governments around the world, but, as he confesses, what he likes the most is to teach.

"FREE SOFTWARE VALUE"

those people that don’t have any training in using computers?

very nice to be around. I’ve learned that Maddog: Well, first of all, you have to over a very long period of time. say “How do you access those people”, Lauretta: This is a good reminder “How do you get to those people”. And (laughing), but, at the same time that is a one way of getting to those people would be via the Internet. Now, if you bring the good thing for leadership, right? Internet to them, but they still do not Maddog : Yes, it is, and to be a real know how to use the Internet, then that’s leader, you have to have a series of a problem. So what you can do is make personal qualities too, there are various the software as simple as possible for people that make good technical people them to use; so, so simple that it’s very but they are not necessarily good leaders. very very easy. And I think that browser

Once scheduled the meeting, Jon Hall, who likes to be called “Maddog”, nickname given by his students at Hartford State Technical College, sat down at the software free zone to start the interview. Embarrassed, he apologized due to the campers asking him for autographs and pictures. After a short wait, a very attentive Maddog expected And I think that one of the things that the his first question. Linux kernel has had is a very good leader in the form of Linus Torvalds. He’s--Lauretta: ... So, you are Mad dog? some people do not like his style but I think that his style is good, it has to be Maddog : Yes (smiling) firm in order to be able to have a kernel that could stand up. So I think he has a Lauretta: ... But, that’s not your name, very good personality and he’s a very your name is Jon? good engineer and a very good leader.

based computing is very good for doing that. You still need to help them a little bit. Let me give you an example: When the Swahili people in Africa were first going to use OpenOffice, they came across the term “download”, as in taking software from the Internet and putting it on their computer. But in the Swahili language there was no concept of “download software”. To the Swahili Maddog : It is, yes my name is Jon Hall, Lauretta: Last year at the Campus Party people, “download” was taking and I have the name Mad Dog which 2008 you said that one million people something from a truck and putting it on reminds me not to loose my temper, have computers or any access to Internet. the ground; that was “downloading”. And because when I loose my temper, I’m not However, 5.3 million don’t have it. So so the OpenOffice people had to invent a which is the most intelligent way to teach whole term, a whole set of terms to tell

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Latinux Magazine

IN TOUCH

the Swahili people what download meant. So we need to be able to put this in the simplest possible terms for people who may never have even seen a computer before.

Lauretta: Then does it has to be translated in every language? Maddog: In every language. That’s another issue with Glosor software, because Glosor software is limited in how much you can actually do with that type of thing. Lauretta: And which term did they use in Africa for “download”? Maddog: I do not know the actual term. I only heard the story from the people who were helping with the problem. But they may have had to explain it in many more words so—to give them the idea. But that's the kind of thing you have to do, simply,

J on "Maddog" Hall

decision if they want to invest in having it approve of the project named “One in their language, or using it in some other Laptop per Child”? language which they happen to know. Maddog: It’s not up to me to approve or Lauretta: So I see there is so much work disapprove of that particular project. Like involved in free software in the world, you any project, I think there was some things know, to implement that idea. that were done that were very right and there were some things that could’ve been Maddog: There is a lot of work. But done better. I think that there is a very here’s another example why free software good project in that it made people wake is so good: If you go out to Source Forge up to the fact that children should have and you look at all of the people who are access to the Internet, they should have registered on Source Forge, you’d find out access to a computer. And therefore I that there’s over two million people think that Nicholas Negroponte did a very registered as developers and many of these good thing. But as I said, there are some people do not work a very lot in the code. things that I mightn't done differently and Many of these people have signed up and you know, but I cannot blame him for have actually done nothing. However, that. even if you only took 10% of those people and said that they were active developers, Lauretta: Free Software is your life? that’s two hundred-thousand people, which is more people than any company Maddog: Yes, so much so that I never got has on the face of the earth. And the married, which if I was to do things over number is growing. So as more and more again, I might do something different. Lauretta

(Venezuela) lauretta@latinuxmagazine.com

and that's why companies that are trying to produce software and make a profit at the same time, say to themselves, we are not going to invest in the Swahili people. It’s not a big enough market for us to do the work. And that’s where free software comes in because the control is back in the hands of the people to use the software as they desire, and they can make the

people use software, as more and more people join free software, that number continues to grow. And people can then have more and more people branch out in different ways to do these translations to make the software work the way they need it to work.

Lauretta: On the other hand, do you

Latinux Magazine

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IN TOUCH

Polkan García Polkan García, a 29 years-old is in charge of the Campus Party Colombia, as Director. According to him, what was seen in this Campus Party 2009 is about the biggest technological party, 300 informative hours, conventions, workshops and the bet for innovation, digital leisure and creativity. García emphasizes “To explain what a Campus Party is becomes complicated, the best is to invite people to live this unique experience which is best every time (..) the digital world reality is at the Campus Party¨.

In the midst of final preparations, just past noon, journalists and the haggard campers started to register in order to book a good place. Polkan García, Engineer, was seen very attentive and alert about the eventualities that happened minute to minute, he used to hop in his “Segway”, a cart in which he was standing giving orders to an army of about 100 people. That army was in charge of watching the Battle “Field”, always provided with Telefonica operators in the rear, to overcome any attack or any system failure.

itself, we have the Mac area, we expect all for them to understand it. the thematic areas to provide and satisfy people expectations. Our greatest and “THE OVNI” principal interest is the people who come Because of the lights reflecting to make contact with the innovation, the the station equipment, is called OVNI the creativity, the science, among others. We place where all the Telefonica Telecom want the the people to own these fronts, so fibers reach the Campus, then, from this we can give them and argumentative focus main station, connectivity is provided to all in which the individual can say what lines. Thanks to the brain or “Ovni” it is he/she likes and what he/she doesn't. possible the 6.6 GB connectivity. Now, is up

Lauretta: Last year you mentioned: “ In term of technological inclusion, the Third World doesn’t exist if we are connected”

Lauretta: What are your expectations in Polkan García: In fact, it is curious, we this Campus Party Colombia, Second all thought that the wrongfully called First Edition? World was the only place where science could be made, where research could be Polkan García: Our goal always is that made, invents, innovative projects. You the Campus Party would be always full of see, now all of our countries have the people who want to enjoy, to see them capabilities of doing anything, develop living the Campus Party experience which software, learn programming, how to means to have a good time and to have build robots, and, our only motivation, our fun, meet friends, learn, teach, everything. only tool is to want it and to have These are our goals at the end. connectivity, because connectivity offers everything you are no able to see or touch Lauretta: What quality changes are with your hands, you live that with expected in this Campus Party? technology, and this is priceless. This is one of the things we are satisfied about Polkan García: We have more content and that's why we need to search for areas, we are opening the Mooding area support in our regulator entities in order

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"IN TERMS OF TECHNOLOGICAL EXCLUSION, THE THIRD WORLD DOESN'T EXIST IF WE ARE CONECTED"

Latinux Magazine

to the companies offering Internet, to realize that Colombia needs more speed and more connectivity.

Lauretta

(Venezuela) lauretta@latinuxmagazine.com

TIPS & TRICKS

How to enhance a picture and not to die in the attempt Suppose the following scenario: you are at an event and have, finally, all your friends reunited for a picture; light is not good, your camera is less than 7 mega-pixels, and, to make things worse it is new and you don't know how to use it...obviously you don't want to lose that unique moment, so you press the button to take that picture to remember by. Then, you have to publish the photograph, but the faces are not well defined and are opaque, the background is very light, and some colors don't look as they must... don't panic; with some tricks offered by the graphic design applications under Free Software you will transform your picture into the perfect portrait to be enjoyed for you and your friends; welcom@ to the GIMP world.

Cleaning the photograph:

Enhancing colors:

The option to adjust the “White Balance” automatically balances the active layer colors, optimizing, separately, the red, green and blue channels. This is achieved dividing the less frequent pixels from the zones when a different base color dominates. It adjusts the histograms ( or pixels soiling the image).

The option to “Color enhance” increases the levels of color saturation in those composing the picture but without altering the light levels or the range of colors used. This is possible modifying the values of the HSV scale (to keep tones) to the max and then putting them back as RGB.

As the levels are adjusted, more light and a more pure shadow will be seen, allowing details and features, we through were lost, to show.

GIMP 2.6

zones. This is one of the easier GIMP tools to use. To adjust the levels correctly will allow to note better facial features and separation between elements, as well as to light zones still opaques and to enhance colors which had lose their natural brightness.

You get this in the menu: Color → Auto → White Balance

Adjusting brightness and contrast : Using the tool “BrightnessContrast” the layer's levels are adjusted playing with the white balances and the detection of possible shadow or contrasts

Latinux Magazine

Maria "Tatica" Leandro (Venezuela) tatica@fedoraproject.org

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DIFFUSION ZONE

A cheap way to change the world For more than 15 years I have been a computer owner. Every time I turn one on, I feel as I am going to start to create, to produce something with a different power than the one I have with other objects in my daily life. Overall, to have the capability of being connected make me feel I belong to the world. An this year, that feeling grew exponentially.

talked about mobiles phones and the iPhone, the first subject was known to me, but I didn't know the iPhone power.

EXPLOITING THE IPOD POWER

So, I bought an iPod Touch, and I was impressed because, for $230 ( I got Let's me explain: I am a the smaller one, you don't need to carry computer user. The machine brand is weight when you can see everything onsomething that don't drive me to fanatic line, do you?) you were able to have levels, so my conversion to Mac came access to a lot without additional costs, thank to my work as an Adobe because there is not obligation to pay a representative. After two unacceptable monthly service with the Touch. The Last February I assisted to a failures while I was making presentations basic machine capabilities allow to be conference in New York dedicated to in Argentina, I decided to go with a more connected, from the palm of your hand, analyze the Editorial Industry future. It is stable platform. And it has worked! It's a with the world. This was a liberating organized by O'Really, the famous well known fact that when a company is experience, the same level as the one you systems editorial, and is called TOC closed and is able to do all the processes experienced when you change your (Tools of change). And is good when you involved in production itself, the machine desktop for a laptop with the additional invest time and money in an event and has reason to be stable. But that's all. If reward of having the digital universe you ask me, invest your money in a machine suited to your needs, and invest the rest of your money traveling, buying books, I mean, having real experiences. I don't think you must invest all your saving in a machine. At least that is the way I did it since my first one and I don't have regrets. But with the iPod my curiosity was picked when I noticed it doesn't have anything to do with a simple â&#x20AC;&#x153;MP3 playerâ&#x20AC;?. This small device had mutated toward a powerful pocket computer, just like the feel that it has created a change in the way Nokia's Tablets but with a seamless and you do stuff. During the lectures, it had a satisfactory experience for the user. In fact, a great emphasis the analysis of the way the key factor in the decision to explore this readers are changing, using electronics universe was to look around and realize that books ( the Sony Reader is my personal the event attendees were, most of them, using favorite, because it had allowed me to an iPhone or iPod to take notes or to twitter read a lot of material, without restrictions (another life-changing breakthrough I got in and here, in Colombia). Several speakers 2009).

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within reach. And, if we step forward this is the mobility at his best. But the iPod...that's different! Unable to be used as a phone, our little mutant friend, seen with suspicion for some, increases its value if you live in a third world country, because knowing

DIFFUSION ZONE

A cheap way to change the world

how hard is for a lot of people to access a bigger computer permanently, it seem to me as the kind of device accessible valuewise and able to democratize the consumption and digital production with ease. In my case, the machine has been used, essentially, with educational

level. Brushes is a program which allow the user to slide his/her fingers over the screen and draw with great precision due to its zoom levels and powerful tools controls. It is easy to use and the only requirement needed is the will to learn how to draw... because that's what is needed! Another marvelous fact is that the program is for sale at the applications store and it cost US$5, 5 bucks! This is nothing, taking in account this is a potentially professional tool. Just this week, Layer was freed, and application for iPod/iPhone allowing layers creation and .psd format saving. Integration? Wow! The best thing is, when my work is finished I am able to put my images in Flick using an program called Klick, clean and easy.

In this side of the proposal is when these tools are attractive to the developers community. Although its value is near to zero, the possibility of them to become popular and used worldwide is tempting, because it only require thousands of users to recover, and productive purposes. If it was naked fully, the develop and production time at the beginning, the access to the released value. The creativity of any proposal is applications store by Apple, more than a key, but, being devices used locally and year ago, shows it loaded now with all within the context where the user lives, kind of tools which allowed me to there is a great opportunity for developers transform it in a digital Swiss Army knife to suggest regional institutions their implementation, too. I want to carry all the time. Here is my favorite part: graphic creation, although I knew from the beginning its expressive capabilities, it was when I saw the famous New Yorker magazine cover illustrated with an image produced with an application for iPod, I perceived completely this revolution

Despite their use is not general yet, this is something that will change in the following months. And, after my experience, I confess that when I think about investing in a certain application, as its value is so low, it is only a short time between accepting the sale and installing.

Latinux Magazine

It is painless to pockets and the potential is huge in terms of rewarding the creator. It this hard to achieve? I don't think so...in the iPod case, the needed programming is open, and follows the guidelines of the programming needed for biggest computers operating systems. That why, cheap, and in place I feel that this new

turn in the informatics revolution is taking shape. This tools are easily integrated into the routine, and the processes we currently develop. There is not need to be at closed doors to live our digital life... the frontiers are disappearing, while we touch with our fingers the pixels and feel the open space breeze around us.

Xpectro (Colombia) xpectro@gmail.com

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Maloka Robotic Clubs The Maloka Science and Technology Clubs are a no-formal education scenery, since nine years ago they work with school age children and youngsters, motivating and awakening interest for science and technology exploration and experimentation concerning participants' everyday life.

Inside the technology clubs, the activities developed are related with robotics, wind generated energy and flying. In the robotic club case, work is done in two stages, the first a technological exploration based in mechanics, electronics principles and control structures and the next in developing technological projects born from the participant interests and oriented by the Maloka technology team. Our society is highly influenced by transformations the electronic revolution has introduced in a new techno-cultural world. The challenge the technology world raises to the education system is the generation of new “knowledge” spaces where the information gained in a “non-traditional” way could be validated. Maloka addresses this task from

development of mediations and teaching tools or through the systematization documents generated in the process. The material which has been produced in the technology clubs to energize the weekend activities with children is supported with a methodological proposition searching to explore participants' everyday life as a beginning point to create and make tangible technological ideas, their own. This methodological proposition called “motivation to create” involves the use of teaching tools supporting the mediation process between the tutor and the participant, oriented to strength the experimental activities at club sessions and to develop projects in said sessions. Maybe, this scheme more representative project has been the Percival Teaching Tool.

Percival is a learning mediator tool and a technological development platform, but the conceptualization and staging of the its first role is the one starring at the technology clubs, where the participants clubs. This purpose has been cleared up as find a place to learn during their free time; time passes, from the experiences and where formal education can have an obtained at the club. In that regard, it has educational research space, allowing it to been proposed consistency between the nurture from the results found through project and free development logic, both both pilots programs at schools where the in the designing phase as in further uses propositions are validated and the joint of the tool.

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A REFLEXION AND DESIGN PLACE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNGSTERS Currently work is being conducted jointly with universities and research centers interested in continuing the Percival tool development from several educational points of view. We expect similarly, add new interested set of people and institutions wanting to participate in this collective effort exercise. Diego Corrales (Colombia) dcorrales@maloka.org

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Know the winner of the “Maddog Challenge” Campus Party and Telefónica Telecom presented the second edition of the “Maddog Challenge” at the Campus Party Colombia 2009. A competition to create multimedia videos using Free Software tools and format, under the Creative Commons License.

The competition asked the participants to write, record, capture, edit and produce a piece between one and two minutes long, using Free Software applications, with live recording (actors),or with animation, showing the competence theme. Video theme: What does it mean Software Freedom? Upon arrival of the award day, Jon

Maddog, considered the Linux's Ambassador in the world, stated the following: “Today, July the 11th, we are going to present the winner of this fabulous notebook (laptop computer Indamixx) with a 1.6 GHz CPU; 2 Giga RAM and a 250 GB hard disk, 10 inches lighted led screen and a 802 networking card with 11 pgn). It has an 100 Mbs Internet connectivity and the free software to work with audio is from 64 Studio. This award comes with a lot of software,

when it opens and starts up, they can take music from a concert and edit it immediately, then publish it on the Internet because it has a publishing software; it has a D.J. Software too, in order to play your songs at a disco or event. Everything is inside the notebook, so it can be used.” The criteria to chose the winner were based in his/her originality and the use of Free Software and media

production tools, the product use was judged too, the fact of being well polished off and easy to understand for several languages and cultures using subtitles.

J on Maddog: “I would like to thank Linux International, Colombia's Futura Networks, Telefónica Telecom and Indamixx and Trinity Audio Group too because they built the notebook. I want to thank, too, all the people who work with Free Software in the world. 64 people

Latinux Magazine

participated in the Maddog challenge and 15 followed the process, from those 8 passed to finals.” Next, the participants videos were showed and finally the winner was called. And the winner is: Pablo Camacho! Pablo with a smile in his face approached the dais where Maddog gave him his well deserved computer.

See the video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiQ p4R_5Lwc Lauretta (Venezuela) lauretta@latinuxmagazine.com

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DIFFUSION ZONE

Embot

I. Why the ECB_AT91 ? The ECB_AT91 [1] is a general purpose card providing an USB port, and Ethernet port and an Atmel-AVR microcontroller able to be programmed dynamically from a main processor (ARM920). This micro-controller includes PWM outputs, analogs inputs and digital outputs, ideal to control several electric devices, motors, between them. The low level movement logic could be implemented in the AVR, while the high level logic and the communications could be managed using Linux from the main processor. In circuit programming allows to change the AVR algorithms dynamically.

calculations are made, issue desirable when images processing and pattern recognition is involved and they are usually used in machine vision applications.

II. Robot architecture The AVR inside the ECB_AT91 controls the PWM signals that manage the motors. The motors are connected to the PWM signals through H power bridges, and each motor contains the speed mechanical reductions to increment the output torque. The USB hub connects the USB video camera and the WiFi adapter to the card. The power was distributed independently to the USB Hub, the motors and the ECB_AT91. The total energy consumption was 79 Watt full loaded.

[1] A. Calderon and C. Camargo, Ecbat91 v1.7, http://www.emqbit.com/hardware.ht ml. [2] N. Castillo and A. Calderon, Why arm's eabi matters, http://www.linuxfordevices.com/c/a/ Linux-For-Devices-Articles/WhyARMs-EABI-matters/. [3] T. rt2x00 Project, Rt2x00, http://rt2x00.serialmonkey.com/wiki/i ndex.php/Main_Page. [4] Atmel, Arm920t product overview, http://www.atmel.com/dyn/resources/ prod_documents/arm920t.pdf. [5] Wikipedia, I2c, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I2c. [6] BerliOS, Linux uvc driver and tools, http://linux-uvc.berlios.de/. [7] T. M. S. Project, Mjpg streamer, http://mjpgstreamer.wiki.sourceforge.net.

A. Operating System The main card runs OpenEmbedded with 2.6.21 eabi kernel. The eabi is important, because according to Calderon and Castillo [2], it improves the performance when floating point

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B. WiFi

The WiFi adapter (Ralink 2573) [3] was used to provide wireless connectivity to the robot. The Linux Kernel supports this device using the rt2x00 module. However, any WiFi adapter compatible with Linux and supported for ARM[4] can be used.

References:

Latinux Magazine

MOBILE ROBOT CONSTRUCTION USING THE ECB_AT91

C. Teleoperation and video device. In order to teleoperate the robot a TCP server was used listening at the 1234 port. When a command is received, the instruction is processed and sent to the AVR micro-controller included in the card using i2c[5]. At the client side, a hand-held running Linux was used (Nokia N810 and OM FreeRunner) . A program was written in python, using pygtk, httplib and ImageFile to receive the stream and show the video on the screen. The video device is an USB camera kernel supported for the uvcvideo [6]. To create the video stream, mjpg_stream [7] was used. With this program, several frames/second rates and resolutions can be chosen when the stream starts. Luis Carvajal y Andr茅s Calder贸n (Colombia) luis.carvajal@emqbit.com