[mythtv-users] mythtv projects on google code & SoC 2011

[Raymond Wagner]

On 4/7/2011 12:15, mike wrote:
> I have been using two mythtv apps: stb-command and the mythtvtheme
> 'A Forest' which i discovered were google code projects.

Stb-command can be found through the wiki: 
http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/Stb-command
And A-Forest is available on directly in the frontend through the theme 
downloader.

> Searching http://code.google.com/hosting/ for mythtv shows
> many interesting current projects: mythdroid, mythmote, mythepisode,
> mythbox, mythpodcaster, mythvideo-scanner and webmyth that you may want
> to check out.

The problem you have to worry about with a number of these things is 
that they become outdated and no longer work.  For example, 
mythvideo-scanner claims to support up to 0.24, but the lack of hashing 
means it should not be used past 0.22.  Further, the lack of Storage 
Group support means it shouldn't even be used with 0.22.  JAMU is 
bundled as an external scanner that works with both local files and 
Storage Group content.  The Python bindings implement yet another 
scanner, using all the necessary MythProto calls such it only needs to 
be run once, rather than on each backend with content.  Lastly, the 
whole concept of an external scanner is deprecated in 0.25, with the 
addition of a SCAN_VIDEOS call to the backend initiating the internal 
scanner.

> It also brings up the question if mythtv is mentoring any projects for
> google summer of code 2011. It seems this would be a good way to
> encourage development of new themes.

While doing something like adding an animation engine to MythUI (beyond 
the basic pulsing and image sequences currently supported) would be a 
viable GSoC project, I think just making a theme would be outside the 
purview of the program.  Being a mentor is hard work.  You have to bring 
the student up to speed on the code, do code reviews, act as an adviser 
on technique and best practices.  It takes more time on a seasoned 
developer's part to get that "free labor" than if the seasoned developer 
had just programmed the project themselves.

The GSoC program is not intended to fund development of open source 
projects, it is an internship program.  It is intended to get a student 
initiated into, and interested in, an open source project, under the 
expectation they will continue on as a productive developer as part of 
that project beyond the scope of the program.  It's a recruitment program.

While it would be great to take part in such a recruitment program and 
get "fresh blood" into the developer base, it's something that takes a 
lot of effort that no one bothered to take the time to do this time around.