Difference between revisions of "Google Summer of Code Ideas"

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(Updated Android App Improvements section.)
 
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If you are you a GSOC student or and have questions about Amahi, you can contact us via IRC on [http://talk.amahi.org #amahi on irc.freenode.net] (fairly active) or on the amahi-devel [[mailing list]] (not as active).
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= About Amahi=
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If you are a student, come talk to us about the ideas below for possible projects! Don't forget that these are subject to suggestions, extensions or adaptations. Even new ideas will be considered. Some of these ideas are more mature and concrete than others.
 
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One of the most important things is to find an area that you '''enjoy''', using a programming language that you know or that you are willing to learn, so read below or ask questions.
 
  
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If you are interested in being a mentor, we have six great mentors as of today, but we're very welcoming of more ideas and more mentors! See the [[#Mentors]] below. Looking for ideas to mentor, see the [[#Other Ideas]] below.
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We're looking for students with skills in these areas: current technologies like RoR, ruby, python, PHP, as well as next generation technologies, like Go (we use it for streaming to our mobile apps), [https://nodejs.org/ Node.js], [https://github.com/amahi/spdy HTTP/2], javascript frameworks for user interaction, visualization or server services, etc.
  
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= About Amahi=
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'''We're also looking for hardware projects! Creating a Raspberry Pi-style device with great I/O that can run Amahi smoothly is a long-tem goal for Amahi!'''
  
 
Amahi started of a need to keep a personal/home cloud server, keep all my family's photos, videos, documents, and generally any data. It expanded into running applications, mostly web apps, from anything to doing backups to automatic downloaders, media managers and much more.
 
Amahi started of a need to keep a personal/home cloud server, keep all my family's photos, videos, documents, and generally any data. It expanded into running applications, mostly web apps, from anything to doing backups to automatic downloaders, media managers and much more.
  
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Amahi is made up of
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Amahi is a full and proper server made up of
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* A Linux distribution, currently Fedora, but we support Ubuntu as well
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* A Linux system based on a mainline distribution, currently Fedora, but we supported Ubuntu before as well
 
* An [https://github.com/amahi/hda-ctl installer] to help the user bring bring Amahi up in their system
 
* An [https://github.com/amahi/hda-ctl installer] to help the user bring bring Amahi up in their system
 
* A [https://github.com/amahi/platform platform], which is a web app that the user uses to manage their server, add apps
 
* A [https://github.com/amahi/platform platform], which is a web app that the user uses to manage their server, add apps
 
* [https://www.amahi.org/apps Apps] that are installed by using the platform
 
* [https://www.amahi.org/apps Apps] that are installed by using the platform
 +
* Two mobile apps to access data and apps, for [http://www.amahi.org/android Android] and [http://www.amahi.org/ios iOS].
  
 +
At Amahi we use git (see our [https://github.com/amahi Github repo]) for our version management and the technologies we have ended up using are Ruby, Ruby on Rails, PHP, Linux system internal technologies like system services, configuration areas, web server virtualhosts, databases, DNS, etc., etc.
  
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At Amahi we use [https://github.com/amahi git] for our version management and the technologies we have ended up using are Ruby, Ruby on Rails, PHP, Linux system internal technologies like system services, configuration areas, web server virtualhosts, databases, DNS, etc., etc.
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= What to do (and NOT do) first =
  
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We're looking for students who are interested in both current technologies like RoR, as well as next generation technologies we are using or could be using, like Go (we use it for streaming to our mobile apps), Node.js, javascript frameworks for user interaction, visualization or server services, [https://github.com/amahi/spdy SPDY], etc. etc.
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Let's talk about what NOT to do first, because many people automatically start badly by doing these:
 +
* do '''not''' comment randomly in github issues, e.g. introducing yourself in a GH issue, saying you would like to do something, or just "make noise"
 +
* do '''not''' blindly try to build things without understanding what Amahi is and what it does
 +
* do '''not''' just submit a pull request or issue a bug without really knowing what you are up to
 +
* do '''not''' just come to IRC, say something and vanish shortly thereafter. Stay for a while. People come and go. Ask your question and stick around. Get a client that can linger for a while. Sometimes it takes hours for some people to return
  
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=List of Project Ideas=
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BUT First, Introduce yourself, interact with the community, so please [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScP4Q2iSzLXCjz1gK2eNutO8IhX_PETXU2bL8pqmhe2t1nCqg/viewform?usp=sf_link introduce yourself with this form], so that we know your background and interests.
  
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== Platform ==
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If you have questions about Amahi or just want to interact, you can contact us via IRC on [http://talk.amahi.org #amahi on irc.freenode.net] (fairly active) or on the amahi-devel [[mailing list]] (not as active). Don't forget that we are open to suggestions, extensions or adaptations. Feel free to discuss or propose new ideas for projects!
  
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===Plugin System===
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One of the most important things is to find an area that you '''enjoy''', using a programming environment that you know or that you are willing to learn quickly, so read below or ask questions.
  
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'''Description''': Make the ability to create and install [https://github.com/amahi/platform/blob/master/doc/plugins.md Amahi Plugins] easy and enable the creation of those plugins for a variety of purposes, like SMART monitoring, system stuff (network scanning, etc.) and the two examples below for the disk wizard and the Greyhole UI, among other ideas.
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If you are interested in being a mentor, we have a few great mentors as of today, but we're very welcoming of more ideas and more mentors!
  
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'''Objective''': Create an amahi plugin system, where PHP, Python, Node, and other modern webapps can be easily integrated. We can currently do this with some RoR engines, but the mechanism is not robust enough. The plugins system should allow modern web-based apps to be easily integrated with Amahi -- from Node.js apps to Ruby/PHP/Python --  so that users can easily reap the benefits of the onslaught of difficult-to-deploy modern web apps with a single click install.
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See the [[#Mentors|mentors]] below. Looking for ideas to mentor, see the [[#Other Ideas|other ideas]] below.
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ProTip: possibly leverage docker containers within Amahi
 
  
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'''Skills Required''': RoR, git
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=List of Project Ideas=
  
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'''Mentors''': Carlos, Rod
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We have organized the ideas in groups, depending what area of Amahi they belong in. These groups are not in any particular order. For instance if you are a front-end person who knows HTML and Javascript, the GUI/UX may well be the best fit and we'd love to hear from you!
  
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===Disk Wizard===
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== Platform ==
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'''Description''': Expanding the storage capacity is an important feature of Amahi but as of now it requires advanced (e.g. command line) skills. We want easy disk/partition onboarding.
 
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Also add the ability to be asked to mount USB drives as a share when they're connected & connect external shares from for example a NAS with the plugin system using that wizard.
 
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'''Objective''': Create an amahi plugin that will streamline this process by providing a UI for disk management. The plugin should detect if a new disk was added and it should provide a wizard to create partitions and format with the desired file system
 
  
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'''Skills Required''': Low level system scripting, git
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===Plugin Apps ===
  
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'''Mentors''': Dag, Bogdan
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Plugins are "mini apps" that live inside the Amahi platform and thus little interface need to be developed for them. They are familiar and provide easy, focused value to the user. Ideas:
  
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'''References''':
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* Support for automatic issuing/renewal and installation of [https://letsencrypt.org/ Let's Encrypt] certificates in the platform, for external access across the internet
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* [http://www.openmediavault.org/ OpenMediaVault] does have a nice wizard that people like
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* [https://bugs.amahi.org/issues/1361 Share space usage]:  Using [http://d3js.org D3.js] (for example) to visualize things internal to the system, like finding out the disk space used by shares, disk usage over time, etc.
 +
* [https://bugs.amahi.org/issues/1480 Wake-on-LAN (WOL)]:  The Amahi [http://www.amahi.org/apps/wake-on-lan-server Wake-On-LAN Server] app currently provides this capability.
 +
* [https://bugs.amahi.org/issues/1481 Virus Scan Shares]
 +
* [https://bugs.amahi.org/issues/1489 Netboot Settings/Configuration]
 +
* [https://bugs.amahi.org/issues/1487 Mail Relay] (i.e. using Gmail or ISP)
 +
* [https://bugs.amahi.org/issues/1459 Convert app] [https://www.amahi.org/apps/Amahi-energy-saver Amahi Energy Saver] to a plugin.
 +
* View log files in web browser ([https://github.com/tobi/clarity Clarity using RoR])
 +
* Ability to update default SSL certificates (used by [https://www.amahi.org/apps/openvpn OpenVPN], [https://www.amahi.org/apps/amahi-anywhere Amahi Anywhere], etc).
 +
* AmahiTunes revival
 +
* RAID (SW, MDADM?) support
 +
* [https://bugs.amahi.org/issues/1458 SMART Disk] monitoring
  
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===Greyhole UI===
 
  
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'''Description''': [http://www.greyhole.net/ Greyhole] is an application that uses Samba to create a storage pool of all your available hard drives (whatever their size, however they're connected), and allows you to create redundant copies of the files you store, in order to prevent data loss when part of your hardware fails. The purpose of this plugin is to provide a UI and the necessary tools under the UI to make starting and managing a Greyhole UI possible and nice to understand for regular humans.
 
  
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'''Objective''': Create and amahi plugin that provides an UI that allows for the management of the greyhole pool. The plugin should allow an administrator user to:
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'''Mentors''': Rod, Carlos
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add/remove disks to/from the pool.
 
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* change the number of copies for individual file/directory
 
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* invoke various gh commands
 
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* view and monitor log files
 
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* gui to visualize data distribution
 
  
 +
=== [https://www.amahi.org/apps/disk-wizard Disk Wizard] ===
  
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'''Skills Required''': RoR, System programming, git
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'''Description''': Expanding the storage capacity is an important feature of Amahi. The DW is a critical part. However, it's not as stable as it should be. It should detect more partition types and handle everything gracefully, even when it can't act upon certain configurations.
  
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'''Mentors''': Carlos, Rod
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'''Objective''': Stability improvements and especially thoroughly testing this plugin for disk/partition management.
  
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===Amahi 8===
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'''Skills Required''': Low level system scripting
  
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'''Description''': Amahi 7.2 and Amahi 8 are what's next. This is the time to come up with exciting features and ideas that we should put in Amahi 8.
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'''Mentors''': Rod, Carlos
  
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'''Objective''': Work closely with the core team to define the features and functionality that we need to implement to get Amahi 8 released. This project is about working on RoR and the Amahi platform core. Some of the core technology will need to be upgraded, like Rails 4, latest Phusion Passenger, possibly replace MySQL for the platform and use sqlite, create a native API to the platform that can be used by other apps, like mobile apps. Other ideas include beefing up security and provide support for Amahi hosting on the cloud.
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'''References''':
 +
* [https://bugs.amahi.org/issues/580 Track the disk wizard]
 +
* [[New Disk Wizard]] ideas page
 +
* [http://www.openmediavault.org/ OpenMediaVault] does have a nice wizard that people like
  
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'''Skills Required''': RoR, ruby, JS, CSS, HTML5
 
  
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'''Mentors''': Carlos, Rod
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=== Amahi 12 ===
  
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===Backup App Data and Settings===
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'''Description''': [[Amahi 12]] is our next release.
  
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'''Description''': When new versions of Amahi come out, a drawback of Amahi is that it's hard to backup the settings (e.g. partitioning) installed applications and their user data
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'''Objective''': Work closely with the core team to define the features and functionality that we need to implement to get Amahi released. This project is about working on RoR and the Amahi platform core. Some of the core technology will need to be upgraded, like Rails 5, latest Phusion Passenger, possibly replace MySQL for the platform, create a native API to the platform that can be used by other apps, like mobile apps. Other ideas include beefing up security and provide support for Amahi hosting on the cloud. Features:
  
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'''Objective''': The plugin should allow an administrator to backup any application data either on an external media or in the cloud(e.g.: Dropbox, Google Drive, etc).The restore process should check if the application is installed on the HDA and if not it should be automatically installed from the AppStore before the user data is restored.
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* make platform even more modular and cleaner (at the moment we still have some things that really belong in plugins but still are in controllers/views of the main app)
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*Create an Amahi plugin that will allow backup and restore of the user data for apps installed from the AppStore
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* possibly using a new metal layer instead of passenger - especially ones that do not take a long time to reload, could be puma, i also like thin, maybe others
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*Centralizing app data/configs - link them to app folder instead.
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* better initialization ... like a more standard (wordpress-like) initialization wizard (initially there are no users, we need to create an admin user and perhaps ask a few questions and integrate with amahi.org)
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*"Destructive" update awareness
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* Implement sharing of folders among the friend servers.
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*Ability to list, outline data directories for backups/upgrade check
 
  
  
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'''Skills Required''': System scripting, git
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'''Skills Required''': RoR, ruby, JS, CSS, HTML5, Bootstrap
  
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'''Mentor''': Rod, Daniel
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'''Mentors''': Carlos, Rod, Sukhbir
  
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==Mobile==
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'''Reference''': [https://github.com/amahi/platform Amahi Platform repo]
  
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Mobile is a great topic at the moment and there are a lot of opportunities here. In the Android app, definitely more than one student are suitable for the project.
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== Android Mobile App==
  
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===Android App Implementation===
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Our mobile apps have streaming, browsing and sharing and it's a great topic.
  
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'''Description''': There's huge demand for an Android application following the popularity of our iOS app. Our users are looking for an application that has feature parity with the existing iOS app, and even shows it up with additional features!
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This year we're going to try emphasizing the Android app a little more.
  
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'''Objective''':  An Android app that is on par or better than the iOS app, including mobile streaming, downloading files and sharing them.
 
  
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'''Skills Required''': Java, Android, REST, JSON API programming, media interaction in Android, git
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===Android App Improvements===
  
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'''Mentor''': Jesse Read, Carlos, Bogdan
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'''Description''': Amahi Android offers the ability to stream your HDA over your Android phone and Android TV, support for Chromecast and auto-upload of images to HDA. The next step is to complete the following objectives:
  
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===Webapp Browsing in Mobile apps===
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'''Objectives''':
  
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'''Description''': Add browsing of installed webapps within our mobile app.
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* Android TV Revamp: The Android TV app is outdated at the moment and doesn't follow the latest design principles of Android. We have to redesign the app so that Amahi is accessible on Android TV again. Further, we have to implement the PlayerAdapter in Android TV to support previews.
 +
* Support for Dagger 2: The current app is written using Dagger 1. We have to port the code to Dagger 2 so that we can use the latest libraries which are dependent on it.
 +
* Support for NAU: Complete the app with support for Non-Admin User which currently exists on the server-side only. Ref: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1jZAdXpSGQRJ6xN2WCzqkiPxQPUW2VHsAnpENZKbT2z0
 +
* UI Improvements and UI Testing: Adding an Expresso based automated UI testing protocol.
 +
* Improve Background Service: Improve the app for uploading media on the HDA when the app isn't present in the foreground
 +
* Phone Auto-Backup: Develop a module that does an Auto backup of the phone to the HDA over Local connection (reference: Helium)
 +
* Friending Feature: Implement the sharing of folders or shares with other servers. https://docs.google.com/document/d/14JsH9-aZrE3Z-35Oo38IY1-3Nd5BJiR_G0DshhjKSM4/
 +
* VPN: Add support for VPN proxy so that the user can access the HDA from the phone over a VPN proxy tunnel.
  
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'''Objective''': One requested feature for our mobile app (iOS and later Android) is the ability to browse apps within our mobile app. Our server side of the app needs to be setup to proxy specific webapps that the user has installed.Collaboration with the iOS/Android devs will also be necessary to prototype it
 
  
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'''Skills Required''': Go programming, git
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'''Skills Required''': Java, Android framework
  
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'''Mentors''': Carlos, Bogdan
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'''Mentors''': Carlos, Chirag
  
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'''Reference''': [https://gitbut.org/amahi Amahi Github repo], in particular the SPDY and SPDY-proxy repos written in Golang
+
'''Reference''': [https://github.com/amahi/android Amahi Android Github repo]
−
 
 
−
===iOS App Improvement===
 
−
 
 
−
'''Description''': While Amahi has an [https://www.amahi.org/ios iOS] application already and it's ''loved'' among our users, there is a lot of room for improvement. For this project, we're looking to improve the existing iOS application and expand it's feature set. We're striving to make Amahi for iOS a polished, fast, and enjoyable application for our users.
 
−
 
 
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'''Objective''': We're looking to improve the the current implementation of the iOS project and add additional features, here is a list of requested features:
 
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*Offer to display image-heavy folders and shares within a "gallery" or collection view.
 
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*Offer the ability to navigate and stream shares containing music in a streamlined way.
 
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*Dynamic search.
 
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*SPDY support, for both remote and local queries.
 
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*Support for accessing HDA web applications within Amahi for iOS.
 
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*Share folders and files from your HDA to other apps or users.
 
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*Support for HDA user permissions (share & web app restrictions, etc.)
 
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*Add support for Dropbox, Google Drive, and other third-party services.
 
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*Improve the first-launch user experience
 
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*Add functionality to assist with HDA setup assistance
 
−
 
 
−
 
 
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'''Skills Required''':
 
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*Objective-C/Cocoa
 
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*Experience programming against a REST API would be helpful (Even input on improving and expanding the API!)
 
−
 
 
−
 
 
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'''Mentors''': Jesse Read, Carlos
 
−
 
 
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'''Reference''': [http://www.amahi.org/ios Amahi for iOS]
 
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==Reliability==
 
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===CI Server for Apps===
 
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'''Description''': App reliability is critical for Amahi. We have been striving to develop a customized CI (Continuous Integration) server for testing apps.
 
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'''Objective''': Develop up a CI server for apps (we have been calling a prototype "the app grinder") . The goal is to achieve 100% app installation and reliability. An important goal is to support a tester program for Amahi. We have a number of ideas of what we want to achieve -- how to design the CI server so that testers can easily see their passes, failures and anything in between.
 
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'''Skills Required''': Capybara, ruby, Webkit, Selenium, git, maybe Vagrant and system scripting. Other possible technologies could be Jenkins, Travis, etc.
 
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'''Mentors''': Carlos, Bogdan
 
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===App Sandboxing===
 
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'''Description''': Use containers to improve app stability
 
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'''Objective''': Some apps may be more suitably installed inside a container because they may be too disruptive in a system. Can we you use popular sandboxing environments to contain apps that want to take over things, like Zimbra, or some PBX/VoIP systems, etc.
 
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'''Skills Required''': [http://docker.io Docker], Vagrant (for testing), ruby, bash, [http://pdos.csail.mit.edu/mbox/ Mbox], git
 
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'''Mentor:''': Carlos, Bogdan
 
  
 
== Apps==
 
== Apps==
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'''Skills Required''': keen sense of security settings, certificates
 
'''Skills Required''': keen sense of security settings, certificates
  
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'''Mentors''': Daniel, Carlos
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'''Mentors''': Rod, Carlos
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===Caching Server===
 
===Caching Server===
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'''Description''': a caching proxy to save on bandwidth
 
'''Description''': a caching proxy to save on bandwidth
  
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'''Objective''': Develop and plugin that will allow an administrator user to control the traffic for specific devices inside the network. This app (or possibly a plugin) should display all the connected device as well as provide the ability to search by name/MAC address. For a selected device the administrator should:
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'''Objective''': Develop a plugin that will allow an administrator user to control the traffic for specific devices inside the network. This app (or possibly a plugin) should display all the connected device as well as provide the ability to search by name/MAC address. For a selected device the administrator should:
 
*Limit access between certain time intervals
 
*Limit access between certain time intervals
 
*Limit bandwidth
 
*Limit bandwidth
Line 192: Line 149:
 
*Limit traffic
 
*Limit traffic
  
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'''Skills Required''': system configuration and scripting, git
 
−
 
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'''Mentors''': Daniel, Jesse
 
  
 +
'''Skills Required''': system configuration and scripting
  
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'''Mentors''': Carlos, Rod
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===Caching Server===
 
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'''Description''': a caching proxy to save on bandwidth
 
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'''Objective''': Develop and plugin that will allow an administrator user to control the traffic for specific devices inside the network. This app (or possibly a plugin) should display all the connected device as well as provide the ability to search by name/MAC address. For a selected device the administrator should:
 
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*Limit access between certain time intervals
 
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*Limit bandwidth
 
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*Block certain websites (either on an individual basis or read them from a file)
 
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*Limit traffic
 
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'''Skills Required''': system configuration and scripting, git
 
−
 
 
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'''Mentors''': Daniel, Jesse
 
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===Network Groups===
 
−
 
 
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'''Description''': Develop a plugin to allow network device grouping. This will be the framework for future plugins.
 
−
 
 
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'''Objective''': Allow an administrator to group network devices in groups with different permissions. Limit the user access to certain apps based on the group settings.
 
−
 
 
−
'''Skills Required''': RoR, system programming, git
 
−
 
 
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'''Mentors''': Jesse, Daniel
 
  
 
===Create UI and package it for RSnapshot===
 
===Create UI and package it for RSnapshot===
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'''Objective''': [http://www.rsnapshot.org/ RSnapshot] is a great application to backup local data, making efficient use of storage as well as CPU resources and can handle a lot of data. A one-click app that includes a UI to set up and manage RSnapshot backups. Also, possibly backup to GDrive, S3, other cloud solutions
 
'''Objective''': [http://www.rsnapshot.org/ RSnapshot] is a great application to backup local data, making efficient use of storage as well as CPU resources and can handle a lot of data. A one-click app that includes a UI to set up and manage RSnapshot backups. Also, possibly backup to GDrive, S3, other cloud solutions
  
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'''Skills Required''': RoR, system programming, git
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'''Skills Required''': RoR, system programming
  
−
'''Mentor''': Rod, Dag
+
'''Mentor''': Carlos, Rod, Sukhbir
  
 
'''References'''
 
'''References'''
 
* [http://sourceforge.net/projects/rsnapshotbackup/ rsnapshot-backup-php]
 
* [http://sourceforge.net/projects/rsnapshotbackup/ rsnapshot-backup-php]
 
* [http://dobrev.ws/projects/webrsnapshot Webrsnapshot]
 
* [http://dobrev.ws/projects/webrsnapshot Webrsnapshot]
−
 
−
===Package VoIP and/or PBX system===
 
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'''Description''': A frequently requested application that is hard to package and configure is a voice over IP telephony app. Related to this is also a PBX system
 
−
 
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'''Objective''': configuring PBX or a VoIP system can be complex. There are several hurdles to this. The task is to evaluate all
 
−
 
−
'''Skills Required''': app scripting and packaging, telephony, VoIP, messaging systems, git
 
−
 
−
'''Mentors''': Carlos, Pat
 
−
 
−
'''References''':
 
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* [http://www.asterisk.org/ Asterisk]
 
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* [http://www.freepbx.org/ FreePBX]
 
  
 
==Installer==
 
==Installer==
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* Measure and analyze how users get tripped on installation and create ways to tackle these issues, bringing installation issues down
 
* Measure and analyze how users get tripped on installation and create ways to tackle these issues, bringing installation issues down
  
−
'''Skills Required''': Python, Linux boot process internals, creating ISO images, git
 
  
−
'''Mentors''': Carlos, Daniel, Jesse
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Idea: use [https://github.com/diafygi/webrtc-ips this package ] to help improve installation networking issues.
  
−
===User Onboarding===
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'''Skills Required''': Python, Linux boot process internals, creating ISO images
  
−
'''Description''': Help users get their HDA up and running with minimal interaction after installation
+
'''Mentors''': Carlos, Rod
  
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'''Objective''': Happier users. The idea is to implement an automated configuration check tool. The current [http://www.amahi.net Amahi Interactive Troubleshooter] can be used as a starting point. The tool should:
+
==Amahi Anywhere==
−
* check if the installation was successful
 
−
* compare current settings against the expected settings
 
−
* automatically fix inconsistencies with no user interaction
 
  
−
'''Skills Required''': RoR, scripting, netflow capture, dhcping scripting, git
+
The mobile apps use API endpoints provided by Amahi Anywhere for browsing, downloading and streaming files and more.
  
−
'''Mentors''': Daniel, Carlos
+
'''References''':
−
 
+
* [https://www.amahi.org/apps/amahi-anywhere Amahi Anywhere App]
−
===Ubuntu 14.04===
+
* [https://github.com/amahi/amahi-anywhere-specs Amahi Anywhere Specs]
−
 
 
−
'''Description''': Get Amahi ready for [https://wiki.ubuntu.com/TrustyTahr/ReleaseSchedule Ubuntu 14.04]
 
−
 
 
−
'''Objective''': Further development on the Amahi platform to be able to install the same applications and have the same features as the Fedora based version. A new install CD package that allows you to add Amahi functionality to Ubuntu 14.04 (LTS)
 
−
 
 
−
'''Skills Required''': ruby, ISO creation, git
 
  
−
'''Mentor''': Carlos, Frans
+
===Improvements in AA File Server===
  
−
== Networking ==
+
'''Description''': Amahi Anywhere File Server exposes HDA files and directories via REST APIs and also allows to upload new files
  
−
===Clustering Amahi Servers===
+
'''Objective''': Following features can be implemented:
  
−
'''Description''': Create a system to create data nodes that integrate with the Amahi API as well as auto mount as NFS or SMB shares to allow the usage of applications through locally mounted shares (such as gallery, subsonic etc). This would allow you to connect Windows / Linux computers as data nodes. Perhaps an installable agent?
+
* API to access platform apps over remote via proxy
 +
* Better logging ([https://github.com/amahi/amahi-anywhere-fs/issues/4 Issue #4])
 +
* Simplistic dashboard to view some metrics like number of users connected, access logs for each user, system health etc.
 +
* API to fetch metadata (duration, codec, album art image, title, artist name, album name, year etc.) for audio / video files
 +
* Create and cache low resolution thumbnail for image files for faster loading and enhanced experience
  
−
'''Objective''': An installer that integrates with Amahi (a stripped down version of Amahi?) and a management pane in the main amahi server that allows you to add a server by IP or DNS name.
 
  
−
'''Skills Required''': Ruby, misc system scripting, git
+
'''Skills Required''': GoLang, REST API Understanding
  
−
'''Mentors''': Carlos, Dan, Rod
+
'''Mentors''': Carlos, Chirag
  
−
===Rolling Distribution===
+
'''Reference''': [https://github.com/amahi/amahi-anywhere-fs/ Amahi Anywhere FS Github repo]
  
−
'''Description''': Make Amahi a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_release rolling distribution]
+
===Improvements in External Proxy===
  
−
'''Objective''': Being able to upgrade Amahi versions without having to upgrade OSs is very appealing and a huge win.
+
'''Description''': External proxy provides API endpoints for users to remotely access Amahi Anywhere File Server
  
−
'''Skills Required''': major Linux packaging mojo, ruby, system scripting, ISO packaging, repo creation, git
+
'''Objective''': Following features can be implemented:
  
−
'''Mentor''': Carlos, Jesse Read
+
* Cache implementation for chunks of files passing frequently through proxy to speed up response and save bandwidth
 +
* Dashboard to view metrics on both connected mobile and Amahi Anywhere FS clients
 +
* Ability to ban a client
  
−
== GUI and UX ==
 
  
 +
'''Skills Required''': GoLang
  
−
This area can offer '''a lot''' of possibilities for ideas. A lot can be improved in Amahi to make the users happier. We are listing one topic here, but there are many, from a better front-end HTML (responsiveness, html5 compliance, browser compatibility, etc.), to CSS re-implementation, to allow for nice JS libraries to be used in plugins easily, like D3.js, Highcharts, etc., etc.
+
'''Mentors''': Carlos, Chirag
−
 
 
−
===Better Theme Integration===
 
−
 
 
−
'''Description''': Our theme system is pretty good, however, it's very customized and we could do better with a more responsive front-end
 
−
 
 
−
'''Objective''':
 
−
* allow the usage of popular themes out there, like themes for Drupal, Wordpress, etc., with minor configuration changes, or even directly
 
−
* allow the integration of mobile themes
 
−
* provide hooks to detect mobile devices and present a mobile theme
 
−
 
 
−
 
 
−
'''Skills Required''': CSS, HTML5, ruby, RoR, git
 
−
 
 
−
'''Mentors''': Jesse, Carlos
 
  
 
=Other Ideas=
 
=Other Ideas=
  
 +
* Add features to our popular mobile apps: Offer to display image-heavy folders and shares within a "gallery" or collection view, add the ability to navigate and stream shares containing music in a streamlined way, Dynamic search, SPDY support, for both remote and local queries, support for accessing HDA web applications within Amahi for iOS, share folders and files from your HDA to other apps or users, support for HDA user permissions (share & web app restrictions, etc.). Mentors available: Carlos
 
* PHP API: make a native PHP SDK for the Amahi platform, so that PHP apps (we have a lot of them) can more easy be integrated  
 
* PHP API: make a native PHP SDK for the Amahi platform, so that PHP apps (we have a lot of them) can more easy be integrated  
 
* Integrate a mail server as an app. Identify any settings or configuration that need to be implemented in the platform
 
* Integrate a mail server as an app. Identify any settings or configuration that need to be implemented in the platform
 
* Router integration, UPNP, direct control
 
* Router integration, UPNP, direct control
−
* Port AES (Amahi Energy Server) to Amahi 7
+
* Port AES (Amahi Energy Server) to the latest Amahi
 
* Integration of LDAP as a back-end management system, calendaring
 
* Integration of LDAP as a back-end management system, calendaring
 
* Feature development (examples):
 
* Feature development (examples):
Line 342: Line 242:
 
* For the more design-oriented, build mobile theme(s)
 
* For the more design-oriented, build mobile theme(s)
 
* Documentation or screencasts/tutorials
 
* Documentation or screencasts/tutorials
 +
* Use sandboxing and containers to improve app stability, updating and more
 +
* Improve installation and user onboarding (OOBE)
 +
* Better upgrades with backup of apps, settings, etc.
 +
* Create a backup and restore function for the Amahi Server (Idea is to backup the of the setting like the shares, paths and Fixed IP address and Mac Address, remove all the data drives) reinstall the OS or Upgrade and then put the data dives back in and then restore all the setting)
 +
* make the Amahi front end webpage more mobile-friendly
 +
* Add Icon for the install app pages and have more screenshots
 +
* make it easier to run multi servers on one network
 +
* DHCP page a button to add a device to Fixed IP address will be able to change the fix IP address and the Name or just us the default one
 +
* update Button on installed apps this will only work on apps that are updateable, it will run an update script from when the was created, lots of apps nowadays are updated able and would save time uninstalled and reinstalling
 +
* Create a page or tab on Amahi front end to be able to add docker container apps select icon and name and  address:port 
 +
 
  
  
Line 352: Line 263:
 
This is a list of '''committed''' mentors. If you are interested in mentoring, let us know via IRC (mention the nicks below):
 
This is a list of '''committed''' mentors. If you are interested in mentoring, let us know via IRC (mention the nicks below):
  
−
* Carlos Puchol (cpg, PST, GSOC admin): team lead for Amahi, experience in RoR, Go, Ruby, RoR, system scripting/development, app packaging, C, C++
+
* Carlos Puchol (cpg, GSoC admin): team lead for Amahi, experience in RoR, Go, Ruby, RoR, system scripting/development, app packaging, C, C++
−
* Bogdan Mitrea (megabitdragon, CST, GSOC admin): Android, Java, app packaging, system programming, community lead
+
* Bogdan Mitrea (megabitdragon, GSoC admin): Android, Java, app packaging, system programming,C , C++, community lead
−
* Rod Runyon (bigfoot65, CST): app lead for Amahi, system programming, app packaging, reliability, documentation, support
+
* Rod Runyon (bigfoot65): app lead for Amahi, system programming, app packaging, reliability, documentation, support
−
* Jesse Read (DarthNerdus, EST): mobile team lead, system development, Objective C, iOS, Java, Android, C, C++, and much more
+
* Chirag Maheshwari, former GSoC student for Amahi
−
* Daniel Falk (dnfalk, CST): system development and management, virtualization, networking, infrastructure
+
* Kumar Shashwat, former GSoC student for Amahi
−
* Dag Notland (dano5, CET): app packaging, system programming, community lead
+
* Sukhbir Singh, former GSoC student for Amahi
 +
* Dipankar B. Amahi collaborator
 +
* Nitin V., Amahi collaborator
 +
 
 +
 
 +
Reference: [https://google.github.io/gsocguides/mentor/ GSoC mentoring page].
 +
 
 +
= Prior Years =
 +
 
 +
Amahi participated in GSOC in 2020, 2019, 2018, [[Google Summer of Code 2017]] 2016, and [[Google Summer of Code 2014]]
 +
 
 +
== Prior Ideas (NOT for 2021) ==
 +
 
 +
=== iOS App Improvements ===
 +
 
 +
'''Description''': Amahi iOS app supports all basic functionalities including browsing files on HDA, streaming audio/video, offline file access but still lacks a lot of features compared to its Android counterpart
 +
 
 +
'''Objective''': Addition of new features and improvements in pre-existing ones in iOS app in swift to at least match or surpass the Android app
 +
 
 +
'''Things to be implemented''':
 +
* Secondary user login
 +
* Chromecast support
 +
* Metadata display
 +
* Continuous music play
 +
* Upload and delete functionality
 +
* Thumbnail previews
 +
 
 +
 
 +
'''Skills Required''': iOS programming, Swift
  
 +
'''Mentors''': Carlos, Chirag
  
−
Reference: [http://en.flossmanuals.net/GSoCMentoring/ GSOC mentoring page].
+
'''Reference''': [https://github.com/amahi/ios Amahi iOS app repo]
  
 
= Reference =
 
= Reference =
  
−
* [https://www.google-melange.com/gsoc/homepage/google/gsoc2014 GSOC 2014]
 
 
* [http://drupal.org/node/59037 Drupal]
 
* [http://drupal.org/node/59037 Drupal]
 
* [http://forge.mysql.com/wiki/SummerOfCode/ApplicationTemplate MySQL]
 
* [http://forge.mysql.com/wiki/SummerOfCode/ApplicationTemplate MySQL]
 
* [http://techbase.kde.org/Projects/Summer_of_Code/2009/Ideas KDE Ideas]
 
* [http://techbase.kde.org/Projects/Summer_of_Code/2009/Ideas KDE Ideas]

Latest revision as of 18:55, 20 February 2021

About Amahi

We're looking for students with skills in these areas: current technologies like RoR, ruby, python, PHP, as well as next generation technologies, like Go (we use it for streaming to our mobile apps), Node.js, HTTP/2, javascript frameworks for user interaction, visualization or server services, etc.

We're also looking for hardware projects! Creating a Raspberry Pi-style device with great I/O that can run Amahi smoothly is a long-tem goal for Amahi!

Amahi started of a need to keep a personal/home cloud server, keep all my family's photos, videos, documents, and generally any data. It expanded into running applications, mostly web apps, from anything to doing backups to automatic downloaders, media managers and much more.

Amahi is a full and proper server made up of

  • A Linux system based on a mainline distribution, currently Fedora, but we supported Ubuntu before as well
  • An installer to help the user bring bring Amahi up in their system
  • A platform, which is a web app that the user uses to manage their server, add apps
  • Apps that are installed by using the platform
  • Two mobile apps to access data and apps, for Android and iOS.

At Amahi we use git (see our Github repo) for our version management and the technologies we have ended up using are Ruby, Ruby on Rails, PHP, Linux system internal technologies like system services, configuration areas, web server virtualhosts, databases, DNS, etc., etc.

What to do (and NOT do) first

Let's talk about what NOT to do first, because many people automatically start badly by doing these:

  • do not comment randomly in github issues, e.g. introducing yourself in a GH issue, saying you would like to do something, or just "make noise"
  • do not blindly try to build things without understanding what Amahi is and what it does
  • do not just submit a pull request or issue a bug without really knowing what you are up to
  • do not just come to IRC, say something and vanish shortly thereafter. Stay for a while. People come and go. Ask your question and stick around. Get a client that can linger for a while. Sometimes it takes hours for some people to return

BUT First, Introduce yourself, interact with the community, so please introduce yourself with this form, so that we know your background and interests.

If you have questions about Amahi or just want to interact, you can contact us via IRC on #amahi on irc.freenode.net (fairly active) or on the amahi-devel mailing list (not as active). Don't forget that we are open to suggestions, extensions or adaptations. Feel free to discuss or propose new ideas for projects!

One of the most important things is to find an area that you enjoy, using a programming environment that you know or that you are willing to learn quickly, so read below or ask questions.

If you are interested in being a mentor, we have a few great mentors as of today, but we're very welcoming of more ideas and more mentors!

See the mentors below. Looking for ideas to mentor, see the other ideas below.

List of Project Ideas

We have organized the ideas in groups, depending what area of Amahi they belong in. These groups are not in any particular order. For instance if you are a front-end person who knows HTML and Javascript, the GUI/UX may well be the best fit and we'd love to hear from you!

Platform

Plugin Apps

Plugins are "mini apps" that live inside the Amahi platform and thus little interface need to be developed for them. They are familiar and provide easy, focused value to the user. Ideas:


Mentors: Rod, Carlos

Disk Wizard

Description: Expanding the storage capacity is an important feature of Amahi. The DW is a critical part. However, it's not as stable as it should be. It should detect more partition types and handle everything gracefully, even when it can't act upon certain configurations.

Objective: Stability improvements and especially thoroughly testing this plugin for disk/partition management.

Skills Required: Low level system scripting

Mentors: Rod, Carlos

References:


Amahi 12

Description: Amahi 12 is our next release.

Objective: Work closely with the core team to define the features and functionality that we need to implement to get Amahi released. This project is about working on RoR and the Amahi platform core. Some of the core technology will need to be upgraded, like Rails 5, latest Phusion Passenger, possibly replace MySQL for the platform, create a native API to the platform that can be used by other apps, like mobile apps. Other ideas include beefing up security and provide support for Amahi hosting on the cloud. Features:

  • make platform even more modular and cleaner (at the moment we still have some things that really belong in plugins but still are in controllers/views of the main app)
  • possibly using a new metal layer instead of passenger - especially ones that do not take a long time to reload, could be puma, i also like thin, maybe others
  • better initialization ... like a more standard (wordpress-like) initialization wizard (initially there are no users, we need to create an admin user and perhaps ask a few questions and integrate with amahi.org)
  • Implement sharing of folders among the friend servers.


Skills Required: RoR, ruby, JS, CSS, HTML5, Bootstrap

Mentors: Carlos, Rod, Sukhbir

Reference: Amahi Platform repo

Android Mobile App

Our mobile apps have streaming, browsing and sharing and it's a great topic.

This year we're going to try emphasizing the Android app a little more.


Android App Improvements

Description: Amahi Android offers the ability to stream your HDA over your Android phone and Android TV, support for Chromecast and auto-upload of images to HDA. The next step is to complete the following objectives:

Objectives:

  • Android TV Revamp: The Android TV app is outdated at the moment and doesn't follow the latest design principles of Android. We have to redesign the app so that Amahi is accessible on Android TV again. Further, we have to implement the PlayerAdapter in Android TV to support previews.
  • Support for Dagger 2: The current app is written using Dagger 1. We have to port the code to Dagger 2 so that we can use the latest libraries which are dependent on it.
  • Support for NAU: Complete the app with support for Non-Admin User which currently exists on the server-side only. Ref: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1jZAdXpSGQRJ6xN2WCzqkiPxQPUW2VHsAnpENZKbT2z0
  • UI Improvements and UI Testing: Adding an Expresso based automated UI testing protocol.
  • Improve Background Service: Improve the app for uploading media on the HDA when the app isn't present in the foreground
  • Phone Auto-Backup: Develop a module that does an Auto backup of the phone to the HDA over Local connection (reference: Helium)
  • Friending Feature: Implement the sharing of folders or shares with other servers. https://docs.google.com/document/d/14JsH9-aZrE3Z-35Oo38IY1-3Nd5BJiR_G0DshhjKSM4/
  • VPN: Add support for VPN proxy so that the user can access the HDA from the phone over a VPN proxy tunnel.


Skills Required: Java, Android framework

Mentors: Carlos, Chirag

Reference: Amahi Android Github repo

Apps

Innovative app or app packaging and app-related projects.

Improved VPN Security

Description: Improve the security of our OpenVPN and IPSec VPN apps. Examples are allowing users to generate their own certificates, identify weak spots and strengthen them.

Objective: For the example of generating their own certificates, build a wizard to allow users to create and manage their certificates. Another goal would be to provide logging of VPN connections, so that the user can see the activity on their VPN.

Skills Required: keen sense of security settings, certificates

Mentors: Rod, Carlos

Caching Server

Description: a caching proxy to save on bandwidth

Objective: Develop a plugin that will allow an administrator user to control the traffic for specific devices inside the network. This app (or possibly a plugin) should display all the connected device as well as provide the ability to search by name/MAC address. For a selected device the administrator should:

  • Limit access between certain time intervals
  • Limit bandwidth
  • Block certain websites (either on an individual basis or read them from a file)
  • Limit traffic


Skills Required: system configuration and scripting

Mentors: Carlos, Rod

Create UI and package it for RSnapshot

Description: Make a UI for rsnapshot

Objective: RSnapshot is a great application to backup local data, making efficient use of storage as well as CPU resources and can handle a lot of data. A one-click app that includes a UI to set up and manage RSnapshot backups. Also, possibly backup to GDrive, S3, other cloud solutions

Skills Required: RoR, system programming

Mentor: Carlos, Rod, Sukhbir

References

Installer

Improved Installation

Description: Improved installation experience for users.

Objective: Configuration and installation of Amahi can be painful for some percentage of users. Many of them do not know much or care for Linux. We want to make the installation as smooth as possible not just for them, but for more even more regular (non-techy) users. Ubuntu has some challenges of its own to make it work without dropping the users to the command line.

  • Create a new Anaconda node for Amahi configuration
  • Similarly for Ubuntu
  • Make images that enable booting from USB devices "out of the box"
  • Detect sub-optimal configurations of disk partitions and provide feedback to the user
  • Measure and analyze how users get tripped on installation and create ways to tackle these issues, bringing installation issues down


Idea: use this package to help improve installation networking issues.

Skills Required: Python, Linux boot process internals, creating ISO images

Mentors: Carlos, Rod

Amahi Anywhere

The mobile apps use API endpoints provided by Amahi Anywhere for browsing, downloading and streaming files and more.

References:

Improvements in AA File Server

Description: Amahi Anywhere File Server exposes HDA files and directories via REST APIs and also allows to upload new files

Objective: Following features can be implemented:

  • API to access platform apps over remote via proxy
  • Better logging (Issue #4)
  • Simplistic dashboard to view some metrics like number of users connected, access logs for each user, system health etc.
  • API to fetch metadata (duration, codec, album art image, title, artist name, album name, year etc.) for audio / video files
  • Create and cache low resolution thumbnail for image files for faster loading and enhanced experience


Skills Required: GoLang, REST API Understanding

Mentors: Carlos, Chirag

Reference: Amahi Anywhere FS Github repo

Improvements in External Proxy

Description: External proxy provides API endpoints for users to remotely access Amahi Anywhere File Server

Objective: Following features can be implemented:

  • Cache implementation for chunks of files passing frequently through proxy to speed up response and save bandwidth
  • Dashboard to view metrics on both connected mobile and Amahi Anywhere FS clients
  • Ability to ban a client


Skills Required: GoLang

Mentors: Carlos, Chirag

Other Ideas

  • Add features to our popular mobile apps: Offer to display image-heavy folders and shares within a "gallery" or collection view, add the ability to navigate and stream shares containing music in a streamlined way, Dynamic search, SPDY support, for both remote and local queries, support for accessing HDA web applications within Amahi for iOS, share folders and files from your HDA to other apps or users, support for HDA user permissions (share & web app restrictions, etc.). Mentors available: Carlos
  • PHP API: make a native PHP SDK for the Amahi platform, so that PHP apps (we have a lot of them) can more easy be integrated
  • Integrate a mail server as an app. Identify any settings or configuration that need to be implemented in the platform
  • Router integration, UPNP, direct control
  • Port AES (Amahi Energy Server) to the latest Amahi
  • Integration of LDAP as a back-end management system, calendaring
  • Feature development (examples):
  • Calendaring, and integrated contact manager application. Possible options: 1) ownCloud based or 2) Apache carddav
  • For the more design-oriented, build mobile theme(s)
  • Documentation or screencasts/tutorials
  • Use sandboxing and containers to improve app stability, updating and more
  • Improve installation and user onboarding (OOBE)
  • Better upgrades with backup of apps, settings, etc.
  • Create a backup and restore function for the Amahi Server (Idea is to backup the of the setting like the shares, paths and Fixed IP address and Mac Address, remove all the data drives) reinstall the OS or Upgrade and then put the data dives back in and then restore all the setting)
  • make the Amahi front end webpage more mobile-friendly
  • Add Icon for the install app pages and have more screenshots
  • make it easier to run multi servers on one network
  • DHCP page a button to add a device to Fixed IP address will be able to change the fix IP address and the Name or just us the default one
  • update Button on installed apps this will only work on apps that are updateable, it will run an update script from when the was created, lots of apps nowadays are updated able and would save time uninstalled and reinstalling
  • Create a page or tab on Amahi front end to be able to add docker container apps select icon and name and address:port


Plus, of course we are open to suggestions. Open a dialog. We're happy to discuss and determine a suitable project.

Amahi is a platform that will support the deployment of other open source applications. If you are interested in the integration of applications in your area of interest, just contact us with suggestions.

Mentors

This is a list of committed mentors. If you are interested in mentoring, let us know via IRC (mention the nicks below):

  • Carlos Puchol (cpg, GSoC admin): team lead for Amahi, experience in RoR, Go, Ruby, RoR, system scripting/development, app packaging, C, C++
  • Bogdan Mitrea (megabitdragon, GSoC admin): Android, Java, app packaging, system programming,C , C++, community lead
  • Rod Runyon (bigfoot65): app lead for Amahi, system programming, app packaging, reliability, documentation, support
  • Chirag Maheshwari, former GSoC student for Amahi
  • Kumar Shashwat, former GSoC student for Amahi
  • Sukhbir Singh, former GSoC student for Amahi
  • Dipankar B. Amahi collaborator
  • Nitin V., Amahi collaborator


Reference: GSoC mentoring page.

Prior Years

Amahi participated in GSOC in 2020, 2019, 2018, Google Summer of Code 2017 2016, and Google Summer of Code 2014

Prior Ideas (NOT for 2021)

iOS App Improvements

Description: Amahi iOS app supports all basic functionalities including browsing files on HDA, streaming audio/video, offline file access but still lacks a lot of features compared to its Android counterpart

Objective: Addition of new features and improvements in pre-existing ones in iOS app in swift to at least match or surpass the Android app

Things to be implemented:

  • Secondary user login
  • Chromecast support
  • Metadata display
  • Continuous music play
  • Upload and delete functionality
  • Thumbnail previews


Skills Required: iOS programming, Swift

Mentors: Carlos, Chirag

Reference: Amahi iOS app repo

Reference

Retrieved from "https://wiki.amahi.org/index.php?title=Google_Summer_of_Code_Ideas&oldid=116596"