The Digital Age

In the digital age, information flows.

Content is no longer controlled; it is created and released.

The old guard will fight to hold on to control.

The speed at which they lose control is the speed at which the digital age arrives.

The goal of this project is to accelerate progress towards the digital age.

---

Statement of Purpose

The purpose of The Digital Age project is to make peoples' lives simpler and more enjoyable by simplifying access to quality digital content, anywhere and everywhere.

Several specific requirements arise:

• handle a broad spectrum of digital content
• quantify the ratings of digital content to a meaningful level
• account for different personal taste
• maintain the "best" content in easily-accessible personal collections
• allow for introduction of new content with the greatest possible signal-to-noise ratio

Components

• a central repository (mysql) of media metadata
• a server exposing web services to access the metadata (derived from ampache)
• a desktop client player (port hangthedj to qt, for pc/mac/linux) (also see amarok, sparklemedia, winamp, etc.)
• a mediacenter player (mythtv)
• a mobile client player (iphone - see iAmpache, can I get the code for this? there's also an android app)

The Digital Age Biz Plan

http://www.thedigitalage.org tdm_cvs_view/ShareTheDJ/docs/The Digital Age business plan diagrams.odg

• hasn't metadata structure already been designed and data collected? precanned music companies have this nailed down, I'm sure... what about the last.fm API?
• see HTDJ db schema
  • DJ's
  • song ratings by DJ
  • current playlist
• other ratings (movies, games, books)
• ShareTheDJ web services to access metadata
• MythMusic extended, previously known as MythDJ
  • include MythShare
  • use STDJ web services
• update HTDJ to use STDJ web services
• mobile app that use the web services
• The Philanthropy Engine

More notes, to be organized...

       THE DIGITAL AGE SOFTWARE BUSINESS PLAN

       http://www.thedigitalage.org
       tdm_cvs_view/ShareTheDJ/docs/The Digital Age business plan diagrams.odg

       ------

       COMPARISON OF COMPONENT CHOICES
       ===============================

       HTTP-based traffic

           payload:
               boost::serialization 
               binary
               XML?  yuck

       Thick client

           cross-platform:
               mythweb + flex player                
           
           windows:
               htdj

           linux:
               mythfrontend

           palm:
               tcpmp

       Server options:
                                           
           Apache + custom mod             C++/boost, may be ugly to develop?
           EHS + STDJ                      C++/boost, far along, not robust/scalable?
           Apache + custom php             PHP, clean, lots of work? 
           Apache + custom MythTV          PHP, have to ramp up, prolly needs MythShare
           Apache + custom Ampache         PHP, Fat-client support difficult?

       PC client options:

           Mythfrontend (linux)            C++, MythShare plugin, fun!  Need MythWeb support for http.
           HTDJ (windoze)                  Far along, needs good HTTP client
           Browser + embedded player       Is flex mediaplayer ready?
           Browser + OS

       Palm client options:

           TCPMP + Blazer
           Custom TCPMP

       ===============================

       I am leaning towards:

           linux server
               Mythbackend
               Apache + MythWeb + MythDJ (use MDS?)

           linux client
               Mythfrontend/MythDJ

           windows client
               MythWeb/MythDJ + HTDJ

           palm
               Blazer + MythWeb/MythDJ download
               TCPMP playback
               SD card preload from MythWeb/MythDJ

           friend
               MythWeb/MythDJ + OS (VLC, etc.)
               MythWeb/MythDJ + embedded flash/flex2?

       ATTACK!!

           MythMusic clone to MythDJ
               on tdm2
               on wimpy/ubuntu
               on wimpy/gentoo
           Expand music db schema
           MythDJ UI
           MythWeb/MythDJ
           MythWeb/MythDJ + HTDJ