Software Repository

biketool · 2019-10-02T10:45:02.683Z

After the call went out for a compass app APK be delivered with the Othernet it made me think what other than news and learning aids would leverage from a one way data channel.
I am thinking, Cuba, DPRK, Kashmir, Hong Kong type situations where security updates are important, an updating repo on the Skylark serves thae same purpose as a fully online Android or Linux software repository so everyone gets their daily/weekly software updates. Due to storage requirements perhaps require a USB flash drive to enable a software repository feature.
Recommended FOSS basic Android phone and x86/AMD64 computer secure communications packages
https://briarproject.org/ (secure bluetooth & wifi offline mesh handoff as well as Tox encrypted TOR online messaging)
https://tails.boum.org/ (a secure USB bootable Linux OS for most computers; uses TOR)
If a larger drive is connected the below might be useful for someone with a computer or Android device but no network access.
http://one.laptop.org/
https://lubuntu.net/
F-Droid - Free and Open Source Android App Repository

Lastly if a licensing arrangement with https://www.overdrive.com/ and the http://www.ala.org/ or a consortium of university libraries could be made it might permit an Othernet user account to receive a selected bundle of recent e-books or audiobooks weekly with automatic expiration.

sam_uk · 2019-10-03T10:31:03.470Z

+1 I think this would be a really good use for Othernet devices.

It has been mentioned before, but we had less bandwidth to play with in the Lband days.

I wrote a very hacky module for Rachel back in the summer that included these apps

biketool · 2019-10-04T12:03:05.053Z

The priority for software repos could be low with a total load/update taking a week or more.

Along the lines of software repos a cache of Arduino sketches, the IDE, and maybe a tutorial might be found to be useful. The Arduino platform makes DIY prototyping with Atmel ATmega/micro chips over USB really easy, I find them to be pretty universal logic building blocks for almost any kind of farm or light industrial automation as well as repairing or hacking many home appliances. Long term a nice collection of schematics for useful electronic projects both educational and practical using a suggested standardized catalog of electronic components could be up with the ebook form of Where There is No Doctor in being useful for someone already outside of the area where standard internet is available.

sam_uk · 2019-10-04T18:26:12.502Z

I think there’s a good argument for posting them out with an SD card, Rachel would be good in many situations, you get this software and literature with it. http://oer2go.org/ It could include the Android apps module I wrote for them.

There is a case for re-broadcasting apps when new versions come out, particularly things like orbot or psiphon where the update may fix a blocked app