@TQ #practicecoding How about implementing a Mastodon instance in a different language ? I heard that what an instance was wasn't so clear yet and pretty much defined by the current implementation.

Having different implementations in different languages would make the whole network stronger.

@Sasha Sounds nice, but also a bit intimidating for a learning project...

@TQ True, but it's an interesting exercise when learning programming to try and model an object. Ask yourself questions about what you would need.

You'd probably be far from releasing a Mastodon instance anytime soon, but it's the kind of project that could be split (how to interface an API ? how to save data ? how to route messages to whom should receive them ?). For each there's enough material to start asking yourself real algorithmic questions and discover basic data structures and classic algorithms.

@TQ Throwing out ideas, I'd be vaguely interested in having a way of making all the CWs on a timeline default to opened; for people who don't foresee an issue with seeing the edgy stuff so want to save the effort of clicking one at a time.

Also, some way to access hashtags without having to either search or click in a toot that has it; such as a list of favorite hashtags.

#practicecoding.

@TQ Once the project gets going, a commit bot is fun: it posts e.g. the commit message whenever anyone commits code to the repo.

@wim_v12e Hehe, a meta project!

@TQ I have seen this used to great effect on irc for other projects

LT Darn, it ate the tag? #practicecoding idea

@wim_v12e @TQ

I like the commit bot idea.

Will it post its own commit messages?

"What is this thing @TQ just attached to my head? It says: 'added new haircut'"

#practicecoding

@Jules @wim_v12e *loool*

@TQ Soooo... do you really want to go into Mastodon code / API?

Because if you want to build a polling tool for mastodon? Everyone who might be just starting to learn basic programming will be lost?

@Jules I'm not sure about that, but as it was a suggestion I didn't want to decide for other users. I must admit I like my own suggestions better. ;)

@TQ @Jules suggest starting off with simpler projects and *then* introducing coding for Mastodon API. As folk will need to learn the basics of stuff like connecting to other sites and exchanging data, security/authorisation etc and those topics need knowledge of basic principles first.

@vfrmedia I agree. We could start with a few simple programs, that everyone writes on their own. Then start to think bigger and decide on a team-project? @TQ

@TQ timezone calculator is a good one, being able to handle time/date in coding can be challenge (b/c locales, formats) and therefore a very useful skill to learn..

I'd like to vote for a simple but fun approach that yields some kind of tangible result, hence my suggestions for #practicecoding. But I still like the bot idea a lot!

@TQ No worries ^_^

@TQ our bot will be a nice bot. Not a annoying bot. :3

@TQ There's nothing to stop us going for a quick and simple thing, then doing the bot once we've all got a feel for the basics of coding and collaboration.

@TQ

We could make some sort of simple game or maybe game-bots that play against each other? #practicecoding

Maybe learn python and use something like pygame (http://pygame.org/) to create a simple game?

We could work alone, in small or bigger teams, depending on what people prefer. Not everyone wants so / is able to learn in groups of strangers ^^

#practicecoding

. @Jules Great! I had a similar idea. Python seems to be one of the languages of choice for #practicecoding (along with go and Ruby), and I really enjoyed the codecademy lessons!

@Jules this is great. Even tinypy can do pygame

@saper @Jules from what I've seen of it pygame is an easy introduction to graphics coding (I've used it for a radio station clock app on a Raspberry PI)

@TQ Oh wow that poetry website is amazing. It created a Rondel (I really like that word... like, roll the R... Rrrrondel) anyways it's amazing and it titled mine... "A hangover" and pretty much sums up my life, or at least the feeling. So...

Thank you for this.
#sharingiscaring
#poetry

@maunzikation It was a suggestion from @ekaitz_zarraga https://mastodon.social/@ekaitz_zarraga/4318044

@TQ @maunzikation Here you have an example of the mosaic generator, randomly taken from the internet. (I don't own the picture) https://mastodon.social/media/wb7FsTH9wWrFHS54snE

@ekaitz_zarraga @maunzikation I remember those! Made some of these mosaics (not the generators) as X-mas presents 1999! 😂

@TQ @maunzikation Well, when you learn to program you'll be able to make the engine behind.

:-D

I made one ;-)
(it's easy and cool)

@ekaitz_zarraga @TQ aaah, that's cool! i'd definitely be interested in that :>

@maunzikation @TQ Perfect!
:D :D