New embedded controller: opn-max

["Daniel Berenguer" <dberenguer@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi xAP community!

I'm proud to introduce opn-max =96 a new generation of embedded network
controllers aimed to work as high-level xAP masters (good
introduction, don't you think so?).

http://www.opnode.org/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=3Dopn-max

This controller is based on a Linksys NSLU2 and only needs an external
drive (memory stick or hard disk) to store applications, web pages and
custom files. The NSLU2 typically costs less than 80 =80 (VAT apart).
Just add the price of a memory stick, install the necessary software
into it and=85 voil=E0, you have an opn-max.

Opn-max, as any other opnode, is an open source design. This means
that you can download the source code from sourceforge (not yet=85) in
case you want to contribute to this project. This also means that you
can buy your NSLU2 from your local supplier and then convert it into
an opn-max controller for free.

I'm going to need a lot of help to fine-tune opn-max so those
volunteers=85 be ready to spend some time on the project because it has
plenty of features:

- xAP BSC interface (I'll try to add support for other schemas in a
near future)
- Web server for configuring and controlling opn-max
- Event manager
- Perl scripting with access to endpoints
- Customizable web PHP pages with access to endpoints
- SQLite database. Possibility of saving endpoint values into SQLite
tables
- Web graphs and charts
- SSH server for administration and installation purposes
- FTP server

These features are already implemented and opn-max is operational.
However, so many functionalities need a deep validation process in
real applications. I'm just running opn-max on my workbench and my
current requirements in terms of home automation are pretty limited.

Moreover, Alicia, my personal web developer, has been very busy these
months so she couldn't help me on this project as she wanted. This
means that some web pages could need some rework. Anyway, we'll see
this during the beta-tests.

During the next weeks I'll try to fix some minor bugs and prepare the
necessary documentation to guide the first beta-testers during the
installation of opn-max on their Slugs. I also have to upload opn-max
to opnode's sourceforge repository and create a yahoo group for the
opnode project.

Regards,

Daniel.



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