snotty

by slowpoison

Snotty is an attempt to make coding social. SNoTTY = Socially Networked TTY (teletype) Snotty, is a web app. Once installed on a server, (in this case a Linode instance), it lets users with accounts on that server log in and work on a real terminal through the browser. No gnome-terminal, putty, xterm or any other kind of terminal required. Snotty suffices. That itself is a reason enough to be snotty ;–).

Snotty has two main features: – Snotty lets you log into your server through your browser. Web-browsers are ubiquitous. Terminal software is not. – Lets you share your terminal with others. There’s a surprise in here. Check out Snotty instructions or better yet, play with Snotty for more details.

Snotty is also available at http://snotty.slowpoison.net

Judging Instructions

I’d like to include a brief overview of how this works first. Here’s the flow, using an example – Coders from organization WeDigNode work on their corp servers. They mostly work remotely. So, they miss the interaction with other coders. Also, they use a variety of computers depending upon where they are. Sometimes their favorite device lacks support for a terminal software. They are forced to use a different device. Enter Snotty. Snotty lets them log in to their servers using a browser. And gives them the terminal environment they love. Better yet, it lets them share terminals for pair-programming and other wonderful stuff.

Some useful info: A Snotty demo user already exists. User: nko1 Pass: nko1

Here’s how to use it: * Go to http://slowpoison.nko2.nodeknockout.com/ or http://snotty.slowpoison.net * Click on “New Terminal” to start a new terminal. * You’ll see the familiar Linux prompt. Type nko1 at the login prompt. And type nko1 as password to login. * Once you are in the terminal, you can run Linux commands. This is a true Linux terminal – it is backed by a real PTS on the server. * Try commands like ifconfig, less /var/log/syslog, date, AND top (why not) * Tab completion works! * Sadly, arrow-key command navigation and other ncurses based stuff (vim) doesn’t work right now… though I wanted to make it work.

• Now comes the social part. At any time, after your terminal is ready, click on “share” to share your terminal.
• This will prompt you a share name. This is the name that your terminal will be known as across the server.
• Enter a name like “snazzy”.

• Now your terminal is shared.

• Now turn on another computer. Also, keep your previous computer alive. (Another browser window will work too, but it won’t be able to show the coolest part.)

• Go to http://slowpoison.nko2.nodeknockout.com/ OR http://snotty.slowpoison.net
• Click on “Shared Terminals”
• You will see a list of shared terms, or call me :). The terminal you shared from other computer should be listed here in the client-host/share-name format.
• Select the term and press “watch”. A terminal will pop up on your screen.
• This is a copy of the terminal you opened on the first computer.

• Now go back to the first terminal. Type and play around. The shared terminal will display the same contents as the original terminal.

• What’s social coding without some eye to eye contact! They say, you can tell by your peer coder’s face how many closures he/she can write in a single program.

• You might need to click on “Allow” on all the video windows that will show up (now or later).
• Both your computers should show videos of each other.
• Code socially!