Contest, help us brainstom a continous integration monitor

[micke.prag]

We are working for a more open and transparent development and roadmap. We are an Open Source company and we are proud of that.
You might have noticed that our latest improvment for this is our development site.

• We have an open bugs database that everyone can participate in.
• We have the source code for our software open for everyone to see.
• You can clone our repository and start hacking on your own.

Lastly we have an integated continous integration system where the code gets built. But we need your help.
We need some way to display the build status, but we don't know how.
If you can come up with a fun solution and we acctually build it we will reward you with a TellStick Net (or something else if you already got one).

A bonus for ideas that can be used for other things (like status of the Telldus Live! servers or network usage for instance).

We are not interested in the "classic" one but want something new and fun.
For your inspiration these are some of the common ones:

• Lava lamps
• Traffic light

Maybe not so common but someone has already done it:
http://www.papercut.com/blog/chris/2011 ... the-build/

[gein]

You say "open" and "transparent" and the idea that immediately strikes me is to have the build status transparent and distributed as well. Place the build status at the home of the users. As an easter egg, let Telldus Live! users associate devices to the current build status. The build status will automatically trigger the device(s). Then, let people post pictures or videos of how they represent the build status at home or at work.

[Manticus2]

following the thread

[Zaman]

This is not an indicator in itself but an idea of how a framework system could be set up.
Create a special Live! page that can show/receive the current build status and have a plugin to the build system that will update the site.
You can then connect any number of locations/devices to you live site with rules for how they should be triggered and have the plugin control them depending on the build status.

If you make the plugin configurable and the Live! page an optional addition to the normal Live! site users can set up the same kind of system at home and have warning lights or other devices go on when builds fail.

For this to work properly the special Live! page has to be able to receive more info about about the build than just build pass/fail. Info like unit test failure, build and project ID, user causing failure and so on can all be useful when it comes to showing status.
The Live! site itself can be used to show the current build status if a Trac site (or similar) isn't used.
As an example:
Unit test failure triggers a yellow light, build failure triggers a red light and sends a small current through the causing user's chair (enough to get him/her to stand up), pass is indicated by a green light.

[krambriw]

Just simply provide your status triggers using websockets. Thats it! Then anyone can connect and get immediate notification of current development status(es) using whatever devices or function as per individual preference.

Best regards, Walter

For more info on websockets, check this link:

http://websocket.org/

[hne]

Maybe a bit late, but I really think you should build a Fail Train, using a model rail system with some RF controled switches to make the train run around and hit things, make sound and raise flags for build failures, go to specific stops depending on number of open bugs, ... I think you get the idea. Then you could point a web cam at it to show the world!