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Idea #1885: Webcam wallpaper

bug This entry was marked as not being an idea the 30 July 11. If this is a bug report, please use the Ubuntu bug tracker.
Written by Stasewitz the 29 Feb 08 at 22:18. Category: Look and Feel. Related project: Nothing/Others. Status: Not an idea
Rationale
Add live webcam feeds as a desktop wallpaper option in System/Appearance.

The following code, added as a script to Startup Programs, does this (needs a /home/user/webcam directory and *tries* to update every 10 s.), changing the desktop to a window looking out on Loch Ness, Scotland.

But doing this via a nice GUI, choosing from a list of community-suggested alternatives, would be better.

#!/bin/sh
URL=http://www.lochness.co.uk/livecam/img/lochness.jpg
PREFIX=/home/user/webcam
OUTPUT=$URL##*/
gconftool-2 --type=string --set /desktop/gnome/background/picture_options zoom
cd /home/user/webcam
while true; do
wget $URL
gconftool-2 --type=string --set /desktop/gnome/background/picture_filename $PREFIX$OUTPUT
#echo $PREFIX$OUTPUT
sleep 10s
rm $PREFIX$OUTPUT
done
Tags: (none)

-33
votes
closed
Solution #1: Auto-generated solution of idea #1885
Written by Stasewitz the 29 Feb 08 at 22:18.
Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #1885 was submitted before this update, its rationale and solution are not separated. Please vote accordingly, and if you have the necessary rights, please separate the rationale from the solution. Thanks!

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Stasewitz wrote on the 29 Feb 08 at 22:47

Maybe I can clarify the idea.

Use case:

Ubuntu media computer in living room, for online news / DVD watching.

=> When not in direct use, can provide a virtual window to some other place in the world in real time.

Everbody hates my idea :(

marcspoor wrote on the 2 Mar 08 at 06:39
I like the idea!

Two additional suggestions:

- It would also be cool to use your own USB webcam and flip the image horizontally. That way, the desktop can be used as a mirror.

- Not just the wallpaper, but also the Compiz Skydome would be a good target for this idea.

XVIIarcano wrote on the 5 Mar 08 at 11:10
+1! I realize that this is a geekerie brought to the scaryest level but I really like it! Honestly I can imagine some implementation problem, and I do admit that this is definitely not a priority... but still I'd like to know why so may people voted against.

fluxy wrote on the 13 Mar 08 at 19:16
Your idea seems to be a good one (I haven't tried it) but this would be perhaps more suited in the new gnome app "cheese" which basically aims at providing webcam-related features.

Restructure your idea in this sense and you get my vote.

scotharkins wrote on the 29 Jul 11 at 17:10
Here it is three years later and there is still no easy little app to run a slideshow of webcams. This solution is about as easy and elegant as can be made. I would change a few elements, like drop $PREFIX in favor of $HOME so any user can use the script, and have it create the webcam directory if it is not found as an rwx directory.

I like the idea of multiples, too, so several webcams, perhaps as single lines in a config file. Either sweep sequentially or count the lines (+1) as bounds for rand.

cheesehead (Brainstorm admin) wrote on the 30 Jul 11 at 16:21
I don't understand the problem.
1) Create a Launchpad Project
2) Clean up the script, package it, and submit it to Ubuntu.
3) Use the LP project to manage the bug reports, request contributions like a GUI, and manage the list of webcams.

Alternately, if you really want this to be a control panel option, then file a Wishlist Bug Report against the Appearance control panel.

Since none of this requires a developer, closing in Brainstorm.
There are already numerous tutorials on how to package and submit software to the Ubuntu repos.

(It is a clever script!)


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