Get the software
You can download, install, run and modify the Meme Machine. It runs on Linux, but could work on many platforms with some work. I think on mac you might be able to get all the missing bits on mac ports and then it should run quite fine.
To begin:
- Download and install
- Start a mind
- Start a medium
- Experiment with different ideas
FInd out how below. Its a small set of scripts, just download and run!
You can see how they work, and add your own twist!
Download it
- Inspect the sources on sourceforge at http://mememachine.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/mememachine/
- You need to have subversion
eg$ sudo apt-get install subversion - Get the code from the subversion repository:
$ svn checkout https://mememachine.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/mememachine - If you can't use subversion, grab a tarball
Installation
- Install dependencies. These are the Ubuntu package names. Everything else should be in standard python 2.5
- python-pygame — screen display
- python-avahi — local network discovery of other nodes
- python-numpy — fast maths or lazy programmer
- python-sqlite3 — organise plenty of data efficiently
- ttf-dejavu-extra — display as many characters from as many languages as possible.( I may have to make bold-italic versions of the Indian fonts.)
$ sudo apt-get install python-avahi python-pygame python-numpy python-sqlite ttf-dejavu-extra
- Bug in pygame prevents accessing system fonts <https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/pygame/+bug/209967>. You need a good font that displays many unicode characters, eg DejaVuSans truetype family and he default pygame font is not very comprehensive.
- http://sourceforge.net/projects/dejavu
- Put the font files in a folder called 'ttf-dejavu' with the scripts.
- If you already have themon your system you could symlink them.
Begin Experimenting
Start a mind
If there's another server on your subnet (sucha as at linux.conf.au delegate network) you can just start a mind. Others might refer to it as a client, but the minds really drive the whole process.
- Choose the meme you want your mind to explore.
- $ python memechineMedium.py [meme phrase]
Start a medium
Mediums are servers that co-ordinate the conversation between minds. Even if you only have one mind, you need to start a medium.
- $ python memechineMedium.py
Start a network
- Start up many minds and let them interact! They discover each other and interact.
