The official ***Personal Projects*** thread - Computer Technical Help

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10-08-2011 , 10:55 AM

redCashion

veteran

Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 2,441

The beauty of being a programmer/engineer is that even if you have a 9 to 5, or are an active freelancer, there is always the time and the desire to work on your own pet projects on the side. Sometimes the hope is to turn it into a legitimate business, and sometimes the goal is just to have fun tinkering with some new ideas.

But I'd love to hear what people are up to.

(I'll share my current personal project soon, I'm planning on launching an alpha soon and getting feedback from you guys)

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10-08-2011 , 01:37 PM

greg nice

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 10,001

poker software i started as hobby 1-2 years ago, just put it for sale a few months back.

http://www.stackandtile.com/sat

programming has always been an interest since highschool, and compsci was my major at university before i dropped out for poker. what i've learned is that i sure as hell would never do this full time

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10-08-2011 , 05:36 PM

daveT

S.A.G.E. Master

Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 23,955

I've been working on a Poker Hand Evaluater for about 3 months now. I only get a chance to look at it about once every week or two. There is definitely something be said about creating a program like this. I think my code is about 50% comments, 30% toy programs, and 20% actual code.*

I keep on getting side-tracked, so the project keeps getting delayed. I am currently taking the db and ai classes offered by Stanford and those won't end until December. I'm also working through SICP and Practical Common Lisp.

And I'm working on building 3 websites right now.

I also have an 8:30 - 5 job (not programming, obv), so I am not sure when the Hand Evaluater will get done.

The only thing I know right now is that I ~have~ to do the websites because I want to grow my businesses, but I find that I don't enjoy web building that much. I'd rather work through obscure and useless problems.

*These numbers are completel fictitious obv. Just making a point.

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10-08-2011 , 05:55 PM

Shoe Lace

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 3,654

A few years ago I spent 2 years on and off developing a desktop app helper tool for an online golf game which was used by 2 people total (it was against the TOS so I didn't release it).

It went through so many re-coding/re-designing/tweaks/changes that I think I ended up coding it from scratch at least 4 times. I used that project to teach myself c# and the windows API.

Actively using something you program makes a big difference. I created it to solve a problem I had, and my motivation to make it better was high because I was using it every time I played the golf game.

It wasn't a cheat program though, it was just a glorified calculator which had a data grid. The only questionable portion of it was copying a rect of the game in real time and zooming into it around 4x the size to better see one of the variables required to chip-in the ball.

Another project I had back in the day was I co-ran an online gaming ladder with a friend of mine. It was quite successful. We had around 35,000 members and it only died out when the game was becoming less and less popular. A web based side tool I developed for the site had tens of thousands of people using it too.

Haven't had any personal projects recently though.

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10-08-2011 , 07:59 PM

myNameIsInga

adept

Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 746

For me most pet projects the last year or two have been poker related.

A simple program ranking starting hands and showing the chances of making certain hands on flop turn river, showing if the hand is the nuts or what the chances of making the nuts are and so on, did this when starting playing PLO.

Poker Equity calculator for holdem and plo.

A simple program to prevent impulsive decisions and tilt. Basically a transparent window that sat on top of the poker table window, that would turn semi transparent when it was my turn, making it impossible to interact with the poker table window for (I think) 8 seconds.

Currently working on an Android app where you can play heads up PLO or NLHE against a bot.

Im originally an Mechatronics engineer so have projects that got nothing to do with poker or software too. May have forgotten some things, but Oh well its late here and I had alot of whiskey.

Mvh
Inga

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10-08-2011 , 08:20 PM

SretiCentV

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 3,693

I've worked on some personal project or other since I first discovered QBasic. I started work at a big company at the end of 2009 while I was still playing poker. I worked on this system that automatically stored details about customer interactions over the phone with customer service as well as other channels like the website. At the same time I was learning all I could to try to move up in stakes at poker and everyone always said "take lots of notes". I then came up with the idea for a software called AutoNote which I started in March of 2010.

By June I was using it and it was working pretty well so I made a post here on 2+2. Right before posting I decided to come up with a better name and eventually settled on NoteCaddy. I've also released a followup project called RängeMeister which works off of effectively the same engine

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10-09-2011 , 12:50 AM

anononon

Guest

Posts: n/a

http://mlsplits.drivelinebaseball.com
http://injurydb.drivelinebaseball.com

Plus a bunch of other non-web stuff (biomechanics camera work, high-speed video, some datamining applications) that I run.

I'm no UI/UX master, so keep that in mind when you see those web front-ends.

I made the front-ends on a lark for fun because I use the back-end heavily and wanted to give people some limited access to the DBs I created.

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10-09-2011 , 08:03 PM

Neko

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 4,000

I built evplusplus.com to learn Django and web programming in general. People liked the online calculator quite a bit which lead to developing Slice (http://sliceeq.com) which has been a lot of fun and I've learned a huge amount doing it. Selling your own software is really gratifying

Here's the stats for how much code is included in Slice (makes my wrists ache):

Code:

Language                     files          blank        comment           code
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Python                         126           7019           1918          45836
C                               18           1760            849          10446
C/C++ Header                    12            227            292           3377
HTML                             8            242              0           1058
C++                              3            121            140            956
CSS                              4            203             51            786
Javascript                       7             86            195            785
Bourne Shell                    12             61            156            297
XML                              1              0              0            208
DOS Batch                        1             21              1            133
make                             2             23              4            114
Cython                           1              8              0             32
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SUM:                           195           9771           3606          64028
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm in the process of selling both now since my newish day job has eviscerated my free time.

At some point in the not too distant future, I'd like to start a personal project that I think could develop into a business down the road. There is a large opportunity in my field for modernizing processes and some really interesting problems to be solved.

Last edited by Neko; 10-09-2011 at 08:23 PM.

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10-09-2011 , 08:25 PM

Neko

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 4,000

Quote:

Originally Posted by myNameIsInga

A simple program to prevent impulsive decisions and tilt. Basically a transparent window that sat on top of the poker table window, that would turn semi transparent when it was my turn, making it impossible to interact with the poker table window for (I think) 8 seconds.

This probably could have saved me quite a bit of money over the years :/

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10-10-2011 , 12:09 AM

#10

greg nice

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 10,001

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neko

I'm in the process of selling both now since my newish day job has eviscerated my free time.

you are selling the websites and products? evplusplus and slice? how do you go about selling these? where do you find the potential buyers?

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10-10-2011 , 12:15 AM

#11

redCashion

veteran

Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 2,441

Quote:

Originally Posted by myNameIsInga

This does violate the terms and conditions of all poker sites though, correct?

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10-10-2011 , 01:05 AM

#12

Neko

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 4,000

greg,

yeah. A few people had got in touch with me over the past year expressing interest so I let them know I was now considering selling.

People suggested pokeraffiliatelistings.com but you need 30 posts to make a listing, so I never tried it.

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10-10-2011 , 05:47 AM

#13

myNameIsInga

adept

Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 746

Quote:

Originally Posted by redCashion

This does violate the terms and conditions of all poker sites though, correct?

How so? Its not making any decisions. It only slows med down enough to help me make a diciplined decision. I havent seen anything on pokerstars site on prohibited software that make any of my programs ilegal. If it is there please point me to it.

Mvh
Inga

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10-11-2011 , 12:55 AM

#14

daveT

S.A.G.E. Master

Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 23,955

So you were one of those weirdos who timed down at every single table while you were playing 5 tables heads-up?

Waiting for someone to play their hand for 8 seconds is a REALLY long time, and adds up really fast.

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10-11-2011 , 06:49 AM

#15

myNameIsInga

adept

Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 746

ring games, not heads up. And yes 8 seconds is a bit long when I think about it, so I may have changed it. Don't use it anymore. And playing 12 tables as I do, players often have to wait for my actions (even without the program) so I guess I am a bit slow.

Playing heads up I never used it, didn't need it there for some reason. Maybe its easier to maintain focus in those games, who knows...

Mvh
Inga

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10-16-2011 , 03:45 PM

#16

redCashion

veteran

Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 2,441

This is 100% against the T&C of every poker site because it is aiding in the actual playing of poker. In other words, you are more "tilt-proof" than another player not because you are psychologically stronger, but because you have no choice due to software intervention. I don't really have time to dig through the T&C to find this, and hey I don't actively play poker at the moment, so go to town. I'm just giving you a heads up.

But if you want to verify one way or the other, just email Pokerstars support

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10-16-2011 , 04:08 PM

#17

myNameIsInga

adept

Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 746

Well I looked at pokerstars and their prohibited software page and found nothing there that even suggests that I'm crossing the line. The software doesnt make any particular decision impossible, it prevents all decisions for a few seconds after wich it allows all decisions.

As far as aiding in the actual playing of poker, thats the purpose of all poker related software. In terms of what decisions I make at the table, holdem manager has a much larger impact on what decision I make, than does my anti-tilt program. Programs such as holdem manager and holdem indicator of course also slows you down since you spend time looking at the numbers they present before you make decisions.

I'll read the ToC though to make sure, if it is over the line I'll stop using it

edit: read through the part of the ToS thats about external software and didn't find anything that makes my program illegal, unless you interpret the ToS stance on software to include effectively any piece of software that you use to play poker better (such as holdem manager or holdem indicator).

If its in there I would be happy if somebody could point it out to me.

Mvh
Inga

Last edited by myNameIsInga; 10-16-2011 at 04:14 PM.

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10-16-2011 , 04:46 PM

#18

_dave_

_Pooh_Bah_

Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,154

You can email Stars support and they'll let you know. I'd be very surprised if this was considered against the rules.

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10-16-2011 , 04:50 PM

#19

myNameIsInga

adept

Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 746

I think so too, will email them. I take this kind of stuff seriously.

Mvh
Inga

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10-17-2011 , 12:42 PM

#20

redCashion

veteran

Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 2,441

I might be wrong, but I did research a while back when I'd thought about making a similar type of app to combat my own tilt. What I learned was that this type of app is fundamentally different than a HUD because it is in some sense playing for you.

In other words, a HUD informs your play, an app that intercepts your user action in any way is playing for you. It would be the same idea as to having an app that auto folded the bottom 70% of hands for you automatically. Auto-forcing you to delay action is obviously less of a benefit to your bottom line than that, but it's still is in essence playing some aspect of poker (tilt management) for you.

Sorry for the derail..

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10-17-2011 , 01:52 PM

#21

myNameIsInga

adept

Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 746

It is clearly helping the decisions but looking at "impact per action" it is considerably less of a benifit and less of an impact than is HEM for me. Since the program influences action rather than performes action I think its much more comparable to HEM or omaha indicator, than to an auto folder that is both making decisions and performing actions for you.

Havent emailed stars yet, will do when exams are over. Im not currently using the program and havent for some time, so it will have to wait. Dont need more things on my mind right now.

Hälsn.
Inga

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10-17-2011 , 03:09 PM

#22

MrWooster

veteran

Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 2,984

Surly, if the program is for your own use only, and you are the only person who contributed towards its creation, you could argue that the program itself is a direct derivative of your skill and ability as a poker player.

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10-17-2011 , 03:13 PM

#23

malloc

grinder

Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 628

From http://www.pokerstars.com/poker/room/prohibited/

Quote:

In general, what kind of tools and services are acceptable?

The following types of tools and services are generally acceptable:

1) Tools, services or charts that simply tell you odds, starting hand recommendations, etc.
2) Tools and services that profile your opponents, but make use of only information which you have accumulated through your own play.
3) Macros and Hotkey programs that don't have any bearing on gameplay logic. For example, you can use AutoHotKey, MacroExpress or AutoIt3 to make it such that you 'bet the pot' when you press the 'P' key, but you cannot use these or other utilities to create an autofolder that folds poor starting hands, or that automates advice or actions from any other program.
4) Tools and services that help you analyse your game but do not or cannot be setup to offer direct, real-time advice on the appropriate action to take.

Clearly, the only one of possible interest is 3. Does the action blocker have any bearing on gameplay logic? I would argue that it does not. Would it be any different if this were a hotkey program that took your input and waited a random 3 to 5 seconds before taking the action to prevent players from getting a timing tell? Not really so long as the player is making all decisions and inputing the actions.

Just to check the reverse side:

Quote:

In general, what kinds of tools and services are prohibited?

The following types of tools and services are prohibited:

1) Any program that shares hole card data with other players or programs is colluding, and is prohibited.
2) Any program that works off of a central database of player profiles or hands played is prohibited.
3) Any program that plays without human intervention (a 'bot') or reduces the requirement of a human playing. For instance, an 'auto-folder' is prohibited.
4) The practice of datamining (observing games without playing in order to build up a database of hand histories for future reference) is prohibited.
5) Any software that offers direct game play advice on the appropriate action to take.

Again, the only possible problem is on number 3. How does one define the reduction of the requirement of a human playing? Were this taken too literally, all hotkey programs would not be allowed. Clearly, that is not the case. That would bring us back to the 'allowed' answer 3 above. So long as it doesn't have a bearing on gamplay logic, it would seem to fit that category.

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10-17-2011 , 03:14 PM

#24

malloc

grinder

Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 628

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrWooster

Could you not write a full bot and argue the same thing? I don't think that argument would be very valid.

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10-17-2011 , 03:21 PM

#25

myNameIsInga

adept

Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 746

Quote:

Originally Posted by malloc

From http://www.pokerstars.com/poker/room/prohibited/

Clearly, the only one of possible interest is 3. Does the action blocker have any bearing on gameplay logic? I would argue that it does not. Would it be any different if this were a hotkey program that took your input and waited a random 3 to 5 seconds before taking the action to prevent players from getting a timing tell? Not really so long as the player is making all decisions and inputing the actions.

Just to check the reverse side:

Again, the only possible problem is on number 3. How does one define the reduction of the requirement of a human playing? Were this taken too literally, all hotkey programs would not be allowed. Clearly, that is not the case. That would bring us back to the 'allowed' answer 3 above. So long as it doesn't have a bearing on gamplay logic, it would seem to fit that category.

This is my interpretation too.

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