Contributing Advent 11: Mozilla's geolocation services
About a months and a half ago Mozilla announced its Location Services. It is "an experimental pilot project to provide geolocation lookups based on publicly observable cell tower and WiFi access point information". In other words, it is going to provide a similar service as Google's location service that Firefox currently uses for its location aware browsing.
In order to provide this service, they need geolocated data so that they know where WiFi access points and cell towers are. They have released a tool, MozStumbler, that allows everybody to collect this data and provide it to Mozilla. I believe that there should be open alternatives for important services like this, and I think that Mozilla seems like a good caretaker of this data, respecting privacy. So I have installed MozStumbler and turn it on whenever I go on a new route through town.
The application isn't the prettiest as you can see, but it does work well. There is also a "Test Mozilla Location Services" which uses their API to lookup the location—without using the GPS. Ichnaea is the public API that you can use to do lookups yourself. The Geolocate API implements the same interface as the Google Maps Geolocation API endpoint. But there is a more extensive Search API as well. I will soon be upgrading Haunt to use this new API as the one it currently uses is discontinued.
Life Line
On my walk from Aylesbury to Princes Risborough I spotted a few new bird species. I didn't get all the best photos though!
A Common Buzzard, a Yellow Wagtail, a Greater White throat, and a Green Woodpecker.
#photography #Birds #BirdPhotogaphy #BirdsOfMastodon #nature #Buckinghamshire
Updated an alcohol shop
Updated 2 benches
Created a bench; Updated a bench
I hiked 19.0km in 4h35m50s
I hiked 19.0km in 4h35m50s
I walked 6.8km in 1h15m36s
Updated an estate_agent office
I walked 4.1km in 55m33s
I walked 1.1km in 10m05s
My First Lapwing!
I went to the London Wetland Centre yesterday, for a day out in nature.
While hiding in a hide, this chap and a friend showed up starting to forage for grubs.
#BirdPhotography #BirdsOfMastodon #Photography #Birds #London #Nature
Created a waste_basket; Updated a cafe and a restaurant; Confirmed an estate_agent office
I walked 6.6km in 1h8m53s
@bennuttall Are you at the Crucible this year again?
I walked 9.7km in 5h29m12s
Updated a gate
Staring Contest with a Squirrel
On my walk on the weekend, I sat down on a tree branch of a tree that had fallen over some time ago. Just listening to the birds.
Then after hearing rustling in the foliage above me, I looked up, and saw this chap staring at me.
#London #Photography #Nature #HampsteadHeath
I walked 3.0km in 41m38s
I walked 1.1km in 12m20s
Bluebell Carpet
I had a lovely walk on Hampstead Heath yesterday, finding all the nooks and crannies away from the busy paths.
This field of bluebells under the colourful tree was a stand-out quiet spot.
#London #Photography #Nature #HampsteadHeath
I walked 2.3km in 21m51s
Fix paths
Created a memorial
Created a bench
@Edent Seems like my Android stopped sending coordinates to @openbenches as well, which is surprising as I haven't updated anything as far as I'm aware. Could it be a problem with the reader in your side after the latest changes and the addition of the warning?
Shortlink
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