source: npl/mediabox/lcdproc_edwin/src/docs/README.dg

William W. Ferrell (choadster@earthlink.net)
Scott Scriven (scriven@cs.colostate.edu).

Hello,
I am the happy new owner of a matrix-orbital LK-204-25 V.
I also made computer science studies (but currently I only program for fun).
The reason why I wanted this LCD screen was to build a MAME/MPEG3/DVD player.
Currently the IR receaver is missing, but I already started to work on my
project by checking LCDPROC capability and trying to make it work the way I
want.

I don't know yet if my developpement will be a client of LCDPROC or if I will
make a stand-alone program (more likely reussing some of your code).
Currently, feature in LCDPROC don't cover yet my need yet.
So, my best option is to support you or your team in building the perfect 
server in order for me to build only a client.

So, I downloaded v0.4-pre5 and started to hack. ;-)
I was a little bit confuse with your documentation, sometime talking about
version 0.3.x or about comming feature, but reading the source code (and
the sgml description that I only founded later) was the best.

I made some "minor" change to a few source file (this is what I remember):
 * Cleaning the help screen from LCDd.
 * Adding a speed option to MtxOrb driver.
 * Updated MtxOrb help screen to indicate those change.
 * Added some error checking to parameter sended to MtxOrb driver.
 * Added fake support for big number into curses driver.
 * Some modification to the debug_driver in order to compile.
 * Added bignum widget in order to use that feature from the driver.
 * Added big cloc[K] (24H) to lcdproc to test the new widget. (ugly/blinking)
 * Added a General Purpose Output function to the MtxOrb driver.

Here is some kind of todo-list one liner only:
 * Implement a debug/error to a syslog server rather than printf(stderr,...
 * General Purpose Output support.
 * Make "LCDproc Server" and "End Screen" (build-in screen) optionnal.
 * Make HeartBeat working with General Purpose Output (led blinking).
 * KeyPad support.
 * Make KeyPad local feedback using General Purpose Output (led blinking).
 * Make the server port number (listen) a param/config option.
 * Accept incoming 'telnet' (specific port) as a new i/o device (vt100/ansi).
 * MtxOrb driver across an outgoing 'telnet' session (access server).

My major todo:
 * Well, I would like to (one way or another) interconnect IrMan(?) and
   LCDProc. I will use LCDProc for the ouput of the name of the song, ...
   and maybe for keyboard input. I will also use IrMan or some infrared
   library in order to receave remote controle input. Now, I would be nice
   to be able to connect to LCDProc and 'register' a new input and/or output
   device.
   What I am thinking about is to have LCDd be a server with local device
   to manage, but also have remote device that could attach themself to
   LCDd. I think, by reading your documentation, that you have somethink like
   that already in mind. This will allow dynamic addition of new driver without
   having to recompile LCDd...

Change you should make yourself:
 * Update the network protocol description with heartbeat function.
 * Remove reference/out of date description related to 0.3.x

I made many change to a lot of different file... (sorry)
I don't have the tool/knowledge available to give you a patch with only my
modification. So, I send you a taz.gz with everything after my change.
I won't have much time to spend on LCDPROC for about two week (and the
week-end in between). This give you time to check my change and incorporate
anything you find interesting.