Notes from trying to use a sunspot:

installer finished, claimed to run the manager, but then just sat
there with no errors.

log file says
un program "ant": java.io.IOException: error=2, No such file or directory

get my own ant; install again:
Integrating Sun SPOTs NetBeans Modules ...
/tmp/org-sunspotworld-spotwelcomemodule.nbm is missing!
/tmp/org-sunspotworld-sunspotapplicationtemplate.nbm is missing!
/tmp/org-sunspotworld-sunspothostapplicationtemplate.nbm is missing!
/tmp/org-sunspotworld-renamerefactoring.nbm is missing!
/tmp/org-sunspotworld-spotmodulesupdatecenter.nbm is missing!
NetBeans Module Integration Completed.

get my own netbeans, install again, still fails

Web start

found http://blogs.sun.com/davidgs/entry/this_is_big_news_sun with a web start link

sure is fun agreeing to the same license 20 times in one
evening. That's very user-unfriendly. As is any UI that has words
telling me where to click.

64-bit linux

web one finally got installed and found a usb device. Asking for SPOT
Info failed:
  [java] java.lang.UnsatisfiedLinkError: /home/drewp/SunSPOT/sdk/lib/librxtxSerial.so: /home/drewp/SunSPOT/sdk/lib/librxtxSerial.so: wrong ELF class: ELFCLASS32 (Possible cause: architecture word width mismatch) thrown while loading gnu.io.RXTXCommDriver
(i'm running a 64-bit os, which I do not recommend)

I have a 64-bit librxtx, which i use for arduino. I wonder how to get
sunspot to use that build instead.

now i quit the manager, and I can't find anywhere to rerun it

~/SunSPOT% grep sunspot.spotmanager.Main **/*
grep: sdk/lib/rxtxcomm.jar: No such file or directory

looks like i can keep doing web start to launch it.

since i have librxtx-java installed for my correct platform, i'll just
disable sunspot's:
plus(pts/1):~/SunSPOT/sdk/lib% mv librxtxSerial.so librxtxSerial.so-32-bit

but mine's not found. I need to add to classpath, but since i'm using
web start, I don't know where to do that
     [java] java.lang.UnsatisfiedLinkError: no rxtxSerial in java.library.path thrown while loading gnu.io.RXTXCommDriver

plus(pts/1):~/SunSPOT/sdk/lib% export CLASSPATH=/usr/share/java/RXTXcomm.jar
plus(pts/1):~/SunSPOT/sdk/lib% javaws /tmp/SPOTManager-1.jnlp               
that fetches the files again, which is lame. the browser javaws and
the cmdline one ought to use the same cache. Didn't work-- rxtxSerial
still not found. But hey: "SPOT Command Completed!" at least

plus(pts/1):~/SunSPOT/sdk/lib% ln -s /usr/lib/librxtxSerial.so 

Even though manager tool can tell that a spot is connected and show
its address, the info tool fails:

     [java] SPOT Client starting...
     [java] Port /dev/ unavailable...
     [java] Available ports: /dev/ttyACM0 
     [java] retrying...
     [java] Port /dev/ unavailable...
     [java] Available ports: /dev/ttyACM0 
     [java] retrying...
     [java] Port /dev/ unavailable...
     [java] Available ports: /dev/ttyACM0 
     [java] retrying...
     [java] Available ports: /dev/ttyACM0 
     [java] 
     [java] Error: Spot not found on port: /dev/ not found
     [java] 
     [java] The SPOT client will now exit
     [java] Experimental:  JNI_OnLoad called.
******************************
SPOT Command Completed!

launching with
CLASSPATH=/usr/share/java/RXTXcomm.jar
plus(pts/1):~/SunSPOT/sdk/lib% javaws /tmp/SPOTManager-1.jnlp 

Some project ideas

drink robot

track when cars are near the house; transmit logged car data from the day

parking assist- map where the other cars are; show me exactly how much
to turn and drive to get in the space perfectly

traffic light predictor- when I'm riding my bike, estimate whether I
should speed up or slow down in order to hit green lights (where
that's possible to predict). A gps might be necessary. The UI could be
in tones that play in my helmet.

More port failure