What if there was a pay per use ($5 to $10) build server for building a custom armbian image, including the ability to select:

 

• which distro
• which kernel
• which kernel modules
• a choice of server, desktop and server with qtEmbedded (for single UI devices with no windowing)
• a selection of common software packages (VLC, OpenCV) to be cross compiled
• the ability to upload an image and cross compile new software against it

It could be a web based UI calling the armbian build script, with the best toolchain already installed, and dependencies set to be pulled i automatically (so hard to set up on a case to case basis).

 

Just an idea I had, and it could be a nice new revenue stream for armbian developers too.

Well I think that this is a great idea.

 

I have 3 builds I would like, but I do not have the capability to create them.

You could also branch out to the Rasberry Pi community - a lot more users and I reckon lots of builds. (Although it is not Armbian)

$5 is reasonable and I am sure many '000's would be built.

I would pay $10!

 

V.

rather setup a bounty source program instead that would perhaps give the developers more then custom images

 

https://www.bountysource.com

IMHO to create custom images you can use a simple circuit. Create a thread on the forum describing what you need to output and what kind of equipment, the approximate price You are willing to pay. If there are willing (have the time) to perform this work, the coordinate parameters (cost, time, etc.). Receive confirmation from the administration (which the contractor will be able to perform such work). Transfer funds to the account of the community armbian and get a result.

And "pay per use" build servers were invented already - Amazon, Google and other cloud platforms.

 

And implementing these "enhancements"

• a choice of server, desktop and server with qtEmbedded (for single UI devices with no windowing)
• a selection of common software packages (VLC, OpenCV) to be cross compiled
• the ability to upload an image and cross compile new software against it

It could be a web based UI calling the armbian build script, with the best toolchain already installed, and dependencies set to be pulled i automatically (so hard to set up on a case to case basis).

will cost much more than it would be possible to get in return

Well I just wanted to put it out there. Bounty is a good idea, and perhaps more workable.

 

As a side note, I figured out how to cross compile opencv against the armbian sysroot mounted over sshfs, and I'll be making a tutorial soon for others! It will work with gtk and qtembedded too.