Amchik / quotix

Random quote C program

quotix — random quote program

Quotix is a random quote C program. It runs through a plain text file (LF, of course, named quotes.txt by default) and prints out a random line.

Installation

Debian

Install Quotix on Debian-based system with the deb release.

wget https://github.com/bebyx/quotix/releases/download/v0.1.2-beta/qtx_0.1.2_x86_64.deb && sudo apt install ./qtx_0.1.2_x86_64.deb

To uninstall:

sudo apt purge quotix

Compile from source

Get the source code from this repo or the latest release archives, then compile and install on GNU/Linux:

make && sudo make install

To uninstall:

sudo make uninstall

Flags

• -f or --file to use the custom name for quote source file
• -h or --help to print hints
• -i to change the time iteration (each second by default):
  • format follows GNU date utility convention:
    • %M for minute
    • %H for hour
    • %d for day
  • as well as human readable format:
    • "minute" for minute
    • "hour" for hour
    • "day" for day
    • thanks CO!

Use Case

Conky is an obvious use case for the program — output quotix to the Conky cell and receive an inspiring quote each iteration.

Like this bash loop:

while true; do qtx -f q_file -i %M; sleep 1; done

Native conky command:

${texeci 600 /usr/bin/qtx -f /home/user/.local/etc/quotix/funny_quotes.txt -i %M }

Also you can use the program for whatever random quote case, e.g., web app: pipe to a file and then read from the file to take your random quote to the web page.

qtx > quote-of-the-day.html

Difference to Fortune

While Fortune is time proven random quote program, Quotix is built independently with other philosophy in mind.

Ideological:

1. an idea behind: straight aphorism instead of fortune cookies; it's reflected in the names
2. one-liner — minimalist by design; there shan't be recipes or verse!
3. GPL vs. BSD license (see cuck licenses article by @lukesmithxyz)

Technical:

1. no format complications — just plain text one-liners (1024 character per line limit so far)
2. has built-in time iteration — matters when need to print out frequently but change quotes with slower pace
3. no regex handling, no multifile handling and other fancy stuff — it's not the goal for Quotix
4. shorter command by default (qtx)
5. at the moment, 8,204 B (1 package) vs. 2,154 kB (3 packages) — checked on Debian apt

Sum-up

That said, Quotix is not better or worse, it's just different.

The main point is diversity as the core idea of free software: alternatives never harm, but enrich free software users and developers.

Think of sudo and doas, for example.

Even in non-free world there's Twitter and there's Facebook.

Use Fortune or use Quotix, choose what suits you best.

Or (re)write your own random quote program as you see it. :)