Simple Java Wicket using Mahout

While continuing the study of mahout, it is inevitable to write code that uses the various algorithms stored with it. So I asked a colleague to help out and one option was to start with a java wicket found here: http://blog.jteam.nl/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/taste-getting-started.zip

Using it is quite straightforward. Download the zip file. Unzip it to some folder (say taste-getting-started in the mahout machine). Using Ubuntu’s Terminal application, go to that folder and run mvn package. After packaging is complete, run mvn jetty:run-war. Once the jetty server is up, you can make use of the wicket by browsing http://localhost:8080/taste-getting-started/movies.

Although the above is the straightforward usage of the said wicket, setting it up requires some effort such as

• downloading the MovieLens’ 100K Ratings Data Set: http://grouplens.org/system/files/ml-data_0.zip
• Unzipping it to some other folder.
• Copying u.data to taste-getting-started/src/main/resources/grouplens/100K/ratings
• Copying u.item to taste-getting-started/src/main/resources/grouplens/100K/data
• Executing the initialize_movielens_db.sql using the following command mysql --user=mysqluser --password=mysqlpassword < initialize_movielens_db.sql while at the taste-getting-started/src/main/resources/sql folder.

Oh and if you do not have MySQL yet, install it by issuing the following command sudo apt-get install mysql-server mysql-client.

Journey to Mahout Land

 

Problem: Research about mahout.

Solution: Obtain a running mahout code but this would require an VirtualBox with Ubuntu instance on my Windows machine.

Here are the steps I underwent:

1. Download Oracle VM VirtualBox for Windows host.
2. Install VirtualBox to your Windows machine.
3. Download ISO of Ubuntu.
4. Burn ISO to CD/DVD.
5. Before “Starting” the VirtualBox instance, click on Settings and choose the boot device to CD/DVD. Click OK to save the settings.
6. Click the Devices menu, select the CD/DVD Devices of the Host.
7. Click Start to turn on the VirtualBox instance and initiate Ubuntu installation.

 

After Ubuntu has been installed, run the Applications > Accessories >Terminal

• type java and see the suggested <java-package>
• type sudo apt-get install <java-package>
• type javac and see the suggested <javac-package>
• type sudo apt-get insatll <javac-package>
• type mvn and see the suggested <maven-package>
• type sudo apt-get install <maven-package>
• type svn and see the suggested <subversion-package>
• type sudo apt-get install <subversion-package>
• type cd /etc
• type sudo chmod 777 bash.bashrc
• type vi bash.bashrc
• at the end of the file append the path to your java installation

JAVA_HOME=/usr/lib/jvm/java-1.6.0-openjdk
export JAVA_HOME
PATH=$PATH:$JAVA_HOME/bin
export $PATH

• reboot the VirtualBox instance
• type cd ~/Documents
• type mkdir mahoutcode
• type cd mahoutcode
• type svn co http://svn.apache.org/repos/asf/mahout/trunk
• type cd trunk
• type mvn install
• type cd core
• type mvn compile (or mvn install)

 

Whew! I am just barely starting the journey… more to follow!

sudo apt-get install made my day

 

I just have installed Ubuntu 10.10 on an instance of an Oracle VM VirtualBox on my Windows 7 machine when I tried to install the prerequisites of mahout (http://mahout.apache.org/). So I opened the Terminal app, keyed in java and it suggests that I should use sudo apt-get install <package> to initiate the installation which I did.

Now in the next steps of mahout install procedure I saw the need for subversion. So I tried keying in svn and again Ubuntu suggests the use of sudo apt-get install <package>.

Very well indeed, this suggestion saved me time where to find the correct installers, time to download them, and fire up the installation.