software-development
Python "Dictionary/Object"
Some while ago a (now-ex) colleague introduced me to a Python class he called DictObject. Data stored in this object can be accessed via attributes or array suffixes, thus:
foo.bar is the same as foo["bar"].
I've taken this further, building in some support for nesting, and for parsing either JSON style objects or element tree XML that was itself parsed by LXML. Now, I can use LXML to parse this XML:
Mysql paging and unix timestamps
When I first heard of MySQL, it was still something of a toytown database. No stored procedures, no database replication, and many other issues. Times have moved on since then, and yet I forget to allow my view to develop.
So, it is a pleasant surprise to find these two tiny mysql features that have made my life vastly simpler:
Keep it Simple
A colleague keeps telling me I should "keep it simple". I'm afraid I have to confess to finding it irritating.
It is all well and good saying "keep it simple", but the crucial question is how do you define "simple"?
Simple is a surprisingly relative term, and depends a lot upon the abilities of the people involved. There are some people that might be heard to say, "Oh, that was actually very simple brain surgery", yet I could never say it.
The Urge to Apache
At the recent ApacheCon US, I gave a lightening talk on some thoughts I've had about what the ASF is about. Some people seemed to find it useful, so I'm also publishing it here.
Subvertive
Had loads of fun at ApacheCon EU 2005. What started as a fun chat over beers one evening, was received with much enthusiasm during a Lightening Talk, and even made it as far as an Incubator proposal, with quite a few supporters (yes, they did all sign up for it!). Fortunately, no-one has volunteered to implement this. http://mail-archives.apache.org/mod_mbox/incubator-general/200507.mbox/%3C42E11D57.1030306@odoko.co.uk%3E
Ubuntu Lives!
So, I now have Ubuntu Hoary Hedgehog running!
I had trouble with wireless, spent an age trying to get it to work, and then sorted it by rebooting! Oh well.
Having mounted my old HDD read-only in a USB/Firewire caddy, it is so far running well for me to copy content off. Now need to just copy apps across and get on with some real work.
And for those that are wondering, Hoary feels much nicer than Debian Sarge. Works better too. It was worth the effort, and the expense on the additional HDD that I used to make it easier to manage.
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