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Thursday, September 18. 2008
So I had another great time at ZendCon this year. Great conference, great attendees, lots of good times. I gave my Ajax and State talk that was a huge success. I may have dressed a bit better than usual for the talk this year. Though opinions range from me looking like a motivational speaker to a cult leader.
ZendCon usually has a different feel for me than our regular php|works and php|tek conferences. There's more businessy people here rather than just developers. It's a nice mix, but the booze doesn't seem to flow quite as easily.
I was quite happy to get a call out from the opening and closing keynotes. Cal Evans was kind(?) enough to present me as a PHP celebrity for the work beth and I do on the P3 podcast. During the closing keynote my suit wearing new trend was presented as a new level of class for the conference.
A great conference. If you haven't been to a PHP conference yet come out to php|works in Atlanta, this should whet your appetite, then you can head over to |tek in the spring, and back to ZendCon next year.
I'll be blogging (no php tag) about my drive down highway 1 this weekend, and hopefully posting a few interesting pictures.
Tuesday, September 2. 2008
This is what I was presented with when the Wi-Fi
<!-- Colubris -->
<!-- Custom -->
<HTML>
<!--
===============================================================================
fail.html
_____________________________________________________________________________
Description
- - - - - -
Customers see this page if the CN3000 could not find the appropriate RADIUS
to authenticate:
- itself and retrieve configuration information.
- a customer login
Customizing this page
- - - - - - - - - - -
This page can be customized for your site according to the following
guidelines.
- Do not alter the ID tags "[!-- Colubris --]" & "[!-- Custom --]"
located at the top of this file.
- Do not alter any JavaScript code in this file, except for
the following Session window parameters: width, height
- Only one image can be included on this page. This same file is shared
by all customizable pages, and must be resident on the CN3000.
For details see ?????????
- Do not alter any occurance of "Get...();"
- Do not alter any form elements, names and values should be left intact.
===============================================================================
-->
<HEAD>
<meta id="metaViewPort" runat="server" name="viewport" content="height=device-width; initial-scale=1.0; minimum-scale=1.0; maximum-scale=1.0; user-scalable=0;" />
<TITLE>Rogers Hotspot</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
Way to go live with those comments built in guys  .
I then gave up on coffee shop wifi and came home  .
Tuesday, August 26. 2008
It's 2008 (I think, my wall calendar hasn't been flipped since March) and while browsers are getting slicker, faster, and trendier code names. They're still working on the same basic premise as Mosaic did the same time I used the web. We've moved past basic HTML, it's high time our browsers noticed this and caught up.
1. Re-empower the Stop button
When pages were static HTML, maybe a few images, the back button was great! You hit stop, and by gosh stuff stopped. It stopped loading, you browser stopped having seizures every-time a new image was downloaded, all was well.
That was then, this is now. The stop button does the same thing it did back then (halt page load), the problem is there's tones more going on in the browser, things like ajax, silverlight, flash, etc. None of these things are really stopped when you hit that button, they continue forging on. I need a way to actually stop all the crap that's happening in my browser that isn't relying on some application to play nice.
2. Let me control CPU usage
Sure, all these new technologies empower some really nifty features, and some great ads, but they have a tendency to run away with themselves. I'm tired of noticing that $browser is consuming some insane amount of cpu then clicking through tabs trying to figure out which flash app (generally some ad) has gone nuts then closing the tab.
By default, when a tab loses focus I'd like all activity on that app to be frozen, or capped at some minimal level of CPU activity. Give me access to empower pages to continue functioning normally on a tab by tab basis, and possibly program in given URLs and domains as being permanently allowed (think pandora, or our training application).
3. Notify on break-out events
My browser is a contained space, it has four borders. Anything that exits that space by: popping up a window, initiating a sound, dropping a file onto my hard drive, etc. should be made clear. I'm tired of playing whack-a-mole when an advertisement in one of the 30 tabs I have open across three browsers starts whispering to me.
When a web application initiates a break out event I'd like it to get some sort of an icon on the tab level. A little speaker for sounds, a box for a pop-up, etc. That way when something happens I can track down why and where it came from.
Wednesday, August 6. 2008
So a few days ago I launched the Web Bot Battle Contest, except it isn't really a contest yet. Since there's no glittering prizes yet... I'm working on that.
In the meantime I've cleared up a bunch of little bugs: driving was actually free, firing could be done with zero energy (which did no damage, but revealed the locations of bots), improved/killed the output by converting to an XML system (which will hopefully allow someone to create a front end to make things pretty). I've also added a few features to help make bots more future compatible like initializing bots with information on scanning range, cost, etc.
If you haven't cracked your knuckles and coded a bot yet, jump in! There's a couple of tweaks and feature ads to come, then I hope to launch it as a fully fledged contest.
Tuesday, August 5. 2008
Something I'd like to see in PHP is a little more in the See Also section. They're pretty good, but it's not quite as spider-web like as I'd like. For example, yesterday I added a few links from md5() and sha1() to hash(). Lot of people know about md5() and sha1() within PHP, but I find hash() is rather unknown overall, which is a pity as it exposes a tone of different hashing algorithms.
If there's any pages you think should be linked, let me know in a comment or email and I'll add it to the sources. Better yet, join the doc team and cut me out of the process .
The astute amongst you might notice that there isn't a link to the appropriate functions even if you refresh now, check out the docs mirror.
Sunday, August 3. 2008
A lot of friends look at me funny when I count my change or watch the screen when items are being totaled at a store, but I find mistakes rather often, and they're almost always in the store's favour.
I went into Future Shop today looking for a movie, and (as it usually goes) ended up with five. Four were on "sale" 2 for $50, the last was $29.99. With my usual vigilance I watched the screen to ensure the sale prices were applied, their screen is rather confusing so I couldn't quite tell, but the subtotal was $133.97. I asked the cashier if the sale price had been applied, he insisted that it had (demonstrating some stuff on screen) and continued to process the transaction. Using my crack math skills I asked how $100.00 + $29.99 could be $133.97, taxes was the quick reply. When I pointed out that it was the sub-total, not the final total he got frustrated and brought me over to the customer service desk.
The lady there agreed with my math skills, and after a minor issue when she asked for my phone number for fraud purposes (wasn't their computer already defrauding me?) I got the difference + $10.00 refunded to my card. All in all I got about half off that last movie by paying attention and knowing how to add.
Thursday, July 31. 2008
Hey Everyone,
Just a quick announcement, in an effort to come up with a self scoring contest, I came up with the ridiculously simple concept of robots firing lasers at each other in a fictional arena. Each robot controlled by a different PHP script, and a central arena managing it all.
It's basically a turn based game where your robots take turns for you. It's been rather popular around the office, and such so I thought I'd open it up to get more opinions and find more bugs.
It's not an official contest yet (no glittering prizes), but it will be one we get the bugs ironed out.
Please go take a look: Web Bot Battle!
Monday, July 21. 2008
I climbed recently at Val-David, and had a rather interesting time. The climbs weren't particularly hard, just... different. Most of them were "slab" I think. Where the rock isn't straight up, but actually leans in, which makes it easier, which is cool. The problem was a near complete lack of handholds.
I think the climbs were really good for me from a technical prospective. I (and apparently most men) use a lot of upper body strength when climbing. Now while I'm actually not that strong, it's not uncommon to see me hanging off one or both hands while my feet do something rather silly that generally works out in the end. Another favourite is pulling with a hand and pushing with my feet to jump up and grab something higher. This works, but it can only get me so far.
Rock climbing shoes are curiously good at gripping things, putting all your weight on a small rock sticking out less than a centimeter is pretty common. So once I actually started trusting my feet to carry all my weight, things went pretty well. I'd like to try a few slabs at allez-up next time, and restrict myself from using any hand holds while I'm on them.
I've also discovered my new favorite formation, the crack. Easier than stairs!
Note to my PHP friends: I had zero posts for a long time, so I've gone with some personal posts to get back in the swing of things, I should get back into PHP posts soon.
Friday, July 11. 2008
So I've been biking for a while, and I'm really starting to enjoy it. As I mentioned before I aim to rock climb, cycle, or hit the weights at the gym every day so I generally bike about three times a week. I went biking with a friend earlier this week and he contrasted our cycling styles.
Apparently, I bike like I'm a car, while he cycles like he's a pedestrian (apparently my methodology requires a bit more guts). While when biking down the road I'll stick to the right, but I'm more than willing to take the left lane when I'm turning (there's something empowering about towering over almost every car on the road), even on some of Montreal's busier roads. I also signal my turns, and stop for red lights. My friend on the other hand relentlessly sticks to the right, crosses roads with pedestrian lights rather than the big turn, and runs lights like any true Montreal pedestrian would.
As a small disclaimer, I also wear a helmet, have a blinking LED tail light, appropriate headlight and all required reflectors.
On a side note, I found a bigger hill. 54.8km/h, I could have gone much faster but there's always a street light at the bottom of these things, and the roads here are horrible. I find I actually peak well after the bottom of the hill (after I've passed the street light).
Monday, June 30. 2008
So, I've decided this is the summer that I finally get into shape. Apart from not being happy with my current weight, getting out will also allow me to meet more people in Montreal which can only be a good thing.
I've come up with three key activities, and my goal is to do one every day. I don't always make it, but I've had some good stretches. The activities are: rock climbing, cycling (currently 12k, planning on upping this a bit once I find a better half way point), and weights at the gym.
Rock Climbing: A friend introduced me to this a few months ago, and apart from a rather difficult first experience I quite enjoy it. There's a couple local climbing gyms, as well as a great group of people who go out doors every week or two. Thanks to some great help and instruction I'm now gaining confidence on 5.7s ( Yosemite Decimal System). I usually climb at Allez Up but tried Horizen Roc this past weekend. I can't wait until I'm good enough to take a lead climbing class. Also, there's a trapeze class at Horizen Roc .
Cycling: I've loved riding a bike forever, and it seems to satisfy a need to spend time doing something thoughtless while being outdoors that's been left empty since I didn't have a dog to take for a walk. I bought a bike a while back, and have started biking to a distant grocery store for a bottle of water and an apple, then back. I've already had several minor repairs to my bike as a result of Montreal's crappy roads. I average 24Km/h, and my max speed so far is 47Km/h.
Gym: I joined the YMCA a while back with a friend. The downtown YMCA here has two gyms, the regular one on the third floor (that's huge, and quite busy), and a "technogym" on the second floor that's small, doesn't have the nice big windows, and is usually almost dead. They've got this great program where included in your membership every 6 weeks you can have a meeting (~1hr) with a personal trainer to work on setting up a program, your goals etc. They will also teach you how to use the machines (critical for me). In the techno-gym, it goes one step further where your work out program is encoded into a smart key, all the machines take the key, they then: set the appropriate weight/resistance, #repetitions, #sets, seat height and other adjustments, plus it records your work out. I like this option, as it basically lets me shut my brain down for an hour while I work out. Thanks to the computerized machines, I get handy little reports, so for example: during my first workout I lifted a total of 7,945Kg (that total could be obtained by lifting a 1Kg weight 7954 times, or some more sensible combination of more weight on different muscles), I'm now past 10,500Kg.
I'm pretty sure I've got some new muscles where there was none before, though you'd have to be quite familiar with my body in order to notice... So if you've noticed please stop stalking me.
Sunday, April 27. 2008
Well, my apartment is a mess. I'm single, and don't have a roommate, so there's been little incentive to clean. However, I'd rather not live in a pig sty forever, so it was time to clean. I like fancy new technology, so I've got a bunch kicking around that I don't use anymore. Parting with junk is tough, but it's way easier if you can get money for it, it seems easier. Plus, you get money. So I took my aforementioned (but unplayed for the past year) PSP to the pawn shop to sell it (once I did one last game for memories sake).
Running a pawn shop has to suck, apart from needing to take down details on everyone they buy from, they need to hold onto everything they buy for 30 days before they can sell it again. So they pay first, then can sell again after a month. This is reverse of a lot of retailers who manage to get products, then pay for them later!
Friday, April 11. 2008
I (despite Air Canada's best efforts) have arrived safely in Vancouver in preperation for Open Web Vancouver. I'll be doing a new talk on State and History in Ajax. I'll be leveraging the YUI throughout the talk. Registration is still open for the conference so if you're in the area come on by, tickets are a steal at only $150!
I'd also like to thank php|architect for sponsoring my attendance once again this year.
Wednesday, March 5. 2008
So we're half way into PDO week at funcaday. I've wanted to do theme weeks since the beginning, a few emails prompted me to take a look at PDO for this first theme week, and now that i've gotten i started I'm quite enjoying it. If you've got any suggestions for future weeks let me know.
Tuesday, March 4. 2008
So I dual develop, I flip back and forth between Active State's Komodo, and Zend's Zend Studio (the first generation). One of my favourite features of Zend Studio is the Code Analyzer, it basically reads through your code and tells you about all your bugs. No, I'm not talking about syntax errors, I'm talking about using variables before they were defined, an assignment in condition, variables only being used once, functions returning something sometimes and nothing other times. It helps you find those tiny annoying bugs that take you hours to find normally in less than a second. Anyways, it's great, it's something I flip over for.
I miss it because it wont register...
Saturday, February 23. 2008
Hey all, if you like PHP and are looking for some fun stuff to just experiment with, why not try one of our contests? php|architect is launching regular PHP Programming contests, so take a look at our first running, a link parser
Also, take a look at some of our new free great articles up at C7Y.
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