Category Archives: Computing

My thoughts and works in computing and programming.

Crazy Busy

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I’m going to have to keep these next upcoming posts short.  I am a bit overwhelmed at the moment, with the sheer amount of things going on at the same time.  I still want to try to keep going forward on the projects already in progress.  But I will not add anything new to my plate for the next few weeks.  I’m seriously planning a trip to Europe this year.  Planning this trip will take quite some effort.  Still a short update is in order.

I got meet up my university friend Rob yesterday.  Have not talked to him in ages.  I did spend a long time with him.  But it was great to talk to him again, and I needed someone in a similar position to my own to bounce ideas off of.

I started to compile some notes for my novel.  I wrote down most of the background of the novel.  Now I plan on completing my notes and sketching out the plot.  Then the serious work writing can begin.  As for programming, I’m working on a PHP powered website for justCheckers.  Also I am slowly reading through a book on coding C++ and Qt, along with a silly application I plan on writing to learn the Qt framework.

Kicking Tires

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This week, I’ve started working on my delayed projects again.  I feel exhausted from the week.  But I also can not wait to play around with my projects.

Learning Qt

I’ve always admired the KDE and Qt developers.  They make some of the most innovative and interesting technology in the consumer-desktop-mobile land.  I’ve decided to pick up learning Qt and C++.  So far I’ve read the beginning of C++ GUI Programming with Qt 4 (1st ed).  I need to play around with C++, which I plan on doing it while using Qt Creator.  One of my first major Qt experiments might be getting the TEA text editor working on my Nokia 5800 XpressMusic.  I know that Nokia just released the tech preview  of Qt 4 for S60 devices.  But I’ll give it a shot.  Hopefully the GUI will port over nicely.

Completing justCheckers

Yes, the project that I left for dead still lives.  I want to work on it, as portfolio material.  I first plan on building a website in PHP (or maybe JSP?) that renders beautiful CSS and XHTML.  And then I need to give the project much love.  But I owe it to myself to finish this application.  I won’t build any crazy game servers.  But I want to make something totally configurable and fun.  And in the process I want to create something that proves that I am a strong Java developer.

Writing A Collection of Shards

I am going back to writing.  Unfortunately I need to start almost from scratch, since many of my written sections simply will not work.  The ideas are there.  I just need to get them down on paper.

Driving License

This one is the ultimate in the tire kicking sense.  I plan on getting my driver’s license really soon.  Aside from parking, I feel comfortable driving.  Once I figure out all this parking stuff, then I’ll be ready.  I’m exciting since this will give me a lot more mobility and flexiblity.  I’ll be able to solve a lot of problems and have even more time to do things in the day.  And I’ll be able to sleep and live in normal time periods.

Upgraded to WordPress 2.8

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I am continually amazed by the ease of working with WordPress.  Not only do the themes and plugins just work, so does everything else.  I upgraded my WordPress install to the latest and greatest 2.8 .  Simple, clean and issue-less upgrade.  This is how technology should work.  Get out of the way and perform the tasks the user needs to do.  And perform the tasks quickly, efficiently and perfectly everytime all the time.

In addition to that, I can proudly say that less than 20% of the older blog entries remain “Uncategorized”.  I plan on tagging, categorizing and editing the remaining entries.  With any luck, I have this blog configured perfectly before my upcoming birthday.  Hurrah!

Linux… the Future of Computing

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I’m a Linux user.  So I always like to strain my ear to hear news about Linux.  But this I didn’t expect.

Caroline and I did a bit of computer shopping before going to watch a film together on Saturday.  While we wandered the aisles in the nearby Futureshop, she turned and asked me what I knew about Linux.  I was surprised.  Caroline is a very smart and talented girl.  She finished statistics at the University of Toronto after all. But she is not a person who follows computer tech.  She further told me that her mother told her that Linux was the future of computing.  And then she asked whether Linux was for her.  To top it off, we bugged the local salesperson… and I had an intelligent conversation about what computer she should get.  (No offence to the smart Futureshop employees out there, but a good chunk of your coworkers are not all that knowledgeable about computing as they should.)  And the salesperson, said he that his life would be easier if PC came pre-loaded with Linux.  I took this all in… amazed.  After some thought on what she would be using the computer I told her to stick with Windows for now.  Why?

Linux and Linux-related technology looks like very much the future of computing.  Thanks to the free software licensing, active communities and flexibility of open source development methodologies, many vendors are looking toward using Linux.  For a vendor Linux provides a way out of the per unit licensing problem.  Also it lets the vendor to control the build out of  a product from top to bottom.  Linux appears creeping into non-desktop computing platforms.  We hear about Linux competing with Windows in the netbook market.  We hear of Linux taking on cellphones with projects such as LiMo, OpenMoko and Google’s Andriod.  The hyper-fast development pace makes Linux progress in leaps and bounds past its competitors.  Nokia heavily invested in Linux with their Maemo-powered Internet Tablets.  Intel invests in Linux with drivers and Moblin.  nVidia and ATI both crank out graphics drivers like no tomorrow.  Dell and HP are each trying to outdo each other selling Linux servers and laptops.  News articles compare Ubuntu Linux on the same level as Windows XP & Vista and Mac OS X.  So forth and so on.  Five years this was unimaginable.  When I installed Linux on my laptop and desktop machines in 2002 and 2001… I could not imagine Linux being more than a cool minor alternative.  Something to play with, and use for fun computing.

So with all these cool developments, why did I not sell Linux to Caroline?  I could of.  Linux could work for her.  But I didn’t because Linux is the future of computing.  Linux exists in the present of computing, but the technology is still in a transitionary stage.  The next few years is where we leap the chasim from novel innovator toys to mainstream consumers.  However along the way there are growing pains.  Graphics and sound need to get up to par.  Support companies need to spring up around the technology.  We are getting there.  But right now, I feel uncomfortable offering Linux to a mainstream consumer and leaving them to their own devices.  If I were to support the system, I could easily setup a Linux system that Caroline could use and enjoy.  A Linux system could be setup to let her do her surfing, watching TV, connecting her digital camera and media organization.  But she could only turn to me for help if something goes wrong.  This is not something I want to inflict on either her or myself.  In a few years time, yes, Linux will work for her.  But it will most likely be everywhere and work for everyone.

Bruised and Sore

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Uff! I’m bruised and tired from yesterday’s taekwondo session. The warmup consisted of a lot of running, jumping jacks, pushups, sit ups, and leg raisers. At the end I wanted to pass out from panting exhaustion on the floor. A great workout, followed by practice on kicking and hand motions. There is so much for me to perfect, but I think I’m making good progress. Still I’m months away from a black belt. Give a year or so. 🙂

This morning however I could not be bothered to get up. Or rather got up stiffer than a stiff. And sore, and parts of my anatomy (limbs I mean, I don’t know what you are thinking about) aren’t fully cooperative.  Movement in general today feels constrained and straining. I’m sure it will wear off by the time I go for the next session.

Fortunately, muscular bruising hasn’t adversly affected my thinking. The story and ideas for the novel are rapidly taking shape. And I’m enjoying writing it, since I have not thought out the entire story in such detail that it bores me. Instead every paragraph explorers a new thought and dream. I’m not sure how it will turn out and that is what makes it exciting. Also I started reading up on Qt development. I must say that the more I read about Qt and C++, the more I like those two technologies. I’m already looking forward to coding up my first C++ applications in the near future. Should be quite exciting. And finally a word about my secret project… I’ve done a fair bit of work on it, and I’m just dying to write about it. This project challenges me in everyway that I want to grow professionally and artistically. However I can’t openly talk about it… or maybe I could. We’ll see I guess once I have something concrete to show for my pains.

All in all I am bruised and sore.  But I’m excited with the prospects that appear before me. Little bits of sustained effort are paying off.

Enter the Grumbles

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Marika likes to ramble.  And I like to grumble.  Not because I’m a negative or enjoy complaining.  But I find a guilty pleasure of grumbling my annoyances.  In fact I know I shouldn’t.  But I feel like it nonetheless.  Also I really am at a loss of what to write about… but grumbling… that comes naturally.

The day started off in an annoying manner.  I could not wake up early, so I’ll have to stay at work longer today.  This I blame myself for my not sleeping last day.  I find it a more convenient schedule to come in early, and leave early.  Alas that did not occur today.  The weather decided that wet, cold and windy would be the fashion for today.  Wet and cold being my least favourite combination of the four possible weather combinations (hot, cold, wet and dry).  So this morning I trudged out to work.

Once I got into the office, I remembered that I forgot to bring food.  So part of my earnings have helped the two fast food places survive the difficult economic situation.  While I ate, I realized that the provincial government in their valiant efforts to prop up the economy.   At least the economy of our dear friends in traffic enforcement… and ironically the manufacturers of Bluetooth devices.  I read that the government proclaimed that the use of cellphones and any other electronic gadgets while driving is now verbotten!  My first reactions was great, no more idiots talking on their cellphones when driving.  But Bluetooth devices are allowed… so… said drivers will still be distracted.  And the juggling of Tim Horton’s coffee and doughnuts while driving still is permitted.  And there a geniune times when driving and using a cellphone is either harmless or beneficial.  Like in a traffic jam… Or to report traffic conditions, or deal with really urgent calls.  Anyways… our dear nanny/government agents have just invented yet another arbitrary  reason for intruding upon and controlling people’s lives.  Joy.

I dove into technology hoping that at least that would frustrate me less.  Well no… I had to fiddle with Nokia’s PC Suite to upload music back onto my cellphone.  In the efforts of efficiency, I thought I could upload all my music in two goes.  And in the second the application I assumed would gracefully skip the tracks that were the same.   Well no.  I was wrong.  It did ask whether to overwrite or not… but rather than continue… it just stopped.  So I ended up getting it to overwrite all my tracks.  It took an hour to do, and drained my poor cell’s battery.  So no listening to music on my commute back.  And I discovered that while Nokia seemingly wrote their phone management programs in Qt… the applications don’t have a Linux equivalent.  Bother.

Finally, everyday I get to work with my company’s technology… which can be fun.  I can’t talk about it too much.  Lets just say I never saw how dragging and dropping parts of a program was faster, easier or less error prone than just typing out reams of code.  I really don’t.  And I have to use this tool, regardless of much I grumble or sigh. :s

Well that is about it for today.  I’m sure I’ll find more to grumble about more after work… but I’m hoping that I’m wrong.

Phoneing This One In

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My recent loss of my Nokia N810 Internet Tablet has meant I need to resort to more exotic devices for offline blogging. At the moment I’m traveling on the bus (or standing at a bus stop), chilling to music and blogging/writing on my Nokia 5800 cellphone. So tapping on a touchscreen feels more etheral than tactile than on a slide-out keyboard. But if you don’t have what you like, you like what you have.

Also on a N810 I could use a blogging application and publish directly to my website. On the 5800, I need to take the extra step  of uploading to a computer, copy and paste and then post the entry. If I need to suffer for my art to get a daily post, I’m willing to suffer cold fingers and confusing workflows.

And I just got news that the N810 is back!  Note to self, when the phone rings and you are getting on the bus… Figure out your priorities. Hint show ticket first. Also learn to use the headset, it looks less awkward.  And noone wants to hear your Pink Floyd tracks. 🙂

Reflections in the Rain

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Rainy days put me in an reflective mood.  Or maybe I’m just in a reflective mood recently.  I don’t know.

It is raining outside.  Rain drops pitter and patter on the sidewalk.  On the buildings standing against the pale grey sky.  On the cars passing by.  On the people busy in their everyday lifes.  I like the rain.  Yes, days like today make me sleepy.  But the greyness brings all the colours out.  The pale grey becomes a canvas on which bright coloured things stand out, while the dark ones fade into the ether.  And every surface becomes shiny and reflective like a mirror.  People say that the rain falls down when Heaven cries.  But are they are tears of sadness or of joy?

I’m am joyful today.  I powered up my new cellphone today.  Still need to get a provider and a SIM card, but it looks like a fun toy and tool.  Today I also finished quite a few tasks.  Most of the documentation I need to read at work, I read.  Soon I will get to play around with Perl.  In fact my task involves learning object-oriented Perl.  Nice!  Also went to Prince today and had a huge meal… and sake. 😛  So I’m in a really, really good mood today.  😀  And I sort out my IT troubles with Nokia yesterday…  Today is a good day.

Now to make the day perfect, I just need to finish off some more old tasks.  And start working on my projects.  Also I need to do some trip planning!

Funny, I just read how SGI got bought out.  Funny cause I remember going to an open house at the IAOD, for a computer graphics course.  A very expensive course that required every student to buy a copy of Maya and a SGI rig.  Funny how things worked out.  I now work in an industry with a lot more stable and well-paying work than the graphics artist could ever provide.  And my sad little Intel x86 computers can replace the SGI rig.  And a copy of Blender can replace Maya.  Funny how everyone with some time and talent can now start work as a graphics artist.

Shifting Sands and Schedules

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I’m blogging this entry fairly late in the day today.  I will enjoy sleeping longer and missing being in the office before the sunrises.  At least I will enjoy these guilty pleasures for the next couple of weeks.  Hence my blogging schedule will be thrown out of whack.  But I don’t mind the extra sleep.  I am definitely less cranky and more productive.

I should pick a better time to write this.  But I need a creative outlet.  Fighting with Perl and web applications, and reading reams of documentation can wear a person out.  I look forward to taking a change from Java.  But Perl is not a pretty language.  You can easily write code that you can’t maintain.  At least not easily.  The same could be said about Python, C or C++.  Still Perl can easily win a code obfuscation contest.  And my Perl skills need work.  Still I welcome to the shift from Java and JSP to mixture of Perl and my firm’s in-house RAD tools.  Even if it means wading through tons and tons of documentation.

Another shift is writing I guess.  I’m doing more of it, and enjoying it.  The effort of writing novel still drags on.  I blame my compulsive reading of RSS feeds, and magazines.  Still I like to stay in touch with the parts of the tech world that I enjoy and see future promise.  Also other tasks hang over my head, so it can be difficult to concentrate at times.  Writing and coding projects seem to move at a glacial pace nowadays.  Still they move forward.  I need to shift in Qt, C++ and Python coding again.

Lastly I have a trip to plan and random life tasks to do.  I’m excited about the results obviously.  But such tasks often involve decisions that take time and some can be life-altering.  I’d prefer that the tasks would do themselves.  But unfortunately my not doing them, is just procrastination.  That is what I’m doing right now, procrastination by writing.  I should get back to work now.