SpaceCookies.co.uk » Development

Tech Marketers / Sales Folk: It Is NOT “The Cloud” [Quickie]

Ven — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 11:02:44 +0000

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again that referring to internet based service as being in “the cloud” is insulting, unhelpful, and must be stopped.

At best it over-simplifies the nature of online computing and prevents average users from improving their understanding and ability to fully utilise such services. At worst undermines the work of the developers who actually make these systems fly and makes the marketers and sales folk sound like buzz-word toting parrots who lack a full understanding of the services being sold (see the ‘at best’ point above).

So everyone, please, let’s move things forward, stop treating users like children, help them further their understanding of technology (which is good for everyone), and stop undermining the value of online services.

This Week in Dev: Reg Ex!

Ven — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 12:47:09 +0000

Reg Ex - Nerd Superpower! Click for the XKCD comic.

This week’s big hit: Regular Expressions! As part of an automated software update a config file needs to have a specific option listed within it. Normally this is something we’d do manually but now it’s being rolled out to all of our deployed boxes the loving human touch needs to be replaced with cold calculating automation.

Enter our man Reg. Reg is a little O.C.D. and speaks a very odd language. After a little coaxing we began to understand Reg a little more and put him to task. Now Reg is a clever fellow but lacks common sense. We have to spell everything out for him in great detail. Once he’s got the idea though OH the things he can do! He’s roaming around through config files, editing lines, adding lines, calming walking away if his services are not needed.

Thus far, in testing, he’s been reliably and accurately modding a MySQL config file. Of course I’ll be a little anxious when the first updates roll out as this really isn’t something that can go wrong (clients tend to become upset when upgrades bork their systems) but it all looks good and really helps us squeeze more out of the hardware of ours out in the world fending for itself.

Next up: SVN! Seems we’ve not been using SVN in the most efficient (read: correct) way, resulting in the odd “Where the frak has my goram code gone?!”. Gathering a nice, clean, working base copy of code and throwing a new master into the Thunderdome. From there we’ll actually branch a development copy *gasp* and, wait for it, regularly commit code to it and spy conflicts before it’s too late! Wonders will never cease.

Shiny Shiny Google Chrome Stuffs

Ven — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 18:11:06 +0000

Simon Says 'Use Google Chrome'

So here I was, minding my own business, when thought I’d have a poke around with a Twitter search or two. First off I figured I’d search for Chrome so see if anything interesting had been spotted about Google’s shiny browser. Turns out very shiny things had happened, very shiny indeed.

Namely the feature I’ve been waiting for… bookmark synchronisation! Great days I eagerly downloaded the dev version (up to version 4 already, crickey) and with great gusto I hammered in my login details and waited with baited (is that even the right spelling in this context? meh) breath for my Google Bookmarks to stream down.

And I waited.

And waited.

Waited some more…

Nothing. Oh. Suppose it must just sync between chrome and other instances of chrome. That’s still cool but was a bit of an anticlimax. But wait… the story doesn’t end here!

Enter @chronarion! The fellow seemed to be interested in tails of bookmark fail, being involved in Chrome development an’ all. His words of wisdom told me that sadly Chrome does not sync with Google Bookmarks (which kinda makes sense – Google Bookmarks sucks.. sorry Google, it’s true). Oh woe was me, for how will I now access my bookmarks when not on one my own machines?! FEAR NOT, said @chronarion (disclaimer: not actually a quote), FOR SALVATION… is at hand. Turns out your Chrome bookmarks are also synced up rather nicely to Google Docs for web-based access where-ever you are.

Well pleased. So export my Google Bookmarks I did, import them to Chrome I continues, and gasped I concluded as I watched with glee at my Google Docs as it filled up with my bookmarks.

The only real down-side I’ve found so far is that you cannot edit your bookmarks within Google Docs but given the highly beta nature of the Chrome dev branch I really don’t feel like complaining about it.

On a side point Chrome (well, Chromium to be accurate) for Mac is feeling more and more stable – I’m now using it side by side with Firefox as my two main browsers. Bookmark sync isn’t enabled in the Mac version at the moment but expect it’ll appear soon.

Keep up the good work Google ^_^

Note: to enable bookmark sync under Windows make sure you’re on at least version 4 of Chrome (FileHippo are always up to date) then follow the easy instructions here. Enjoy!