Justin starts a blog

Tracking Schema Changes

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 23:50:41 -0400

One challenge of team programming on web applications is dealing with database schema changes. Approaches vary, but they seem to be either keep a running log of changes or use a tool to create a diff. I prefer the former, having a running log of changes that developers can append and apply as necessary.

We’ve been using this kludgy system that I hacked into Otter some years back where you edit the log, append some lines, run a script, cvs commit, then run another script. Getting developers to follow the rules and actually get the changes tracked proved to be a nightmare.

Today I put the finishing touches on a tool that basically does all that in one pop. It’s nothing complicated, just a interactive console tool that wraps cvs and mysql, but it works and it was a joy to write.

It makes me wonder how other people handle this problem?

"This just in! Powersauce is amazing!"

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 19:19:01 -0400

“This just in! Powersauce is amazing!”

- From the world of useless tweets

The Stealth Follow

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 18:41:26 -0400

I haven’t tested this, but I think this will work. Follow someone, and turn device updates on, then unfollow them. Their tweets will still show up on your phone, but not in your public timeline. I’ve had two cases of users whom i once followed still sending tweets to my phone because i didn’t turn device updates off before unfollowing.

Let's make Distributed Twitter!

Tue, 27 May 2008 11:08:55 -0400

Bre and I spent quite awhile talking about how to make an open-source, open-format distributed microblogging service. We plotted and schemed, designed and mocked, and then discovered a bunch of people already talking about it. It looks like the way to go is with Jabber, since that’s already what Twitter and Jaiku use. The next step is to organize a project and to get coding. We’re hoping to put together a camp where we can get the project off the ground. Stay tuned.

Cobo-updates

Tue, 27 May 2008 11:00:29 -0400

Great geek weekend. The wife was out of town so i got to nerd it up.

Made some great progress on cobosoda. Got sexual reproduction working! Now we’re actually combining models rather than just mutating then randomly. We still have mutations, but they’re much less frequent. The updates are in CVS if you want to check it out.

I pinged the nyc resistor gang for some ideas of where to go from here and got some really great ideas back. What we’re going to end up with his sort of a cobolympics, where players will choose models to start from, how long to train, and for what event. Events will include running, jumping, climbing, and sumo-wrestling!

Java got no soul

Sat, 24 May 2008 17:38:00 -0400

Hackin’ on cobosoda today. Writing a class named SexualReproduction right now, which is kind of fun. I wish java would let me do things like combine non-booleans with logical operators. Where I could write in perl:

sub get_number_of_parents {    my $self = shift;    return ($self->{mom} && $self->{dad} && 2) ||        (($self->{mom} || $self->{data}) && 1) ||        0;}

In Java I must write:

public int getNumberOfParents() {    if (mom != null && dad != null)        return 2;    else if (mom != null || dad != null)         return 1;    else        return 0; }

It probably makes more sense to third parties that way, but personally I dig a good short circuit.

hydeordie:I pretty much have quit drinking coffee…but if you...

Wed, 21 May 2008 18:20:53 -0400

hydeordie:

I pretty much have quit drinking coffee…but if you haven’t, look at this picture and run out and get a cafe mocha (don’t pretend that you don’t want one).

I have one to add. My wife and I enjoy 1/3rd espresso, 1/3rd water, 1/3rd steamed soy milk. I suppose it would be called an Amerilatte.

I was on a panel discussion today at Streaming Media East. Went OK I guess. The topic was,...

Wed, 21 May 2008 14:49:50 -0400

I was on a panel discussion today at Streaming Media East. Went OK I guess. The topic was, “Should content creators get a cut?”, to which we all answer, “Of course.”.

What the panel was really about was, “Is there enough money to go around for content creators? How about for Hollywood?”. I think there’s certainly enough money there for the independent content creators.

There’s a lot of skepticism there still, especially given the next to no payouts coming out of YouTube. It’s assumed that since YouTube has the lion’s share of video impressions, that they should have the lion’s share of advertising revenue. What they fail to see is that it’s difficult to associate a brand with such wide swaths of content.

I think we’ll start making people believers soon, especially with all the great new things coming out of our War on RON.

The Hollywood question is a whole nother story. I leave that discussion for when the SAG strike begins.

Dear [Insert Social Networking Site],

Sun, 18 May 2008 19:24:00 -0400

How do I say this? I’m just not that into you. I feel like you work for so many other people because it’s a way for them to find something to do. Chat with old friends, write on a wall, zombie bite a chump.. It all sounds very nice in theory. Problem is, I’ve already got plenty to do, and plenty more rattling around just waiting for free cycles. Sure, sure, I’ll still approve the occasional friend request or two. I mean, we’ll still be friendly and all. But, I don’t really want to rate any more people, or post any more zany pictures, or really any of that stuff. I hope you understand. It’s not you, it’s me. I’ve really just, moved on.

Sincerely,

Justin

Two steps forward... one step back..

Sat, 17 May 2008 08:41:03 -0400

They never should’ve made the String object pass by value. It negatively reinforces the difference between objects and values. I run into confusion on this point quite a bit. Developers who have had limited access to mid-level languages like C don’t often stop and think about the difference. If you had to use a clone() method, or even toString() every time you passed a String, it’s not likely they would forget. I wonder if the man-hours saved from String’s pseudo-object convenience has offset the hours spent on bugs that result from misunderstanding references.

…And none of the neighbors have ever had cable either??

Wed, 14 May 2008 12:08:47 -0400

…And none of the neighbors have ever had cable either??

So this building has never had cable then??

Wed, 14 May 2008 12:07:51 -0400

So this building has never had cable then??

I love my new place, but man the bodega downstairs plays the mariachi music late and LOUD. The...

Sun, 11 May 2008 23:05:57 -0400

I love my new place, but man the bodega downstairs plays the mariachi music late and LOUD. The buzzing speakers are a nice touch. Good thing they close at midnight.

Preparing and teaching a class is tough work. Especially when...

Sun, 27 Apr 2008 11:22:46 -0400

Preparing and teaching a class is tough work. Especially when you’re sort of learning the material just before hand. Overall I think it was a good class. I was a little sad that only 3 people showed up for the second session, but oh well. I had a blast putting it together and am all sorts of jazzed up about other GBA projects. You can find the aftermath on the nycresistor wiki.

Next up, work on the GBA demo, my GBA version of portal, cobosoda, and get back to 100% on blip.tv.

Just a quick update

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 23:22:56 -0400

Back in the saddle after a hectic couple of weeks. Here’s what happened in bullet form.

Jen and I found a new apartment in Clinton Hill
Taught a gameboy class
Got cobosoda into sourceforge
Bought a bike
Stepped up my game at blip.

Good busy is good. I like good busy.

Raster bars demo done

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 10:45:16 -0400

Furiously preparing for gameboy class. I’m super-psyched (two times) about it. Last night I got the old skoolest of ‘tro routines working, good old raster bars. I’ll up a screenshot later tonight.

Raster bars are one of my favorite effects because they’re quite a hack. It looks like they’re moving, but in reality you’re not drawing anything at all. They take advantage of the palette modes and of the horizontal and vertical blank interrupts. During each vertical blank you adjust an array of colors the length of the screen. During each horizontal blank you set the color of palette 0 to a color stored in the array (according to the vertical line register). The color changes while the horizontal line is drawn to the actual screen, and repeat.

Tonight I work in one of the tiled modes and will put together the simple elements of a an actual game. I think that’s where the class will leave off for next time. I’m documenting stuff on a wiki, but it’s not 100% up to date.

I’ve clearly been neglecting me for work. I’ve taken on some new responsibilities and...

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 09:24:29 -0400

I’ve clearly been neglecting me for work. I’ve taken on some new responsibilities and getting refocused is taking more energy. My twitters and tumblrs have gone silent as a result. On my list of me things to do:

Get cobosoda into sourceforge svn
Finish camera setup at nyc resistor
Prepare apartment for brunch guests on Sunday
Begin preparing classwork for gameboy class

Two good things, I’ve still been able to make some time for the gym. It definitely helps with the stress. I’ve been able to make it to all the nyc resistor meetings. (Sorry if i was a little smelly yesterday resistors, i came straight from the aforementioned gym)

The dentists most evil tool, the Black Demon.

Sat, 29 Mar 2008 13:44:16 -0400

The dentists most evil tool, the Black Demon.

Professor, what's another word for pirate treasure??

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 11:06:49 -0400

Look at me! I’m a teacher! I expect all seven of you that read my tumblog to come to my class. I know who you are, don’t think I don’t.

Learn to write gameboy code

Follow the Red Dots

Sun, 23 Mar 2008 21:31:53 -0400

Follow the Red Dots: All the strange+beautiful things on blip are available via itsthr33am. This is one of my favorites, an 8-bit music video.