me talking out loud

Results from IQ Test. Completely worthless but pretty cool none the less. Yeah - I’m a geek.

“lig, your IQ score is significantly above average. Congratulations! You have a wide range of exceptional skills which are much stronger than those of the average population. You are also skilled at answering the types of questions that are asked in a classic IQ test. The test analyses your strengths and weaknesses based on your mathematical, linguistic, visual-spatial and logical skills. Even though you have high scores in all of those areas, we are able to analyse your results to discover the areas in which you have the strongest abilities.

Like a meticulous collector, you’ve fed your brain a unique set of facts and figures over the years. Words, numbers, you’ve got it all. That’s what makes you a Facts Curator.

Whether or not you intend to absorb every piece of information that comes your way, your mind has certain steel-trap qualities to it. You are a knowledge sponge. You have almost enough words in your head to fill a dictionary, and you’re equally adept when it comes to manipulating numbers. You can also detect important patterns in number sequences, and probably remember the mnemonic devices you were taught in your early school years.”

How my score “stacks up”.

Been wanting to get 2 books now for a while now - HTTP Developers Handbook and Mastering Regular Expressions. Granted they aren’t directly related to PHP - but they definately will come in handy when I’m coding. But just can’t rationalize the money to buy and ship them (shipping to Guam costs almost as much as the books).

My savior to this quandry - codewalkers.com. They were/are looking for book reviewers. In exchange for a book review I get the book for free - and they even let you request the book you want to review. How’s that for a deal.

So I sign up as a reviewer and request if I can review HTTP Developers Handbook and Mastering Regular Expressions. And they actually said yes. Give Matt at codewalkers a few bits of my pertanent info and the books will now be coming out to me in the next few weeks. Outstanding!

They have a couple of other books looking for reviewers (one of which I was interested in reading also), but I get the feeling I’ll be a little busy for the next couple weeks/months. Ah - Life is good today.

OK - been doing a little bit of work on the cms. Finally finished the validation class for user input. Took longer then I figured to get the methods the way I wanted them and then test it all. Didn't post the test script on the code snippet page since it was short and ugly. I will put it below though.

I just changed the name of the method each time. Ugly isn't it

Anyway - I have created the basic database design in DBDesigner and posted the current design's data dictionary on the code Index page (if anyone wants to see it). I would appreciate any input on it. I haven't really looked at the PHPC design (have it somewhere on my computer) since this is for something a lot more basic.

Next - I think it will be time to make a few pages. One to accept new articles... don't think I'll let articles be deleted. The tutorials also says I need a new catagory page... don't see any reason to delete a category *shrug*. Need an index page also to pull the last 5 articles... Hmm. maybe a listing of all articles.

/me slaps herself. KISS - start at the beginning.

This site was just recently shown to me. It is a collection of regex's for various jobs. Why reinvent the wheel - especially when engineering isn't your strong point?

Completed my database classes. You can find them here. There is a SystemObject, DBConnect, DBResult classes and a DBtest script to make sure every thing works fine. Let me know what you think of them and any ways to improve them.

Well I decided to try to write a custom cms system for this site. Why - 1) because I want to. 2) Because I feel that I need more practice with OOP 3) because I have never done it. 4) to learn what a Content Management System actually is. And how the whole "framework" concepts work. I have always beleive the best way to learn something is to do it - so here I go.

Started by reading this article/tutorial and taking a look at the PHPCommunity code in the CVS. The tutorial is a bit simplistic for me and the PHPC code is a bit advanced for what I need (not to mention I don't understand why they have certain methods). I have precious little exposure to design patterns and advanced OOP concepts - so for now I think I'll bypass those parts.

I will unfortunately be writing this in PHP4 since my hosting service doesn't have PHP5 and currently has no plans of implementing it. Hopefully I won't screw up the references too bad. (Even though I know it isn't technically right I still tend to think of them as a quasi-pointer or alias for the data. So as long as I remember when working on a copy of the data isn't what I want - it should get me going in the right direction.)

I have written my base class to hold my global data, the DBConnect class and after much thought a DBResult class (not really sure I need one for my basic framework - but it will allow me to expand it as I learn more - so it's in). Going to test them out either this weekend or next week. Cross your fingers and wish me luck. If it works - guess it will be time to convert my personal notes into PHPDoc style comments (another thing to get a basic feel for).

I think it'll be fun and very frustrating. Been told though that I'm slightly masochistic - maybe.

Japanese fast food chain launches whale burgers - Yahoo! News

I'm sorry but this is just wrong. I understand the need to maintain traditions and culture - but they could EASILY undo the past 19 years of work to restore the whales.

Found this earlier in the week on bash.org - can't find it anymore though. I'm assuming it was dropped from the list. I laughed until my sides hurt - and my husband did as well. Showed it to a couple of friends - and they just didn't get it. Guess my husband and I just have an odd sense of humor.

Novo Vir: i must share a revelation i had today with you, Matthew.
ZephyrTheBreeze: o_O
Novo Vir: you know the darwin fish car plaque thingy?
ZephyrTheBreeze: yep.
Novo Vir: You know how they have the "Truth" fish eating the Darwin fish?
ZephyrTheBreeze: yep
Novo Vir: Would that not be a demonstration of "survival of the fittest"?
ZephyrTheBreeze: OMG

Started playing with flyspray v0.9.7. Had everything I needed already installed but the adodb. So load that up and make sure it works fine with a test script... no problems. Download flyspray and go to the online docs to see how to install. Only one problem - there isn't any docs online for installation - features yeah - but no installation or setup. so I unzip it on the desktop to see if it has a README within it. Nope. Hmmm. Scour the online stuff again and still nothing. Go back to the unzipped file - there is a folder docs.. didn't notice that before. Inside is a README that tells me to go to the INSTALL.txt.
(summery of first couple steps)
step 1 - download flyspray to someplace the web server can access (I just put it on the web root).
step 2 - create a mysql database - done
step 3 - go to the index page and follow the script.

So I go there (ended up putting a directory block in the Apache config so I don't have to type in the whole url - I'm lazy like that - now that I know how ). What do I see - a sh#t ton of "Notice: undefined index..." errors all over the place (not very impressed with that). Crap I can barely make out what the page is supposed to look like. Go to the header.php file and edit it so that the notices go away

.

Ok now I can see it. Time to log in.. Crap what was I supposed to use again - look it up in the INSTALL.txt and log in (step 4 and onward). Move around inside and play with it.

General "feel" for it? Honestly it immediately turned me off when all those E_NOTICE's popped up. Also had php code displaying where it shouldn't of been (like in form fields and on buttons). Sloppy programming immediately came to mind (snobbish of me I know). Other then that - very easy to use (even easier the Mantis) though it doesn't seem to have as many capabilities and isn't nearly as polished. I assume this is why it still hasn't made it to v1.

Opinion - I'll wait a little bit longer for this one to develop. The docs need to minimally state where the INSTALL.txt file for it's INSTALLATION section (that was also an immediate turn off). When it hits v1.0 I might take a look at it again.

Is it just me or does phpa have a new look and feel? Maybe I need to go to sleep?

Well I played with Bugzilla for a little and probably barely scratched the surface. One thing I did notice was that Bugzilla's error messages aren't highlighted very well - sheesh I actually have to read the page to see if something went wrong . Lets see I added a user (didn't notice the email address requirement the first 4 times) or two, added a project or two, couple of bugs, play with the users and groups. Basically get a feel for it and it's administration (though I couldn't figure out how to disable the email capability). Pretty cool. Nice - but seems like more then I need - but may be a good fit for the MiGs and all the projects he runs/works on. Especially if it is to be used for all the future projects the company intends to release in the future. From what I see and what others have told me - Bugzilla seems to be more oriented for the enterprise level.

Also played with Mantis today (as suggested by Ben Ramsey). The download, install, and custom configure was a piece of cake compared to Bugzilla (did it in maybe an hour or two). The biggest problem was finding out where and how to disable the emails (no SMTP remember). Finally got it and I have to admit it is very easy to use and administer. As a friend of mine told me - "It is a lightweight Bugzilla". This would probably be something I personally would use. Enterprise level - maybe. Don't know if it can handle what the future may bring, but I'm sure it's developers would like to see it there.

MiGs uses "flyspray" currently. Haven't tried it myself yet so I don't know how it stacks up to Mantis. I am assuming they are comparable. Maybe play with that tomarrow.

Done and Done. Wasn't as bad as I though it would be - and only took about a full days work to do it. Guess I should put in a couple "test" bugs figure out how to work the thing. Maybe later - don't feel like it today. Going to go check out Mantis - see how that is.

Well I can't get the Apache server to connect the .cgi extensions to the Perl interpretor. Tried the whole register thing - but there is no .cgi file. Now I assume that is because Windows still hasn't figured out that .cgi is an alias for .pl. Unfortuantely there isn't a way that I can figure out how "teach" it that so I'm stuck changing all the shebangs in the .cgi files. isn't too bad - there's only 42 .cgi files. Little copy and paste - then it will be time to take Bugzilla out for a whirl around the block.

Programming Jobs Losing Luster in U.S. - Yahoo! News

Good information to keep in mind for all us geeks.

and I hurt.

First Woman Gets Silver Star Since WWII - Yahoo! News

Bravo Zulu

Now that my project has been moved onto the new server (and out of my hands) I am checking out Bugzilla. Makes sense - new software needs a bug tracking system. So since Bugzilla is what I keep hearing about (along with it's pain in the buttocks install - especially on a Windows box) I decided to check it out.

Now in case you don't know - I run a Windows box as my local test computer. So the first thing I had to do was install Perl. Read the Bugzilla docs (online and eventually the ones that come with the package) and I am pointed to a windows installer for Perl (ActivePerl - I think). Download and install it. I already have MySQL installed. Download and install Bugzilla. Use ppm to get all my perl modules (that took a little while to figure out) that the checksetup.pl file tells me I need. Create a new MySQL user and edit the localconfig file of Bugzilla (this again took a little for various small reasons that just wouldn't be corrected). Edit the Apache config file so it knows what to do with .cgi's (never made a directory block until then) and - it doesn't work. The index page won't open...

Get stuck there for about a half hour before awormus rides to the rescue - reminding me to check the perl file shebangs (bugzilla is oriented towards unix not M$). Wrong path! alter it and Poof - the index page works. So now I have to figure out if I can get Apache to ignore the shebangs and look where I tell it - or change ALL the shebangs in the files. And did I mention I have no MTA (Mail Transfer Agent or smtp server) on the machine. Guess those problems will just have to wait until tomarrow.

Was talking to Kayla about what she would like to do before she goes to her dad's house. I figured a sleepover party or a trip to one of the local water parks for her and a few friends or something along those lines. She says she wants to have a girls night out - just her and I. Now as much as I loved the idea since I get to have some fun time with her (not at home where it is too easy to slip into the normal routine) I wasn't sure if she was just saying that for my benefit. Ask if she is sure and - yep she is.

So off we go to have a girls night out. Start with dinner at the restaurant of her choice - Tony Romas. Talk, joke, play, catch up and eat good ribs and yes she had dessert. Off to the movies. She wants to see "Spygirl and Sharkboy". Now I am pretty open to various movies - but I just couldn't do it. So we see what else is showing and decide on "Mr. and Mrs. Smith". The movie starts in 45 minutes - so off to the concession stand.

I swear we must have gotten the slowest person because a half hour later we are just getting to the counter to put in our order. Large soda and a bag of Skittles it is. Finally we can go get our seats in a theatre that is quickly filling up.

I have to admit - I didn't have high hopes for this film but it actually was very funny. Maybe it is because of all the realities of marriage it hit on in such bizarre circumstances, double innuendos, and smack flying around between the 2 main characters - but I laughed my butt off. Kayla also had a kick out of it with all the action adventure and being able to understand some of the smack being thrown around. The only I didn't like was that the sex scenes where a little to too racy for PG13. They could have toned it down a bit.

Movie ended at ~21:45 and we finally got home at ~22:30. Kayla and I had a wonderful time - I just wish Jason could have been there. Saying goodbye to her will be so hard.

getting ready to put my project into beta on a new server. Had to figure out how I want the new file structure to look like (for better security) . Start drawing it out (with paper and pencil) listing files and directories - and it keeps getting larger and larger.

Now I realize that there are some truly huge programs out there but what I have been thinking of as "my little ap" for about 10 months now - consists of over 70 files (not including the PEAR, Smarty, and IntSmarty files). All of which I have personally created. Didn't realize that I had made that many! And a section of it still isn't completed - so more files may be added.

It was rather surprising.