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• Singleton: How should it be used

  - by Loki Astari

  Edit: From another question I provided an answer that has links to a lot of questions/answers about singeltons: More info about singletons here: So I have read the thread Singletons: good design or a crutch? And the argument still rages. I see Singletons as a Design Pattern (good and bad). The problem with Singleton is not the Pattern but rather the users (sorry everybody). Everybody and their father thinks they can implement one correctly (and from the many interviews I have done, most people can't). Also because everybody thinks they can implement a correct Singleton they abuse the Pattern and use it in situations that are not appropriate (replacing global variables with Singletons!). So the main questions that need to be answered are: When should you use a Singleton How do you implement a Singleton correctly My hope for this article is that we can collect together in a single place (rather than having to google and search multiple sites) an authoritative source of when (and then how) to use a Singleton correctly. Also appropriate would be a list of Anti-Usages and common bad implementations explaining why they fail to work and for good implementations their weaknesses. So get the ball rolling: I will hold my hand up and say this is what I use but probably has problems. I like "Scott Myers" handling of the subject in his books "Effective C++" Good Situations to use Singletons (not many): Logging frameworks Thread recycling pools /* * C++ Singleton * Limitation: Single Threaded Design * See: http://www.aristeia.com/Papers/DDJ_Jul_Aug_2004_revised.pdf * For problems associated with locking in multi threaded applications * * Limitation: * If you use this Singleton (A) within a destructor of another Singleton (B) * This Singleton (A) must be fully constructed before the constructor of (B) * is called. */ class MySingleton { private: // Private Constructor MySingleton(); // Stop the compiler generating methods of copy the object MySingleton(MySingleton const& copy); // Not Implemented MySingleton& operator=(MySingleton const& copy); // Not Implemented public: static MySingleton& getInstance() { // The only instance // Guaranteed to be lazy initialized // Guaranteed that it will be destroyed correctly static MySingleton instance; return instance; } }; OK. Lets get some criticism and other implementations together. :-)

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• How to include a PHP generated XML file into flash vars, while ALSO passing through the current php functions into it?

  - by Sam

  Hello Given situation: In webpage.php the flashscript is calling a flash script with a flashvar: the playlist file which is a PHP generated XML file: playlist.php, it does that well so long as there are no extra functions in there. Now, in that XML-format playlistfile there needs to be a special function, besides the usual echo("");, namely the very special echo __(""); function that is already declared in webpage.php which needs to do something with the paragraphs residing within that xml file. However, currently the retrieved file misses the function echo __();and says "no such function declared in that xml-format [playlist.php] file". The php functions that are currently included at the very top of webpage.php somehow do not pass-through-the necessary functions into the playlist file for it to recognise how to handle it, in order for that playlist to get those necessary functions working. Apparently these are not passed through automatically/properly when residing in the flashvars?? Cause the echo __(""); works fine when called within webpage.php or via a normal php include(""); if those functions are in a different php file. But not working from the playlist.php file. Any ideas why/what is going on here? I appreciate your clues for this prob +1. Thanks very much. WEBPAGE.PHP the webpage, has at the top an include with functions: <?php include (functions.php); ?> // function that know what to do with echo __("paragraph") <script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript"> run( 'play', 'true', 'loop', 'true', 'flashvars', 'xmlFile=/incl/playlist.php', // <<<< !! 'wmode', 'transparent', 'allowScriptAccess','sameDomain', ); </script> <noscript> <object classid="blabla"> <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain" /> <param name="movie" value="/movies/movie.swf" /> <param name="flashvars" value="xmlFile=/incl/playlist.php" /> // <<< !! <embed src="/movies/movies.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"/> </object> </noscript> PLAYLIST.PHP The PHP generated XML file which is retrieved into the webpage as flash variable (see above) <?php echo ('<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>'); echo ('<songs>'); echo ('<song version="1. "') . __("boom blue blow bell bowl") . ('/>'); echo ('<song version="2. "') . __("ball bail beam bike base") . ('/>'); echo ('</songs>'); ?>

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• QT vs. Net - REAL comparisons for R.A.D. projects

  - by Pirate for Profit

  Man in all these Qt vs. .NET discussions 90% these people argue about the dumbest crap. Trying to get a real comparison chart here, because I know a little about both frameworks but I don't know everything. I believe Qt and .NET both have strengths and weaknesses. This is to make a comparison that highlights these so people can make more informed decisions before embarking on a project, in the spirit of R.A.D. Event Handling In Qt the event handling system is very simple. You just emit signals when something cool happens and then catch them in slots. ie. // run some calculations, then emit valueChanged(30, false, 20.2); and then catching it, any object can make a slot to recieve that message easily void MyObj::valueChanged(int percent, bool ok, float timeRemaining). It's easy to "block" an event or "disconnect" when needed, and works seamlessly across threads... once you get the hang of it, it just seems a lot more natural and intuitive than the way the .NET event handling is set up (you know, void valueChanged(object sender, CustomEventArgs e). And I'm not just talking about syntax, because in the end the .NET anonymous delegates are the bomb. I'm also talking about in more than just reflection (because, yes, .NET obviously has much stronger reflection capabilities). I'm talking about in the way the system feels to a human being. Qt wins hands down for the simplest yet still flexible event handling system ever i m o. Plugins and such I do love some of the ease of C# compared to C++, as well as .NET's assembly architecture, even though it leads to a bunch of .dll's (there's ways to combine everything into a single exe though). That is a big bonus for modular projects, which are a PITA to import stuff in C++ as far as RAD is concerned. Database Ease of Doing Crap Also what about datasets and database manipulations. I think .net wins here but I'm not sure. Threading/Conccurency How do you guys think of the threading? In .NET, all I've ever done is make like a list of master worker threads with locks. I like QConcurrentFramework, you don't worry about locks or anything, and with the ease of the signal slot system across threads it's nice to get notified about the progress of things. QConcurrent is the simplest threading mechanism I've ever played with. Memory Usage Also what do you think of the overall memory usage comparison. Is the .NET garbage collector pretty on the ball and quick compared to the instantaneous nature of native memory management? Or does it just let programs leak up a storm and lag the computer then clean it up when it's about to really lag? Doesn't the just-in-time compiler make native code that is pretty good, like and that only happens the first time the program is run? However, I am a n00b who doesn't know what I'm talking about, please school me on the subject.

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• Qt vs .NET - a few comparisons [closed]

  - by Pirate for Profit

  Event Handling In Qt the event handling system you just emit signals when something cool happens and then catch them in slots, for instance emit valueChanged(int percent, bool something); and void MyCatcherObj::valueChanged(int p, bool ok){} blocking them and disconnecting them when needed, doing it across threads... once you get the hang of it, it just seems a lot more natural and intuitive than the way the .NET event handling is set up (you know, object sender, CustomEventArgs e). And I'm not just talking about syntax, because in the end the .NET delegate crap is the bomb. I'm also talking about in more than just reflection (because, yes, .NET obviously has much stronger reflection capabilities). I'm talking about in the way the system feels to a human being. Qt wins hands down i m o. Basically, the footprints make more sense and you can visualize the project easier without the clunky event handling system. I wish I could it explain it better. The only thing is, I do love some of the ease of C# compared to C++ and .NET's assembly architecture. That is a big bonus for modular projects, which are a PITA to do in C++. Database Ease of Doing Crap Also what about datasets and database manipulations. I think .net wins here but I'm not sure. Threading/Conccurency How do you guys think of the threading? In .NET, all I've ever done is make like a list of master worker threads with locks. I like QConcurrentFramework, you don't worry about locks or anything, and with the ease of the signal slot system across threads it's nice to get notified about the progress of things. Memory Usage Also what do you think of the overall memory usage comparison. Is the .NET garbage collector pretty on the ball and quick compared to the instantaneous nature of native memory management? Or does it just let programs leak up a storm and lag the computer then clean it up when it's about to really lag? However, I am a n00b who doesn't know what I'm talking about, please school me on the subject.

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• java double buffering problem

  - by russell

  Whats wrong with my applet code which does not render double buffering correctly.I am trying and trying.But failed to get a solution.Plz Plz someone tell me whats wrong with my code. import java.applet.* ; import java.awt.* ; import java.awt.event.* ; public class Ball extends Applet implements Runnable { // Initialisierung der Variablen int x_pos = 10; // x - Position des Balles int y_pos = 100; // y - Position des Balles int radius = 20; // Radius des Balles Image buffer=null; //Graphics graphic=null; int w,h; public void init() { Dimension d=getSize(); w=d.width; h=d.height; buffer=createImage(w,h); //graphic=buffer.getGraphics(); setBackground (Color.black); } public void start () { // Schaffen eines neuen Threads, in dem das Spiel l?uft Thread th = new Thread (this); // Starten des Threads th.start (); } public void stop() { } public void destroy() { } public void run () { // Erniedrigen der ThreadPriority um zeichnen zu erleichtern Thread.currentThread().setPriority(Thread.MIN_PRIORITY); // Solange true ist l?uft der Thread weiter while (true) { // Ver?ndern der x- Koordinate repaint(); x_pos++; y_pos++; //x2--; //y2--; // Neuzeichnen des Applets if(x_pos>410) x_pos=20; if(y_pos>410) y_pos=20; try { Thread.sleep (30); } catch (InterruptedException ex) { // do nothing } Thread.currentThread().setPriority(Thread.MAX_PRIORITY); } } public void paint (Graphics g) { Graphics screen=null; screen=g; g=buffer.getGraphics(); g.setColor(Color.red); g.fillOval(x_pos - radius, y_pos - radius, 2 * radius, 2 * radius); g.setColor(Color.green); screen.drawImage(buffer,0,0,this); } public void update(Graphics g) { paint(g); } } what change should i make.When offscreen image is drawn the previous image also remain in screen.How to erase the previous image from the screen??

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• Circular database relationships. Good, Bad, Exceptions?

  - by jim

  I have been putting off developing this part of my app for sometime purely because I want to do this in a circular way but get the feeling its a bad idea from what I remember my lecturers telling me back in school. I have a design for an order system, ignoring the everything that doesn't pertain to this example I'm left with: CreditCard Customer Order I want it so that, Customers can have credit cards (0-n) Customers have orders (1-n) Orders have one customer(1-1) Orders have one credit card(1-1) Credit cards can have one customer(1-1) (unique ids so we can ignore uniqueness of cc number, husband/wife may share cc instances ect) Basically the last part is where the issue shows up, sometimes credit cards are declined and they wish to use a different one, this needs to update which their 'current' card is but this can only change the current card used for that order, not the other orders the customer may have on disk. Effectively this creates a circular design between the three tables. Possible solutions: Either Create the circular design, give references: cc ref to order, customer ref to cc customer ref to order or customer ref to cc customer ref to order create new table that references all three table ids and put unique on the order so that only one cc may be current to that order at any time Essentially both model the same design but translate differently, I am liking the latter option best at this point in time because it seems less circular and more central. (If that even makes sense) My questions are, What if any are the pros and cons of each? What is the pitfalls of circular relationships/dependancies? Is this a valid exception to the rule? Is there any reason I should pick the former over the latter? Thanks and let me know if there is anything you need clarified/explained. --Update/Edit-- I have noticed an error in the requirements I stated. Basically dropped the ball when trying to simplify things for SO. There is another table there for Payments which adds another layer. The catch, Orders can have multiple payments, with the possibility of using different credit cards. (if you really want to know even other forms of payment). Stating this here because I think the underlying issue is still the same and this only really adds another layer of complexity.

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• Cannot ping Localhost so I can't shutdown Tomcat

  - by gav

  Hi, I installed Tomcat 6 using the tar-ball via wget. Startup of the server is fine but on shutdown I get a timeout exception. root@88:/usr/local/tomcat/logs# /usr/local/tomcat/bin/shutdown.sh Using CATALINA_BASE: /usr/local/tomcat Using CATALINA_HOME: /usr/local/tomcat Using CATALINA_TMPDIR: /usr/local/tomcat/temp Using JRE_HOME: /usr Using CLASSPATH: /usr/local/tomcat/bin/bootstrap.jar 30-Mar-2010 17:33:41 org.apache.catalina.startup.Catalina stopServer SEVERE: Catalina.stop: java.net.ConnectException: Connection timed out at java.net.PlainSocketImpl.socketConnect(Native Method) at java.net.PlainSocketImpl.doConnect(PlainSocketImpl.java:333) at java.net.PlainSocketImpl.connectToAddress(PlainSocketImpl.java:195) at java.net.PlainSocketImpl.connect(PlainSocketImpl.java:182) at java.net.SocksSocketImpl.connect(SocksSocketImpl.java:366) ... I read that this might be because I have a firewall blocking incoming connections on the shutdown port (8005). I have a default Ubuntu 9.04 installation running on a VPS with no rules in my iptables. How can I tell if that port is blocked? How can I check that the server is listening for connections on 8005? Bizarrely pinging localhost or the IP of my server fails from the server itself, whereas pinging the IP of my server from another machine succeeds. -------- EDIT -------- (In reply to Davey) Thanks for all the tips and suggestions! netstat -nlp Active Internet connections (only servers) Proto Recv-Q Send-Q Local Address Foreign Address State PID/Program name tcp 0 0 127.0.0.1:8005 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN 9611/java tcp 0 0 127.0.0.1:3306 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN 28505/mysqld tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:8080 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN 9611/java tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:22 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN ... So we can see that tomcat is listening, I just don't seem to be able to reach it. root@88:/usr/local/tomcat# telnet localhost 8005 Trying 127.0.0.1... Trying to telnet to the port Hangs indefinitely. I have no rules in my iptables so I don't think it's a firewall thing. root@88:/usr/local/tomcat# iptables --list Chain INPUT (policy ACCEPT) target prot opt source destination Chain FORWARD (policy ACCEPT) target prot opt source destination Chain OUTPUT (policy ACCEPT) target prot opt source destination This is the contents of /etc/hosts 127.0.0.1 localhost.localdomain localhost # Auto-generated hostname. Please do not remove this comment. 88.198.31.14 88.198.31.14 88 88 But I still can't ping localhost... do I need to check a loopback device is enabled properly or something? (I'm unsure how to do that if you do say yes :)). root@88:/usr/local/tomcat# ping localhost PING localhost (127.0.0.1) 56(84) bytes of data. --- localhost ping statistics --- 7 packets transmitted, 0 received, 100% packet loss, time 5999ms Trying to find out what the loop back is configured as; root@88:~# ifconfig lo lo Link encap:Local Loopback LOOPBACK MTU:16436 Metric:1 RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0 TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0 collisions:0 txqueuelen:0 RX bytes:0 (0.0 B) TX bytes:0 (0.0 B) SOLUTION THANKS TO DAVEY I needed to bring up the interface (Not sure why it wasn't running). ifconfig lo up did the trick. root@88:~# ifconfig lo up root@88:~# ifconfig lo lo Link encap:Local Loopback inet addr:127.0.0.1 Mask:255.0.0.0 inet6 addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host UP LOOPBACK RUNNING MTU:16436 Metric:1 RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0 TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0 collisions:0 txqueuelen:0 RX bytes:0 (0.0 B) TX bytes:0 (0.0 B) root@88:~# ping localhost PING localhost.localdomain (127.0.0.1) 56(84) bytes of data. 64 bytes from localhost.localdomain (127.0.0.1): icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=0.025 ms Thanks again, Gav

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• Why is Automator crashing on launch?

  - by zbrimhall

  I've run into an odd problem where Automtor.app on Snow Leopard crashes on launch. At some point in the past, I put a copy of iPhoto.app into my public directory to copy over to another machine. Now, Automator.app won't run unless my public directory has a copy of iPhoto.app in it. If I remove it, Automator.app crashes on launch. Here's what happens: Launch Automator.app After the Automator menu bar appears, but before any windows appear, I get the dreaded beach ball for a few seconds Automator crashes Here's the output from Console.app: 12/26/09 2:11:24 PM Automator[11736] The action “Add Movie to iDVD Menu” could not be loaded because the application “iDVD” was not found. 12/26/09 2:11:24 PM Automator[11736] The action “Get iDVD Slideshow Images” could not be loaded because the application “iDVD” was not found. 12/26/09 2:11:24 PM Automator[11736] The action “Initiate Remote Broadcast” could not be loaded because the application “QuickTime Broadcaster” was not found. 12/26/09 2:11:24 PM Automator[11736] The action “New iDVD Menu” could not be loaded because the application “iDVD” was not found. 12/26/09 2:11:24 PM Automator[11736] The action “New iDVD Movie Sequence” could not be loaded because the application “iDVD” was not found. 12/26/09 2:11:24 PM Automator[11736] The action “New iDVD Slideshow” could not be loaded because the application “iDVD” was not found. 12/26/09 2:11:24 PM Automator[11736] The action “New QuickTime Slideshow” could not be loaded because the application “QuickTime Player” was not found. 12/26/09 2:11:24 PM Automator[11736] The action “Set iDVD Background Image” could not be loaded because the application “iDVD” was not found. 12/26/09 2:11:24 PM Automator[11736] The action “Set iDVD Button Face” could not be loaded because the application “iDVD” was not found. 12/26/09 2:11:24 PM Automator[11736] The action “Set Movie Annotations” could not be loaded because the application “QuickTime Player” was not found. 12/26/09 2:11:24 PM Automator[11736] The action “Set Movie Playback Properties” could not be loaded because the application “QuickTime Player” was not found. 12/26/09 2:11:24 PM Automator[11736] The action “Set Movie URL” could not be loaded because the application “QuickTime Player” was not found. 12/26/09 2:11:24 PM Automator[11736] The action “Show Main iDVD Menu” could not be loaded because the application “iDVD” was not found. 12/26/09 2:11:25 PM Automator[11736] Can not ID UTI for path The value %@ is invalid.: The file “The value %@ is invalid.” couldn’t be opened because there is no such file. 12/26/09 2:11:25 PM Automator[11736] Can not ID UTI for path /Users/brimhall/Public/iPhoto.app: The file “iPhoto.app” couldn’t be opened because there is no such file. 12/26/09 2:11:25 PM Automator[11736] Can not ID UTI for path The value %@ is invalid.: The file “The value %@ is invalid.” couldn’t be opened because there is no such file. 12/26/09 2:11:26 PM Automator[11736] -[NSAttributeDictionary length]: unrecognized selector sent to instance 0x49c770 12/26/09 2:11:26 PM Automator[11736] -[NSAttributeDictionary length]: unrecognized selector sent to instance 0x49c770 12/26/09 2:11:38 PM com.apple.launchd.peruser.501[203] ([0x0-0x2ad2ad].com.apple.Automator[11736]) Job appears to have crashed: Segmentation fault I've tried deleting my Automator.app Preferences file and Application Support directory to get it to look for iPhoto.app in the system-wide Applications directory, but to no avail. Any suggestions on how I can get things working as normal?

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• Why is Automator crashing on launch?

  - by zbrimhall

  I've run into an odd problem where Automtor.app on Snow Leopard crashes on launch. At some point in the past, I put a copy of iPhoto.app into my public directory to copy over to another machine. Now, Automator.app won't run unless my public directory has a copy of iPhoto.app in it. If I remove it, Automator.app crashes on launch. Here's what happens: Launch Automator.app After the Automator menu bar appears, but before any windows appear, I get the dreaded beach ball for a few seconds Automator crashes Here's the output from Console.app: 12/26/09 2:11:24 PM Automator[11736] The action “Add Movie to iDVD Menu” could not be loaded because the application “iDVD” was not found. 12/26/09 2:11:24 PM Automator[11736] The action “Get iDVD Slideshow Images” could not be loaded because the application “iDVD” was not found. 12/26/09 2:11:24 PM Automator[11736] The action “Initiate Remote Broadcast” could not be loaded because the application “QuickTime Broadcaster” was not found. 12/26/09 2:11:24 PM Automator[11736] The action “New iDVD Menu” could not be loaded because the application “iDVD” was not found. 12/26/09 2:11:24 PM Automator[11736] The action “New iDVD Movie Sequence” could not be loaded because the application “iDVD” was not found. 12/26/09 2:11:24 PM Automator[11736] The action “New iDVD Slideshow” could not be loaded because the application “iDVD” was not found. 12/26/09 2:11:24 PM Automator[11736] The action “New QuickTime Slideshow” could not be loaded because the application “QuickTime Player” was not found. 12/26/09 2:11:24 PM Automator[11736] The action “Set iDVD Background Image” could not be loaded because the application “iDVD” was not found. 12/26/09 2:11:24 PM Automator[11736] The action “Set iDVD Button Face” could not be loaded because the application “iDVD” was not found. 12/26/09 2:11:24 PM Automator[11736] The action “Set Movie Annotations” could not be loaded because the application “QuickTime Player” was not found. 12/26/09 2:11:24 PM Automator[11736] The action “Set Movie Playback Properties” could not be loaded because the application “QuickTime Player” was not found. 12/26/09 2:11:24 PM Automator[11736] The action “Set Movie URL” could not be loaded because the application “QuickTime Player” was not found. 12/26/09 2:11:24 PM Automator[11736] The action “Show Main iDVD Menu” could not be loaded because the application “iDVD” was not found. 12/26/09 2:11:25 PM Automator[11736] Can not ID UTI for path The value %@ is invalid.: The file “The value %@ is invalid.” couldn’t be opened because there is no such file. 12/26/09 2:11:25 PM Automator[11736] Can not ID UTI for path /Users/brimhall/Public/iPhoto.app: The file “iPhoto.app” couldn’t be opened because there is no such file. 12/26/09 2:11:25 PM Automator[11736] Can not ID UTI for path The value %@ is invalid.: The file “The value %@ is invalid.” couldn’t be opened because there is no such file. 12/26/09 2:11:26 PM Automator[11736] -[NSAttributeDictionary length]: unrecognized selector sent to instance 0x49c770 12/26/09 2:11:26 PM Automator[11736] -[NSAttributeDictionary length]: unrecognized selector sent to instance 0x49c770 12/26/09 2:11:38 PM com.apple.launchd.peruser.501[203] ([0x0-0x2ad2ad].com.apple.Automator[11736]) Job appears to have crashed: Segmentation fault I've tried deleting my Automator.app Preferences file and Application Support directory to get it to look for iPhoto.app in the system-wide Applications directory, but to no avail. Any suggestions on how I can get things working as normal?

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• Computer makes hissing noise, turns off after few seconds

  - by Kaustubh P

  I have a problem similar to the questions posted here and here. This is my config: Asus M3N78-EM, with AMD Phenom X3 720 2800 Black Edition, 4GB Transcend DDR2 RAM, Nvidia 9400GT. HD is a 160 GB IDE, and a LG IDE DVD-ROM. The power button is a bit off, I have removed the cover of the switch, and the only way it turns on is just giving the "stick" under the cover a gentle press. It turns on sometimes, and at other times, I have to cut-off the power from the PSU, and try again. I will describe my problem in as detail as possible, please bear with me: The problem has started in the last week, a few months after I changed the to the powerswitch arrangement as described above. The PC makes a hissing noise, and I wasn't able to pin-point the noise source, because of the various other fans. At first, removing the HD, rebooting w/o the HD, turning it off, reconnecting and booting made the problem go away. But of late, it doesn't happen. As suggested in the other questions, I tried reducing the load by disconnecting both the IDE drives, and the problem (noise + turn-off) still occurs. I also connected another 80G IDE HD,today morning, adn it still made that noise, and turned off. I also opened up the PSU, but I couldn't see any fault in that, I tried rotating the fan by blowing into the blades, and with my fingers, but the hissing noise didn't come from there. Or maybe the speed wasn't enough to evoke that noise. A few weeks ago: I had cleaned the Cabinet and had repasted the processor and its fan using some thermal paste. Could that be at fault? I also used a vacuum to blow the dust out of the PSU, could the power have been too much, to maybe offset the fan or something? A label on the PSU says it uses a ball-bearing fan. That only leaves me with the Processor fan and the processor itself. I didn't try removing the processor fan and processor from the motherboard, and then turning the PC on, fearing damage. Will doing so cause any damage? What can I do to localize and pin-point the problem? Also, after a few tries, the Computer starts up. Sometimes it turns of within 2 seconds, sometimes after the POST. Once it turned off at the grub. Another time it booted completely and then turned off. The only way to ensure that the PC wont turn off, is if the hissing noise stops. EDIT: I suspect it to be the Processor/Processor fan, owing to the source of noise. All the config, except for the Cabinet, is just over a year old. EDIT2: I also just remembered, that I had set the "On-power resume" to turn on, i.e. If I supply he PC with power, it will turn itself on, w/o me needing to press the switch. I had done that to workaround the faulty power-switch, as noted above. EDIT3: I calculated the power my system needs, from the antec site, and I just arrived at 292W

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• Laissez les bon temps rouler! (Microsoft BI Conference 2010)

  - by smisner

  "Laissez les bons temps rouler" is a Cajun phrase that I heard frequently when I lived in New Orleans in the mid-1990s. It means "Let the good times roll!" and encapsulates a feeling of happy expectation. As I met with many of my peers and new acquaintances at the Microsoft BI Conference last week, this phrase kept running through my mind as people spoke about their plans in their respective businesses, the benefits and opportunities that the recent releases in the BI stack are providing, and their expectations about the future of the BI stack. Notwithstanding some jabs here and there to point out the platform is neither perfect now nor will be anytime soon (along with admissions that the competitors are also not perfect), and notwithstanding several missteps by the event organizers (which I don't care to enumerate), the overarching mood at the conference was positive. It was a refreshing change from the doom and gloom hovering over several conferences that I attended in 2009. Although many people expect economic hardships to continue over the coming year or so, everyone I know in the BI field is busier than ever and expects to stay busy for quite a while. Self-Service BI Self-service was definitely a theme of the BI conference. In the keynote, Ted Kummert opened with a look back to a fairy tale vision of self-service BI that he told in 2008. At that time, the fairy tale future was a time when "every end user was able to use BI technologies within their job in order to move forward more effectively" and transitioned to the present time in which SQL Server 2008 R2, Office 2010, and SharePoint 2010 are available to deliver managed self-service BI. This set of technologies is presumably poised to address the needs of the 80% of users that Kummert said do not use BI today. He proceeded to outline a series of activities that users ought to be able to do themselves--from simple changes to a report like formatting or an addtional data visualization to integration of an additional data source. The keynote then continued with a series of demonstrations of both current and future technology in support of self-service BI. Some highlights that interested me: PowerPivot, of course, is the flagship product for self-service BI in the Microsoft BI stack. In the TechEd keynote, which was open to the BI conference attendees, Amir Netz (twitter) impressed the audience by demonstrating interactivity with a workbook containing 100 million rows. He upped the ante at the BI keynote with his demonstration of a future-state PowerPivot workbook containing over 2 billion records. It's important to note that this volume of data is being processed by a server engine, and not in the PowerPivot client engine. (Yes, I think it's impressive, but none of my clients are typically wrangling with 2 billion records at a time. Maybe they're thinking too small. This ability to work quickly with large data sets has greater implications for BI solutions than for self-service BI, in my opinion.) Amir also demonstrated KPIs for the future PowerPivot, which appeared to be easier to implement than in any other Microsoft product that supports KPIs, apart from simple KPIs in SharePoint. (My initial reaction is that we have one more place to build KPIs. Great. It's confusing enough. I haven't seen how well those KPIs integrate with other BI tools, which will be important for adoption.) One more PowerPivot feature that Amir showed was a graphical display of the lineage for calculations. (This is hugely practical, especially if you build up calculations incrementally. You can more easily follow the logic from calculation to calculation. Furthermore, if you need to make a change to one calculation, you can assess the impact on other calculations.) Another product demonstration will be available within the next 30 days--Pivot for Reporting Services. If you haven't seen this technology yet, check it out at www.getpivot.com. (It definitely has a wow factor, but I'm skeptical about its practicality. However, I'm looking forward to trying it out with data that I understand.) Michael Tejedor (twitter) demonstrated a feature that I think is really interesting and not emphasized nearly enough--overshadowed by PowerPivot, no doubt. That feature is the Microsoft Business Intelligence Indexing Connector, which enables search of the content of Excel workbooks and Reporting Services reports. (This capability existed in MOSS 2007, but was more cumbersome to implement. The search results in SharePoint 2010 are not only cooler, but more useful by describing whether the content is found in a table or a chart, for example.) This may yet be the dawning of the age of self-service BI - a phrase I've heard repeated from time to time over the last decade - but I think BI professionals are likely to stay busy for a long while, and need not start looking for a new line of work. Kummert repeatedly referenced strategic BI solutions in contrast to self-service BI to emphasize that self-service BI is not a replacement for the services that BI professionals provide. After all, self-service BI does not appear magically on user desktops (or whatever device they want to use). A supporting infrastructure is necessary, and grows in complexity in proportion to the need to simplify BI for users. It's one thing to hear the party line touted by Microsoft employees at the BI keynote, but it's another to hear from the people who are responsible for implementing and supporting it within an organization. Rob Collie (blog | twitter), Kasper de Jonge (blog | twitter), Vidas Matelis (site | twitter), and I were invited to join Andrew Brust (blog | twitter) as he led a Birds of a Feather session at TechEd entitled "PowerPivot: Is It the BI Deal-Changer for Developers and IT Pros?" I would single out the prevailing concern in this session as the issue of control. On one side of this issue were those who were concerned that they would lose control once PowerPivot is implemented. On the other side were those who believed that data should be freely accessible to users in PowerPivot, and even acknowledgment that users would get the data they want even if it meant they would have to manually enter into a workbook to have it ready for analysis. For another viewpoint on how PowerPivot played out at the conference, see Rob Collie's observations. Collaborative BI I have been intrigued by the notion of collaborative BI for a very long time. Before I discovered BI, I was a Lotus Notes developer and later a manager of developers, working in a software company that enabled collaboration in the legal industry. Not only did I help create collaborative systems for our clients, I created a complete project management from the ground up to collaboratively manage our custom development work. In that case, collaboration involved my team, my client contacts, and me. I was also able to produce my own BI from that system as well, but didn't know that's what I was doing at the time. Only in recent years has SharePoint begun to catch up with the capabilities that I had with Lotus Notes more than a decade ago. Eventually, I had the opportunity at that job to formally investigate BI as another product offering for our software, and the rest - as they say - is history. I built my first data warehouse with Scott Cameron (who has also ventured into the authoring world by writing Analysis Services 2008 Step by Step and was at the BI Conference last week where I got to reminisce with him for a bit) and that began a career that I never imagined at the time. Fast forward to 2010, and I'm still lauding the virtues of collaborative BI, if only the tools will catch up to my vision! Thus, I was anxious to see what Donald Farmer (blog | twitter) and Rita Sallam of Gartner had to say on the subject in their session "Collaborative Decision Making." As I suspected, the tools aren't quite there yet, but the vendors are moving in the right direction. One thing I liked about this session was a non-Microsoft perspective of the state of the industry with regard to collaborative BI. In addition, this session included a better demonstration of SharePoint collaborative BI capabilities than appeared in the BI keynote. Check out the video in the link to the session to see the demonstration. One of the use cases that was demonstrated was linking from information to a person, because, as Donald put it, "People don't trust data, they trust people." The Microsoft BI Stack in General A question I hear all the time from students when I'm teaching is how to know what tools to use when there is overlap between products in the BI stack. I've never taken the time to codify my thoughts on the subject, but saw that my friend Dan Bulos provided good insight on this topic from a variety of perspectives in his session, "So Many BI Tools, So Little Time." I thought one of his best points was that ideally you should be able to design in your tool of choice, and then deploy to your tool of choice. Unfortunately, the ideal is yet to become real across the platform. The closest we come is with the RDL in Reporting Services which can be produced from two different tools (Report Builder or Business Intelligence Development Studio's Report Designer), manually, or by a third-party or custom application. I have touted the idea for years (and publicly said so about 5 years ago) that eventually more products would be RDL producers or consumers, but we aren't there yet. Maybe in another 5 years. Another interesting session that covered the BI stack against a backdrop of competitive products was delivered by Andrew Brust. Andrew did a marvelous job of consolidating a lot of information in a way that clearly communicated how various vendors' offerings compared to the Microsoft BI stack. He also made a particularly compelling argument about how the existence of an ecosystem around the Microsoft BI stack provided innovation and opportunities lacking for other vendors. Check out his presentation, "How Does the Microsoft BI Stack...Stack Up?" Expo Hall I had planned to spend more time in the Expo Hall to see who was doing new things with the BI stack, but didn't manage to get very far. Each time I set out on an exploratory mission, I got caught up in some fascinating conversations with one or more of my peers. I find interacting with people that I meet at conferences just as important as attending sessions to learn something new. There were a couple of items that really caught me eye, however, that I'll share here. Pragmatic Works. Whether you develop SSIS packages, build SSAS cubes, or author SSRS reports (or all of the above), you really must take a look at BI Documenter. Brian Knight (twitter) walked me through the key features, and I must say I was impressed. Once you've seen what this product can do, you won't want to document your BI projects any other way. You can download a free single-user database edition, or choose from more feature-rich standard or professional editions. Microsoft Press ebooks. I also stopped by the O'Reilly Media booth to meet some folks that one of my acquisitions editors at Microsoft Press recommended. In case you haven't heard, Microsoft Press has partnered with O'Reilly Media for distribution and publishing. Apart from my interest in learning more about O'Reilly Media as an author, an advertisement in their booth caught me eye which I think is a really great move. When you buy Microsoft Press ebooks through the O'Reilly web site, you can receive it in any (or all) of the following formats where possible: PDF, epub, .mobi for Kindle and .apk for Android. You also have lifetime DRM-free access to the ebooks. As someone who is an avid collector of books, I fnd myself running out of room for storage. In addition, I travel a lot, and it's hard to lug my reference library with me. Today's e-reader options make the move to digital books a more viable way to grow my library. Having a variety of formats means I am not limited to a single device, and lifetime access means I don't have to worry about keeping track of where I've stored my files. Because the e-books are DRM-free, I can copy and paste when I'm compiling notes, and I can print pages when necessary. That's a winning combination in my mind! Overall, I was pleased with the BI conference. There were many more sessions that I couldn't attend, either because the room was full when I got there or there were multiple sessions running concurrently that I wanted to see. Fortunately, many of the sessions are accessible for viewing online at http://www.msteched.com/2010/NorthAmerica along with the TechEd sessions. You can spot the BI sessions by the yellow skyline on the title slide of the presentation as shown below. Share this post: email it! | bookmark it! | digg it! | reddit! | kick it! | live it!

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• jBullet Collision/Physics not working correctly

  - by Kenneth Bray

  Below is the code for one of my objects in the game I am creating (yes although this is a cube, I am not making anything remotely like MineCraft), and my issue is I while the cube will display and is does follow the physics if the cube falls, it does not interact with any other objects in the game. If I was to have multiple cubes in screen at once they all just sit there, or shoot off in all directions never stopping. Anyway, I am new to jBullet, and any help would be appreciated. package Object; import static org.lwjgl.opengl.GL11.GL_QUADS; import static org.lwjgl.opengl.GL11.glBegin; import static org.lwjgl.opengl.GL11.glColor3f; import static org.lwjgl.opengl.GL11.glEnd; import static org.lwjgl.opengl.GL11.glPopMatrix; import static org.lwjgl.opengl.GL11.glPushMatrix; import static org.lwjgl.opengl.GL11.glVertex3f; import javax.vecmath.Matrix4f; import javax.vecmath.Quat4f; import javax.vecmath.Vector3f; import com.bulletphysics.collision.shapes.BoxShape; import com.bulletphysics.collision.shapes.CollisionShape; import com.bulletphysics.dynamics.RigidBody; import com.bulletphysics.dynamics.RigidBodyConstructionInfo; import com.bulletphysics.linearmath.DefaultMotionState; import com.bulletphysics.linearmath.Transform; public class Cube { // Cube size/shape variables private float size; boolean cubeCollidable; boolean cubeDestroyable; // Position variables - currently this defines the center of the cube private float posX; private float posY; private float posZ; // Rotation variables - should be between 0 and 359, might consider letting rotation go higher though I can't think of a purpose currently private float rotX; private float rotY; private float rotZ; //collision shape is a box shape CollisionShape fallShape; // setup the motion state for the ball DefaultMotionState fallMotionState; Vector3f fallInertia = new Vector3f(0, 1, 0); RigidBodyConstructionInfo fallRigidBodyCI; public RigidBody fallRigidBody; int mass = 1; // Constructor public Cube(float pX, float pY, float pZ, float pSize) { posX = pX; posY = pY; posZ = pZ; size = pSize; rotX = 0; rotY = 0; rotZ = 0; // define the physics based on the values passed in fallShape = new BoxShape(new Vector3f(size, size, size)); fallMotionState = new DefaultMotionState(new Transform(new Matrix4f(new Quat4f(0, 0, 0, 1), new Vector3f(0, 50, 0), 1f))); fallRigidBodyCI = new RigidBodyConstructionInfo(mass, fallMotionState, fallShape, fallInertia); fallRigidBody = new RigidBody(fallRigidBodyCI); } public void Update() { Transform trans = new Transform(); fallRigidBody.getMotionState().getWorldTransform(trans); posY = trans.origin.x; posX = trans.origin.y; posZ = trans.origin.z; } public void Draw() { fallShape.calculateLocalInertia(mass, fallInertia); // center point posX, posY, posZ float radius = size / 2; //top glPushMatrix(); glBegin(GL_QUADS); { glColor3f(1.0f,0.0f,0.0f); // red glVertex3f(posX + radius, posY + radius, posZ - radius); glVertex3f(posX - radius, posY + radius, posZ - radius); glVertex3f(posX - radius, posY + radius, posZ + radius); glVertex3f(posX + radius, posY + radius, posZ + radius); } glEnd(); glPopMatrix(); //bottom glPushMatrix(); glBegin(GL_QUADS); { glColor3f(1.0f,1.0f,0.0f); // ?? color glVertex3f(posX + radius, posY - radius, posZ + radius); glVertex3f(posX - radius, posY - radius, posZ + radius); glVertex3f(posX - radius, posY - radius, posZ - radius); glVertex3f(posX + radius, posY - radius, posZ - radius); } glEnd(); glPopMatrix(); //right side glPushMatrix(); glBegin(GL_QUADS); { glColor3f(1.0f,0.0f,1.0f); // ?? color glVertex3f(posX + radius, posY + radius, posZ + radius); glVertex3f(posX + radius, posY - radius, posZ + radius); glVertex3f(posX + radius, posY - radius, posZ - radius); glVertex3f(posX + radius, posY + radius, posZ - radius); } glEnd(); glPopMatrix(); //left side glPushMatrix(); glBegin(GL_QUADS); { glColor3f(0.0f,1.0f,1.0f); // ?? color glVertex3f(posX - radius, posY + radius, posZ - radius); glVertex3f(posX - radius, posY - radius, posZ - radius); glVertex3f(posX - radius, posY - radius, posZ + radius); glVertex3f(posX - radius, posY + radius, posZ + radius); } glEnd(); glPopMatrix(); //front side glPushMatrix(); glBegin(GL_QUADS); { glColor3f(0.0f,0.0f,1.0f); //blue glVertex3f(posX + radius, posY + radius, posZ + radius); glVertex3f(posX - radius, posY + radius, posZ + radius); glVertex3f(posX - radius, posY - radius, posZ + radius); glVertex3f(posX + radius, posY - radius, posZ + radius); } glEnd(); glPopMatrix(); //back side glPushMatrix(); glBegin(GL_QUADS); { glColor3f(0.0f,1.0f,0.0f); // green glVertex3f(posX + radius, posY - radius, posZ - radius); glVertex3f(posX - radius, posY - radius, posZ - radius); glVertex3f(posX - radius, posY + radius, posZ - radius); glVertex3f(posX + radius, posY + radius, posZ - radius); } glEnd(); glPopMatrix(); } }

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• How I do VCS

  - by Wes McClure

  After years of dabbling with different version control systems and techniques, I wanted to share some of what I like and dislike in a few blog posts.  To start this out, I want to talk about how I use VCS in a team environment.  These come in a series of tips or best practices that I try to follow.  Note: This list is subject to change in the future. Always use some form of version control for all aspects of software development. Development is an evolution.  Looking back at where we were is an invaluable asset in that process.  This includes data schemas and documentation. Reverting / reapplying changes is absolutely critical for efficient development. The tools I use: Code: Hg (preferred), SVN Database: TSqlMigrations Documents: Sometimes in code repository, also SharePoint with versioning Always tag a commit (changeset) with comments This is a quick way to describe to someone else (or your future self) what the changeset entails. Be brief but courteous. One or two sentences about the task, not the actual changes. Use precommit hooks or setup the central repository to reject changes without comments. Link changesets to documentation If your project management system integrates with version control, or has a way to externally reference stories, tasks etc then leave a reference in the commit.  This helps locate more information about the commit and/or related changesets. It’s best to have a precommit hook or system that requires this information, otherwise it’s easy to forget. Ability to work offline is required, including commits and history Yes this requires a DVCS locally but doesn’t require the central repository to be a DVCS.  I prefer to use either Git or Hg but if it isn’t possible to migrate the central repository, it’s still possible for a developer to push / pull changes to that repository from a local Hg or Git repository. Never lock resources (files) in a central repository… Rude! We have merge tools for a reason, merging sucked a long time ago, it doesn’t anymore… stop locking files! This is unproductive, rude and annoying to other team members. Always review everything in your commit. Never ever commit a set of files without reviewing the changes in each. Never add a file without asking yourself, deep down inside, does this belong? If you leave to make changes during a review, start the review over when you come back.  Never assume you didn’t touch a file, double check. This is another reason why you want to avoid large, infrequent commits. Requirements for tools Quickly show pending changes for the entire repository. Default action for a resource with pending changes is a diff. Pluggable diff & merge tool Produce a unified diff or a diff of all changes.  This is helpful to bulk review changes instead of opening each file. The central repository is not your own personal dump yard.  Breaking this rule is a sure fire way to get the F bomb dropped in front of your name, multiple times. If you turn on Visual Studio’s commit on closing studio option, I will personally break your fingers. By the way, the person(s) in charge of this feature should be fired and never be allowed near programming, ever again. Commit (integrate) to the central repository / branch frequently I try to do this before leaving each day, especially without a DVCS.  One never knows when they might need to work from remote the following day. Never commit commented out code If it isn’t needed anymore, delete it! If you aren’t sure if it might be useful in the future, delete it! This is why we have history. If you don’t know why it’s commented out, figure it out and then either uncomment it or delete it. Don’t commit build artifacts, user preferences and temporary files. Build artifacts do not belong in VCS, everything in them is present in the code. (ie: bin\*, obj\*, *.dll, *.exe) User preferences are your settings, stop overriding my preferences files! (ie: *.suo and *.user files) Most tools allow you to ignore certain files and Hg/Git allow you to version this as an ignore file.  Set this up as a first step when creating a new repository! Be polite when merging unresolved conflicts. Count to 10, cuss, grab a stress ball and realize it’s not a big deal.  Actually, it’s an opportunity to let you know that someone else is working in the same area and you might want to communicate with them. Following the other rules, especially committing frequently, will reduce the likelihood of this. Suck it up, we all have to deal with this unintended consequence at times.  Just be careful and GET FAMILIAR with your merge tool.  It’s really not as scary as you think.  I personally prefer KDiff3 as its merging capabilities rock. Don’t blindly merge and then blindly commit your changes, this is rude and unprofessional.  Make sure you understand why the conflict occurred and which parts of the code you want to keep.  Apply scrutiny when you commit a manual merge: review the diff! Make sure you test the changes (build and run automated tests) Become intimate with your version control system and the tools you use with it. Avoid trial and error as much as is possible, sit down and test the tool out, read some tutorials etc.  Create test repositories and walk through common scenarios. Find the most efficient way to do your work.  These tools will be used repetitively, so inefficiencies will add up. Sometimes this involves a mix of tools, both GUI and CLI. I like a combination of both Tortoise Hg and hg cli to get the job efficiently. Always tag releases Create a way to find a given release, whether this be in comments or an explicit tag / branch.  This should be readily discoverable. Create release branches to patch bugs and then merge the changes back to other development branch(es). If using feature branches, strive for periodic integrations. Feature branches often cause forked code that becomes irreconcilable.  Strive to re-integrate somewhat frequently with the branch this code will ultimately be merged into.  This will avoid merge conflicts in the future. Feature branches are best when they are mutually exclusive of active development in other branches. Use and abuse local commits , at least one per task in a story. This builds a trail of changes in your local repository that can be pushed to a central repository when the story is complete. Never commit a broken build or failing tests to the central repository. It’s ok for a local commit to break the build and/or tests.  In fact, I encourage this if it helps group the changes more logically.  This is one of the main reasons I got excited about DVCS, when I wanted more than one changeset for a set of pending changes but some files could be grouped into both changesets (like solution file / project file changes). If you have more than a dozen outstanding changed resources, there should probably be more than one commit involved. Exceptions when maintaining code bases that require shotgun surgery, in this case, it’s a design smell :) Don’t version sensitive information Especially usernames / passwords   There is one area I haven’t found a solution I like yet: versioning 3rd party libraries and/or code.  I really dislike keeping any assemblies in the repository, but seems to be a common practice for external libraries.  Please feel free to share your ideas about this below.    -Wes

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• MIX 2010 Covert Operations Day 2 Silverlight + Windows 7 Phone

  - by GeekAgilistMercenary

  Left the Circus Circus and headed to the geek circus at Mandalay Bay.  Got in, got some breakfast, met a few more people and headed to the keynote. Upon arriving the crew I was hanging with at the event; Erik Mork, Beth Murray, and Brian Henderson and I were entertained with several other thousand geeks by the wicked yo-yoing. The first video demo of something was of Bing Maps and various aspects of Microsoft Research integrated together.  Namely the pictures, put in place, on real 3d element maps of various environments. Silverlight Scott Guthrie, as one would guess, kicked off the keynote.  His first point was that user experience has become a priority at Microsoft.  This can be seen by any observant soul with the release and push of Expression, Silverlight, and the other tools.  This is even more apparent when one takes note of Microsoft bringing in people that can actually do good design and putting them at the forefront. The next thing Scott brought up was a few key points about Silverlight.  Currently Silverlight is a little over 2 years old and has achieved a pretty solid 60% penetration.  Silverlight has all sorts of capabilities that have been developed and are now provided as open source including;  ad injection, smoothing, playback editing, and more.  Another thing he showed, which really struck me as awesome being in the analytics space, was the Olympics and a quick glimpse of the ad statistics, viewer experience, video playback performance, audience trends, and overall viewer participation.  All of it rendered in Silverlight in beautiful detail. The key piece of Scott's various points were all punctuated with the fact that all of this code is available as open source.  Not only is Microsoft really delving into this design element of things, they're getting involved in the right ways. One of the last points I'll bring up about Silverlight 4 is the ability to have HD video on a monitor, and an entirely different activity being done on the other monitor, effectively making Silverlight the only RIA framework that supports multi-monitor support.  Overall, Silverlight is continuing to impress – providing superior capabilities tit-for-tat with the competition. Windows 7 Phone The Windows 7 Phone has 3 primary buttons (yes, more than the iPhone, don't let your mind explode!!).  Start, Search, and Back control all of the needed functionality of the phone.  At the same time, of course, there is the multi-touch, touch, and other interactive abilities of the interface.  The intent, once start is pressed is to have all the information that a phone owner wants displayed immediately.  Avoiding the scrolling through pages of apps or rolling a ball to get through multitudes of other non-interactive phone interfaces.  The Windows 7 Phone simply has the data right in front of you, basically a phone dashboard.  From there it is easy to dive into the interactive areas of the phone. Each area of the interface of the phone is broken into hubs.  These hubs include applications, data, and other things based on a relative basis.  This basis being determined by the user.  These applications interact on many other levels, and form a kind of relationship between each other adding more and more meta-data to the phone user, their interactions between the applications, and of course the social element of their interactions on the phone.  This makes this phone a practical must have for a marketer involved in social media.  The level of wired together interaction is massive, and of course, if you've seen Office Outlook 2010 you know that the power that is pulled into the phone by being tied to Outlook is massive. Joe Belfiore also showed several UI & specifically UX elements of the phone interface that allows paging to be instinctual by simple clipped items, flipping page to page, and other excellent user experience advances for phone devices.  Belfiore's also showed how his people hub had a massive list of people, with pictures, all from various different social networks and other associated relations.  The rendering, speed, and viewing of these people's, their pictures, their social network information, and other characteristics was smooth and in some situations unbelievably rendered.  This demo showed some of the great power of the beta phone, which isn't even as powerful as the planned end device. Joe finished up by jumping into the music, videos, and other media with the Zune Component of the Windows 7 Mobile Phone.  This was all good stuff, but I'll get to what really sold me on the media element in a moment. When Joe was done, Scott Guthrie stepped back up to walk through building a Windows 7 Mobile Phone.  This is were I have to give serious props.  He built this application, in Visual Studio 2010, in front of 2000+ people.  That was cool, but what really was amazing that he build the application in about 2 minutes.  The IDE, side by side design that is standard in Visual Studio is light years ahead of x-Code or any of the iPhone IDEs.  The Windows 7 Mobile System, if it can get market penetration, poses a technologically superior development and phone platform over anything on the market right now.  The biggest problem with the phone, is it just isn't available yet.  I personally can't wait for a chance to build some apps for the new Windows Phone. Netflix, I May Start Up an Account Again! When I get my Windows 7 Phone device, I am absolutely getting a Netflix account again.  The Vertigo crew, as I wrote on Twitter "#MIX10 Props @seesharp on @netflix demo", displayed an application on the phone for Netflix that actually ran HD Video of Rescue Me (with Dennis Leary).  The video played back smooth as it would on a dedicated computer, I was instantly sold.  So this didn't actually sell me on the phone, because I'm already sold, but it did sell me whole heartedly on the media capabilities of the pending phone. Anyway, I try not to do this but I may double post today.  Lunch is over and I'm off to another session very near and dear to the heart of my occupation, Analytics Tracking.  Stay tuned and I should have that post up by the end of the day. Original Post – Check out my other blog for even more technical ramblings and reads.

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• Laissez les bon temps rouler! (Microsoft BI Conference 2010)

  - by smisner

  Laissez les bons temps rouler" is a Cajun phrase that I heard frequently when I lived in New Orleans in the mid-1990s. It means "Let the good times roll!" and encapsulates a feeling of happy expectation. As I met with many of my peers and new acquaintances at the Microsoft BI Conference last week, this phrase kept running through my mind as people spoke about their plans in their respective businesses, the benefits and opportunities that the recent releases in the BI stack are providing, and their expectations about the future of the BI stack.Notwithstanding some jabs here and there to point out the platform is neither perfect now nor will be anytime soon (along with admissions that the competitors are also not perfect), and notwithstanding several missteps by the event organizers (which I don't care to enumerate), the overarching mood at the conference was positive. It was a refreshing change from the doom and gloom hovering over several conferences that I attended in 2009. Although many people expect economic hardships to continue over the coming year or so, everyone I know in the BI field is busier than ever and expects to stay busy for quite a while.Self-Service BISelf-service was definitely a theme of the BI conference. In the keynote, Ted Kummert opened with a look back to a fairy tale vision of self-service BI that he told in 2008. At that time, the fairy tale future was a time when "every end user was able to use BI technologies within their job in order to move forward more effectively" and transitioned to the present time in which SQL Server 2008 R2, Office 2010, and SharePoint 2010 are available to deliver managed self-service BI.This set of technologies is presumably poised to address the needs of the 80% of users that Kummert said do not use BI today. He proceeded to outline a series of activities that users ought to be able to do themselves--from simple changes to a report like formatting or an addtional data visualization to integration of an additional data source. The keynote then continued with a series of demonstrations of both current and future technology in support of self-service BI. Some highlights that interested me:PowerPivot, of course, is the flagship product for self-service BI in the Microsoft BI stack. In the TechEd keynote, which was open to the BI conference attendees, Amir Netz (twitter) impressed the audience by demonstrating interactivity with a workbook containing 100 million rows. He upped the ante at the BI keynote with his demonstration of a future-state PowerPivot workbook containing over 2 billion records. It's important to note that this volume of data is being processed by a server engine, and not in the PowerPivot client engine. (Yes, I think it's impressive, but none of my clients are typically wrangling with 2 billion records at a time. Maybe they're thinking too small. This ability to work quickly with large data sets has greater implications for BI solutions than for self-service BI, in my opinion.)Amir also demonstrated KPIs for the future PowerPivot, which appeared to be easier to implement than in any other Microsoft product that supports KPIs, apart from simple KPIs in SharePoint. (My initial reaction is that we have one more place to build KPIs. Great. It's confusing enough. I haven't seen how well those KPIs integrate with other BI tools, which will be important for adoption.)One more PowerPivot feature that Amir showed was a graphical display of the lineage for calculations. (This is hugely practical, especially if you build up calculations incrementally. You can more easily follow the logic from calculation to calculation. Furthermore, if you need to make a change to one calculation, you can assess the impact on other calculations.)Another product demonstration will be available within the next 30 days--Pivot for Reporting Services. If you haven't seen this technology yet, check it out at www.getpivot.com. (It definitely has a wow factor, but I'm skeptical about its practicality. However, I'm looking forward to trying it out with data that I understand.)Michael Tejedor (twitter) demonstrated a feature that I think is really interesting and not emphasized nearly enough--overshadowed by PowerPivot, no doubt. That feature is the Microsoft Business Intelligence Indexing Connector, which enables search of the content of Excel workbooks and Reporting Services reports. (This capability existed in MOSS 2007, but was more cumbersome to implement. The search results in SharePoint 2010 are not only cooler, but more useful by describing whether the content is found in a table or a chart, for example.)This may yet be the dawning of the age of self-service BI - a phrase I've heard repeated from time to time over the last decade - but I think BI professionals are likely to stay busy for a long while, and need not start looking for a new line of work. Kummert repeatedly referenced strategic BI solutions in contrast to self-service BI to emphasize that self-service BI is not a replacement for the services that BI professionals provide. After all, self-service BI does not appear magically on user desktops (or whatever device they want to use). A supporting infrastructure is necessary, and grows in complexity in proportion to the need to simplify BI for users.It's one thing to hear the party line touted by Microsoft employees at the BI keynote, but it's another to hear from the people who are responsible for implementing and supporting it within an organization. Rob Collie (blog | twitter), Kasper de Jonge (blog | twitter), Vidas Matelis (site | twitter), and I were invited to join Andrew Brust (blog | twitter) as he led a Birds of a Feather session at TechEd entitled "PowerPivot: Is It the BI Deal-Changer for Developers and IT Pros?" I would single out the prevailing concern in this session as the issue of control. On one side of this issue were those who were concerned that they would lose control once PowerPivot is implemented. On the other side were those who believed that data should be freely accessible to users in PowerPivot, and even acknowledgment that users would get the data they want even if it meant they would have to manually enter into a workbook to have it ready for analysis. For another viewpoint on how PowerPivot played out at the conference, see Rob Collie's observations.Collaborative BII have been intrigued by the notion of collaborative BI for a very long time. Before I discovered BI, I was a Lotus Notes developer and later a manager of developers, working in a software company that enabled collaboration in the legal industry. Not only did I help create collaborative systems for our clients, I created a complete project management from the ground up to collaboratively manage our custom development work. In that case, collaboration involved my team, my client contacts, and me. I was also able to produce my own BI from that system as well, but didn't know that's what I was doing at the time. Only in recent years has SharePoint begun to catch up with the capabilities that I had with Lotus Notes more than a decade ago. Eventually, I had the opportunity at that job to formally investigate BI as another product offering for our software, and the rest - as they say - is history. I built my first data warehouse with Scott Cameron (who has also ventured into the authoring world by writing Analysis Services 2008 Step by Step and was at the BI Conference last week where I got to reminisce with him for a bit) and that began a career that I never imagined at the time.Fast forward to 2010, and I'm still lauding the virtues of collaborative BI, if only the tools will catch up to my vision! Thus, I was anxious to see what Donald Farmer (blog | twitter) and Rita Sallam of Gartner had to say on the subject in their session "Collaborative Decision Making." As I suspected, the tools aren't quite there yet, but the vendors are moving in the right direction. One thing I liked about this session was a non-Microsoft perspective of the state of the industry with regard to collaborative BI. In addition, this session included a better demonstration of SharePoint collaborative BI capabilities than appeared in the BI keynote. Check out the video in the link to the session to see the demonstration. One of the use cases that was demonstrated was linking from information to a person, because, as Donald put it, "People don't trust data, they trust people."The Microsoft BI Stack in GeneralA question I hear all the time from students when I'm teaching is how to know what tools to use when there is overlap between products in the BI stack. I've never taken the time to codify my thoughts on the subject, but saw that my friend Dan Bulos provided good insight on this topic from a variety of perspectives in his session, "So Many BI Tools, So Little Time." I thought one of his best points was that ideally you should be able to design in your tool of choice, and then deploy to your tool of choice. Unfortunately, the ideal is yet to become real across the platform. The closest we come is with the RDL in Reporting Services which can be produced from two different tools (Report Builder or Business Intelligence Development Studio's Report Designer), manually, or by a third-party or custom application. I have touted the idea for years (and publicly said so about 5 years ago) that eventually more products would be RDL producers or consumers, but we aren't there yet. Maybe in another 5 years.Another interesting session that covered the BI stack against a backdrop of competitive products was delivered by Andrew Brust. Andrew did a marvelous job of consolidating a lot of information in a way that clearly communicated how various vendors' offerings compared to the Microsoft BI stack. He also made a particularly compelling argument about how the existence of an ecosystem around the Microsoft BI stack provided innovation and opportunities lacking for other vendors. Check out his presentation, "How Does the Microsoft BI Stack...Stack Up?"Expo HallI had planned to spend more time in the Expo Hall to see who was doing new things with the BI stack, but didn't manage to get very far. Each time I set out on an exploratory mission, I got caught up in some fascinating conversations with one or more of my peers. I find interacting with people that I meet at conferences just as important as attending sessions to learn something new. There were a couple of items that really caught me eye, however, that I'll share here.Pragmatic Works. Whether you develop SSIS packages, build SSAS cubes, or author SSRS reports (or all of the above), you really must take a look at BI Documenter. Brian Knight (twitter) walked me through the key features, and I must say I was impressed. Once you've seen what this product can do, you won't want to document your BI projects any other way. You can download a free single-user database edition, or choose from more feature-rich standard or professional editions.Microsoft Press ebooks. I also stopped by the O'Reilly Media booth to meet some folks that one of my acquisitions editors at Microsoft Press recommended. In case you haven't heard, Microsoft Press has partnered with O'Reilly Media for distribution and publishing. Apart from my interest in learning more about O'Reilly Media as an author, an advertisement in their booth caught me eye which I think is a really great move. When you buy Microsoft Press ebooks through the O'Reilly web site, you can receive it in any (or all) of the following formats where possible: PDF, epub, .mobi for Kindle and .apk for Android. You also have lifetime DRM-free access to the ebooks. As someone who is an avid collector of books, I fnd myself running out of room for storage. In addition, I travel a lot, and it's hard to lug my reference library with me. Today's e-reader options make the move to digital books a more viable way to grow my library. Having a variety of formats means I am not limited to a single device, and lifetime access means I don't have to worry about keeping track of where I've stored my files. Because the e-books are DRM-free, I can copy and paste when I'm compiling notes, and I can print pages when necessary. That's a winning combination in my mind!Overall, I was pleased with the BI conference. There were many more sessions that I couldn't attend, either because the room was full when I got there or there were multiple sessions running concurrently that I wanted to see. Fortunately, many of the sessions are accessible for viewing online at http://www.msteched.com/2010/NorthAmerica along with the TechEd sessions. You can spot the BI sessions by the yellow skyline on the title slide of the presentation as shown below. Share this post: email it! | bookmark it! | digg it! | reddit! | kick it! | live it!

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• Windows 8 Launch&ndash;Why OEM and Retailers Should STFU

  - by D'Arcy Lussier

  Microsoft has gotten a lot of flack for the Surface from OEM/hardware partners who create Windows-based devices and I’m sure, to an extent, retailers who normally stock and sell Windows-based devices. I mean we all know how this is supposed to work – Microsoft makes the OS, partners make the hardware, retailers sell the hardware. Now Microsoft is breaking the rules by not only offering their own hardware but selling them via online and through their Microsoft branded stores! The thought has been that Microsoft is trying to set a standard for the other hardware companies to reach for. Maybe. I hope, at some level, Microsoft may be covertly responding to frustrations associated with trusting the OEMs and Retailers to deliver on their part of the supply chain. I know as a consumer, I’m very frustrated with the Windows 8 launch. Aside from the Surface sales, there’s nothing happening at the retail level. Let me back up and explain. Over the weekend I visited a number of stores in hopes of trying out various Windows 8 devices. Out of three retailers (Staples, Best Buy, and Future Shop), not *one* met my expectations. Let me be honest with you Staples, I never really have high expectations from your computer department. If I need paper or pens, whatever, but computers – you’re not the top of my list for price or selection. Still, considering you flaunted Win 8 devices in your flyer I expected *something* – some sign of effort that you took the Windows 8 launch seriously. As I entered the 1910 Pembina Highway location in Winnipeg, there was nothing – no signage, no banners – nothing that would suggest Windows 8 had even launched. I made my way to the laptops. I had to play with each machine to determine which ones were running Windows 8. There wasn’t anything on the placards that made it obvious which were Windows 8 machines and which ones were Windows 7. Likewise, there was no easy way to identify the touch screen laptop (the HP model) from the others without physically touching the screen to verify. Horrible experience. In the same mall as the Staples I mentioned above, there’s a Future Shop. Surely they would be more on the ball. I walked in to the 1910 Pembina Highway location and immediately realized I would not get a better experience. Except for the sign by the front door mentioning Windows 8, there was *nothing* in the computer department pointing you to the Windows 8 devices. Like in Staples, the Win 8 laptops were mixed in with the Win 7 ones and there was nothing notable calling out which ones were running Win 8. I happened to hit up the St. James Street location today, thinking since its a busier store they must have more options. To their credit, they did have two staff members decked out in Windows 8 shirts and who were helping a customer understand Windows 8. But otherwise, there was nothing highlighting the Windows 8 devices and they were again mixed in with the rest of the Win 7 machines. Finally, we have the St. James Street Best Buy location here in Winnipeg. I’m sure Best Buy will have their act together. Nope, not even close. Same story as the others: minimal signage (there was a sign as you walked in with a link to this schedule of demo days), Windows 8 hardware mixed with the rest of the PC offerings, and no visible call-outs identifying which were Win 8 based. This meant that, like Future Shop and Staples, if you wanted to know which machine had Windows 8 you had to go and scrutinize each machine. Also, there was nothing identifying which ones were touch based and which were not. Just Another Day… To these retailers, it seemed that the Windows 8 launch was just another day, with another product to add to the showroom floor. Meanwhile, Apple has their dedicated areas *in all three stores*. It was dead simple to find where the Apple products were compared to the Windows 8 products. No wonder Microsoft is starting to push their own retail stores. No wonder Microsoft is trying to funnel orders through them instead of relying on these bloated retail big box stores who obviously can’t manage a product launch. It’s Not Just The Retailers… Remember when the Acer CEO, Founder, and President of Computer Global Operations all weighed in on how Microsoft releasing the Surface would have a “huge negative impact for the ecosystem and other brands may take a negative reaction”? Also remember the CEO stating “[making hardware] is not something you are good at so please think twice”? Well the launch day has come and gone, and so far Microsoft is the only one that delivered on having hardware available on the October 26th date. Oh sure, there are laptops running Windows 8 – but all in one desktop PCs? I’ve only seen one or two! And tablets are *non existent*, with some showing an early to late November availability on Best Buy’s website! So while the retailers could be doing more to make it easier to find Windows 8 devices, the manufacturers could help by *getting devices into stores*! That’s supposedly something that these companies are good at, according to the Acer CEO. So Here’s What the Retailers and Manufacturers Need To Do… Get Product Out The pivotal timeframe will be now to the end of November. We need to start seeing all these fantastic pieces of hardware ship – including the Samsung ATIV Smart PC Pro, the Acer Iconia, the Asus TAICHI 21, and the sexy Samsung Series 7 27” desktop. It’s not enough to see product announcements, we need to see actual devices. Make It Easy For Customers To Find Win8 Devices You want to make it easy to sell these things? Make it easy for people to find them! Have staff on hand that really know how these devices run and what can be done with them. Don’t just have a single demo day, have people who can demo it every day! Make It Easy to See the Features There’s touch screen desktops, touch screen laptops, tablets, non-touch laptops, etc. People need to easily find the features for each machine. If I’m looking for a touch-laptop, I shouldn’t need to sift through all the non-touch laptops to find them – at the least, I need to quickly be able to see which ones are touch. I feel silly even typing this because this should be retail 101 and I have no retail background (but I do have an extensive background as a customer). In Summary… Microsoft launching the Surface and selling them through their own channels isn’t slapping its OEM and retail partners in the face; its slapping them to wake the hell up and stop coasting through Windows launch events like they don’t matter. Unless I see some improvements from vendors and retailers in November, I may just hold onto my money for a Surface Pro even if I have to wait until early 2013. Your move OEM/Retailers. *Update – While my experience has been in Winnipeg, similar experiences have been voiced from colleagues in Calgary and Edmonton.

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• Creating a Training Lab on Windows Azure

  - by Michael Stephenson

  Originally posted on: http://geekswithblogs.net/michaelstephenson/archive/2013/06/17/153149.aspxThis week we are preparing for a training course that Alan Smith will be running for the support teams at one of my customers around Windows Azure. In order to facilitate the training lab we have a few prerequisites we need to handle. One of the biggest ones is that although the support team all have MSDN accounts the local desktops they work on are not ideal for running most of the labs as we want to give them some additional developer background training around Azure. Some recent Azure announcements really help us in this area: MSDN software can now be used on Azure VM You don't pay for Azure VM's when they are no longer used  Since the support team only have limited experience of Windows Azure and the organisation also have an Enterprise Agreement we decided it would be best value for money to spin up a training lab in a subscription on the EA and then we can turn the machines off when we are done. At the same time we would be able to spin them back up when the users need to do some additional lab work once the training course is completed. In order to achieve this I wanted to create a powershell script which would setup my training lab. The aim was to create 18 VM's which would be based on a prebuilt template with Visual Studio and the Azure development tools. The script I used is described below The Start & Variables The below text will setup the powershell environment and some variables which I will use elsewhere in the script. It will also import the Azure Powershell cmdlets. You can see below that I will need to download my publisher settings file and know some details from my Azure account. At this point I will assume you have a basic understanding of Azure & Powershell so already know how to do this. Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestrictedcls $startTime = get-dateImport-Module "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows Azure\PowerShell\Azure\Azure.psd1"# Azure Publisher Settings $azurePublisherSettings = '<Your settings file>.publishsettings'  # Subscription Details $subscriptionName = "<Your subscription name>" $defaultStorageAccount = "<Your default storage account>"  # Affinity Group Details $affinityGroup = '<Your affinity group>' $dataCenter = 'West Europe' # From Get-AzureLocation  # VM Details $baseVMName = 'TRN' $adminUserName = '<Your admin username>' $password = '<Your admin password>' $size = 'Medium' $vmTemplate = '<The name of your VM template image>' $rdpFilePath = '<File path to save RDP files to>' $machineSettingsPath = '<File path to save machine info to>'    Functions In the next section of the script I have some functions which are used to perform certain actions. The first is called CreateVM. This will do the following actions: If the VM already exists it will be deleted Create the cloud service Create the VM from the template I have created Add an endpoint so we can RDP to them all over the same port Download the RDP file so there is a short cut the trainees can easily access the machine via Write settings for the machine to a log file  function CreateVM($machineNo) { # Specify a name for the new VM $machineName = "$baseVMName-$machineNo" Write-Host "Creating VM: $machineName"       # Get the Azure VM Image      $myImage = Get-AzureVMImage $vmTemplate   #If the VM already exists delete and re-create it $existingVm = Get-AzureVM -Name $machineName -ServiceName $serviceName if($existingVm -ne $null) { Write-Host "VM already exists so deleting it" Remove-AzureVM -Name $machineName -ServiceName $serviceName }   "Creating Service" $serviceName = "bupa-azure-train-$machineName" Remove-AzureService -Force -ServiceName $serviceName New-AzureService -Location $dataCenter -ServiceName $serviceName   Write-Host "Creating VM: $machineName" New-AzureQuickVM -Windows -name $machineName -ServiceName $serviceName -ImageName $myImage.ImageName -InstanceSize $size -AdminUsername $adminUserName -Password $password  Write-Host "Updating the RDP endpoint for $machineName" Get-AzureVM -name $machineName -ServiceName $serviceName ` | Add-AzureEndpoint -Name RDP -Protocol TCP -LocalPort 3389 -PublicPort 550 ` | Update-AzureVM    Write-Host "Get the RDP File for machine $machineName" $machineRDPFilePath = "$rdpFilePath\$machineName.rdp" Get-AzureRemoteDesktopFile -name $machineName -ServiceName $serviceName -LocalPath "$machineRDPFilePath"   WriteMachineSettings "$machineName" "$serviceName" }    The delete machine settings function is used to delete the log file before we start re-running the process.  function DeleteMachineSettings() { Write-Host "Deleting the machine settings output file" [System.IO.File]::Delete("$machineSettingsPath"); }    The write machine settings function will get the VM and then record its details to the log file. The importance of the log file is that I can easily provide the information for all of the VM's to our infrastructure team to be able to configure access to all of the VM's    function WriteMachineSettings([string]$vmName, [string]$vmServiceName) { Write-Host "Writing to the machine settings output file"   $vm = Get-AzureVM -name $vmName -ServiceName $vmServiceName $vmEndpoint = Get-AzureEndpoint -VM $vm -Name RDP   $sb = new-object System.Text.StringBuilder $sb.Append("Service Name: "); $sb.Append($vm.ServiceName); $sb.Append(", "); $sb.Append("VM: "); $sb.Append($vm.Name); $sb.Append(", "); $sb.Append("RDP Public Port: "); $sb.Append($vmEndpoint.Port); $sb.Append(", "); $sb.Append("Public DNS: "); $sb.Append($vmEndpoint.Vip); $sb.AppendLine(""); [System.IO.File]::AppendAllText($machineSettingsPath, $sb.ToString());  } # end functions    Rest of Script In the rest of the script it is really just the bit that orchestrates the actions we want to happen. It will load the publisher settings, select the Azure subscription and then loop around the CreateVM function and create 16 VM's  Import-AzurePublishSettingsFile $azurePublisherSettings Set-AzureSubscription -SubscriptionName $subscriptionName -CurrentStorageAccount $defaultStorageAccount Select-AzureSubscription -SubscriptionName $subscriptionName  DeleteMachineSettings    "Starting creating Bupa International Azure Training Lab" $numberOfVMs = 16  for ($index=1; $index -le $numberOfVMs; $index++) { $vmNo = "$index" CreateVM($vmNo); }    "Finished creating Bupa International Azure Training Lab" # Give it a Minute Start-Sleep -s 60  $endTime = get-date "Script run time " + ($endTime - $startTime)    Conclusion As you can see there is nothing too fancy about this script but in our case of creating a small isolated training lab which is not connected to our corporate network then we can easily use this to provision the lab. Im sure if this is of use to anyone you can easily modify it to do other things with the lab environment too. A couple of points to note are that there are some soft limits in Azure about the number of cores and services your subscription can use. You may need to contact the Azure support team to be able to increase this limit. In terms of the real business value of this approach, it was not possible to use the existing desktops to do the training on, and getting some internal virtual machines would have been relatively expensive and time consuming for our ops team to do. With the Azure option we are able to spin these machines up for a temporary period during the training course and then throw them away when we are done. We expect the costing of this test lab to be very small, especially considering we have EA pricing. As a ball park I think my 18 lab VM training environment will cost in the region of $80 per day on our EA. This is a fraction of the cost of the creation of a single VM on premise.

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• Testing Workflows &ndash; Test-First

  - by Timothy Klenke

  Originally posted on: http://geekswithblogs.net/TimothyK/archive/2014/05/30/testing-workflows-ndash-test-first.aspxThis is the second of two posts on some common strategies for approaching the job of writing tests.  The previous post covered test-after workflows where as this will focus on test-first.  Each workflow presented is a method of attack for adding tests to a project.  The more tools in your tool belt the better.  So here is a partial list of some test-first methodologies. Ping Pong Ping Pong is a methodology commonly used in pair programing.  One developer will write a new failing test.  Then they hand the keyboard to their partner.  The partner writes the production code to get the test passing.  The partner then writes the next test before passing the keyboard back to the original developer. The reasoning behind this testing methodology is to facilitate pair programming.  That is to say that this testing methodology shares all the benefits of pair programming, including ensuring multiple team members are familiar with the code base (i.e. low bus number). Test Blazer Test Blazing, in some respects, is also a pairing strategy.  The developers don’t work side by side on the same task at the same time.  Instead one developer is dedicated to writing tests at their own desk.  They write failing test after failing test, never touching the production code.  With these tests they are defining the specification for the system.  The developer most familiar with the specifications would be assigned this task. The next day or later in the same day another developer fetches the latest test suite.  Their job is to write the production code to get those tests passing.  Once all the tests pass they fetch from source control the latest version of the test project to get the newer tests. This methodology has some of the benefits of pair programming, namely lowering the bus number.  This can be good way adding an extra developer to a project without slowing it down too much.  The production coder isn’t slowed down writing tests.  The tests are in another project from the production code, so there shouldn’t be any merge conflicts despite two developers working on the same solution. This methodology is also a good test for the tests.  Can another developer figure out what system should do just by reading the tests?  This question will be answered as the production coder works there way through the test blazer’s tests. Test Driven Development (TDD) TDD is a highly disciplined practice that calls for a new test and an new production code to be written every few minutes.  There are strict rules for when you should be writing test or production code.  You start by writing a failing (red) test, then write the simplest production code possible to get the code working (green), then you clean up the code (refactor).  This is known as the red-green-refactor cycle. The goal of TDD isn’t the creation of a suite of tests, however that is an advantageous side effect.  The real goal of TDD is to follow a practice that yields a better design.  The practice is meant to push the design toward small, decoupled, modularized components.  This is generally considered a better design that large, highly coupled ball of mud. TDD accomplishes this through the refactoring cycle.  Refactoring is only possible to do safely when tests are in place.  In order to use TDD developers must be trained in how to look for and repair code smells in the system.  Through repairing these sections of smelly code (i.e. a refactoring) the design of the system emerges. For further information on TDD, I highly recommend the series “Is TDD Dead?”.  It discusses its pros and cons and when it is best used. Acceptance Test Driven Development (ATDD) Whereas TDD focuses on small unit tests that concentrate on a small piece of the system, Acceptance Tests focuses on the larger integrated environment.  Acceptance Tests usually correspond to user stories, which come directly from the customer. The unit tests focus on the inputs and outputs of smaller parts of the system, which are too low level to be of interest to the customer. ATDD generally uses the same tools as TDD.  However, ATDD uses fewer mocks and test doubles than TDD. ATDD often complements TDD; they aren’t competing methods.  A full test suite will usually consist of a large number of unit (created via TDD) tests and a smaller number of acceptance tests. Behaviour Driven Development (BDD) BDD is more about audience than workflow.  BDD pushes the testing realm out towards the client.  Developers, managers and the client all work together to define the tests. Typically different tooling is used for BDD than acceptance and unit testing.  This is done because the audience is not just developers.  Tools using the Gherkin family of languages allow for test scenarios to be described in an English format.  Other tools such as MSpec or FitNesse also strive for highly readable behaviour driven test suites. Because these tests are public facing (viewable by people outside the development team), the terminology usually changes.  You can’t get away with the same technobabble you can with unit tests written in a programming language that only developers understand.  For starters, they usually aren’t called tests.  Usually they’re called “examples”, “behaviours”, “scenarios”, or “specifications”. This may seem like a very subtle difference, but I’ve seen this small terminology change have a huge impact on the acceptance of the process.  Many people have a bias that testing is something that comes at the end of a project.  When you say we need to define the tests at the start of the project many people will immediately give that a lower priority on the project schedule.  But if you say we need to define the specification or behaviour of the system before we can start, you’ll get more cooperation.   Keep these test-first and test-after workflows in your tool belt.  With them you’ll be able to find new opportunities to apply them.

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• Why JSF Matters (to You)

  - by reza_rahman

        "Those who have knowledge, don’t predict. Those who predict, don’t have knowledge."                                                                                                    – Lao Tzu You may have noticed Thoughtworks recently crowned the likes AngularJS, etc imminent successors to server-side web frameworks. They apparently also deemed it necessary to single out JSF for righteous scorn. I have to say as I was reading the analysis I couldn't help but remember they also promptly jumped on the Ruby, Rails, Clojure, etc bandwagon a good few years ago seemingly similarly crowing these dynamic languages imminent successors to Java. I remember thinking then as I do now whether the folks at Thoughtworks are really that much smarter than me or if they are simply more prone to the Hipster buzz of the day. I'll let you make the final call on that one. I also noticed mention of "J2EE" in the context of JSF and had to wonder how up-to-date or knowledgeable the person writing the analysis actually was given that the term was basically retired almost a decade ago. There's one thing that I am absolutely sure about though - as a long time pretty happy user of JSF, I had no choice but to speak up on what I believe JSF offers. If you feel the same way, I would encourage you to support the team behind JSF whose hard work you may have benefited from over the years. True to his outspoken character PrimeFaces lead Cagatay Civici certainly did not mince words making the case for the JSF ecosystem - his excellent write-up is well worth a read. He specifically pointed out the practical problems in going whole hog with bare metal JavaScript, CSS, HTML for many development teams. I'll admit I had to smile when I read his closing sentence as well as the rather cheerful comments to the post from actual current JSF/PrimeFaces users that are apparently supposed to be on a gloomy death march. In a similar vein, OmniFaces developer Arjan Tijms did a great job pointing out the fact that despite the extremely competitive server-side Java Web UI space, JSF seems to manage to always consistently come out in either the number one or number two spot over many years and many data sources - do give his well-written message in the JAX-RS user forum a careful read. I don't think it's really reasonable to expect this to be the case for so many years if JSF was not at least a capable if not outstanding technology. If fact if you've ever wondered, Oracle itself is one of the largest JSF users on the planet. As Oracle's Shay Shmeltzer explains in a recent JSF Central interview, many of Oracle's strategic products such as ADF, ADF Mobile and Fusion Applications itself is built on JSF. There are well over 3,000 active developers working on these codebases. I don't think anyone can think of a more compelling reason to make sure that a technology is as effective as possible for practical development under real world conditions. Standing on the shoulders of the above giants, I feel like I can be pretty brief in making my own case for JSF: JSF is a powerful abstraction that brings the original Smalltalk MVC pattern to web development. This means cutting down boilerplate code to the bare minimum such that you really can think of just writing your view markup and then simply wire up some properties and event handlers on a POJO. The best way to see what this really means is to compare JSF code for a pretty small case to other approaches. You should then multiply the additional work for the typical enterprise project to try to understand what the productivity trade-offs are. This is reason alone for me to personally never take any other approach seriously as my primary web UI solution unless it can match the sheer productivity of JSF. Thanks to JSF's focus on components from the ground-up JSF has an extremely strong ecosystem that includes projects like PrimeFaces, RichFaces, OmniFaces, ICEFaces and of course ADF Faces/Mobile. These component libraries taken together constitute perhaps the largest widget set ever developed and optimized for a single web UI technology. To begin to grasp what this really means, just briefly browse the excellent PrimeFaces showcase and think about the fact that you can readily use the widgets on that showcase by just using some simple markup and knowing near to nothing about AJAX, JavaScript or CSS. JSF has the fair and legitimate advantage of being an open vendor neutral standard. This means that no single company, individual or insular clique controls JSF - openness, transparency, accountability, plurality, collaboration and inclusiveness is virtually guaranteed by the standards process itself. You have the option to choose between compatible implementations, escape any form of lock-in or even create your own compatible implementation! As you might gather from the quote at the top of the post, I am not a fan of crystal ball gazing and certainly don't want to engage in it myself. Who knows? However far-fetched it may seem maybe AngularJS is the only future we all have after all. If that is the case, so be it. Unlike what you might have been told, Java EE is about choice at heart and it can certainly work extremely well as a back-end for AngularJS. Likewise, you are also most certainly not limited to just JSF for working with Java EE - you have a rich set of choices like Struts 2, Vaadin, Errai, VRaptor 4, Wicket or perhaps even the new action-oriented web framework being considered for Java EE 8 based on the work in Jersey MVC... Please note that any views expressed here are my own only and certainly does not reflect the position of Oracle as a company.

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• Cannot determine ethernet address for proxy ARP on PPTP

  - by Linux Intel

  I installed pptp server on a centos 6 64bit server PPTP Server ip : 55.66.77.10 PPTP Local ip : 10.0.0.1 Client1 IP : 10.0.0.60 centos 5 64bit Client2 IP : 10.0.0.61 centos5 64bit PPTP Server can ping Client1 And client 1 can ping PPTP Server PPTP Server can ping Client2 And client 2 can ping PPTP Server The problem is client 1 can not ping Client 2 and i get this error also on PPTP server error log Cannot determine ethernet address for proxy ARP Ping from Client2 to Client1 PING 10.0.0.60 (10.0.0.60) 56(84) bytes of data. --- 10.0.0.60 ping statistics --- 6 packets transmitted, 0 received, 100% packet loss, time 5000ms route -n on PPTP Server Destination Gateway Genmask Flags Metric Ref Use Iface 10.0.0.60 0.0.0.0 255.255.255.255 UH 0 0 0 ppp0 10.0.0.61 0.0.0.0 255.255.255.255 UH 0 0 0 ppp1 55.66.77.10 0.0.0.0 255.255.255.248 U 0 0 0 eth0 10.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 255.0.0.0 U 0 0 0 eth0 0.0.0.0 55.66.77.19 0.0.0.0 UG 0 0 0 eth0 route -n On Client 1 Destination Gateway Genmask Flags Metric Ref Use Iface 10.0.0.1 0.0.0.0 255.255.255.255 UH 0 0 0 ppp0 55.66.77.10 70.14.13.19 255.255.255.255 UGH 0 0 0 eth0 10.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 255.0.0.0 U 0 0 0 eth1 0.0.0.0 70.14.13.19 0.0.0.0 UG 0 0 0 eth0 route -n On Client 2 Destination Gateway Genmask Flags Metric Ref Use Iface 10.0.0.1 0.0.0.0 255.255.255.255 UH 0 0 0 ppp0 55.66.77.10 84.56.120.60 255.255.255.255 UGH 0 0 0 eth1 10.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 255.0.0.0 U 0 0 0 eth0 0.0.0.0 84.56.120.60 0.0.0.0 UG 0 0 0 eth1 cat /etc/ppp/options.pptpd on PPTP server ############################################################################### # $Id: options.pptpd,v 1.11 2005/12/29 01:21:09 quozl Exp $ # # Sample Poptop PPP options file /etc/ppp/options.pptpd # Options used by PPP when a connection arrives from a client. # This file is pointed to by /etc/pptpd.conf option keyword. # Changes are effective on the next connection. See "man pppd". # # You are expected to change this file to suit your system. As # packaged, it requires PPP 2.4.2 and the kernel MPPE module. ############################################################################### # Authentication # Name of the local system for authentication purposes # (must match the second field in /etc/ppp/chap-secrets entries) name pptpd # Strip the domain prefix from the username before authentication. # (applies if you use pppd with chapms-strip-domain patch) #chapms-strip-domain # Encryption # (There have been multiple versions of PPP with encryption support, # choose with of the following sections you will use.) # BSD licensed ppp-2.4.2 upstream with MPPE only, kernel module ppp_mppe.o # {{{ refuse-pap refuse-chap refuse-mschap # Require the peer to authenticate itself using MS-CHAPv2 [Microsoft # Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol, Version 2] authentication. require-mschap-v2 # Require MPPE 128-bit encryption # (note that MPPE requires the use of MSCHAP-V2 during authentication) require-mppe-128 # }}} # OpenSSL licensed ppp-2.4.1 fork with MPPE only, kernel module mppe.o # {{{ #-chap #-chapms # Require the peer to authenticate itself using MS-CHAPv2 [Microsoft # Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol, Version 2] authentication. #+chapms-v2 # Require MPPE encryption # (note that MPPE requires the use of MSCHAP-V2 during authentication) #mppe-40 # enable either 40-bit or 128-bit, not both #mppe-128 #mppe-stateless # }}} # Network and Routing # If pppd is acting as a server for Microsoft Windows clients, this # option allows pppd to supply one or two DNS (Domain Name Server) # addresses to the clients. The first instance of this option # specifies the primary DNS address; the second instance (if given) # specifies the secondary DNS address. #ms-dns 10.0.0.1 #ms-dns 10.0.0.2 # If pppd is acting as a server for Microsoft Windows or "Samba" # clients, this option allows pppd to supply one or two WINS (Windows # Internet Name Services) server addresses to the clients. The first # instance of this option specifies the primary WINS address; the # second instance (if given) specifies the secondary WINS address. #ms-wins 10.0.0.3 #ms-wins 10.0.0.4 # Add an entry to this system's ARP [Address Resolution Protocol] # table with the IP address of the peer and the Ethernet address of this # system. This will have the effect of making the peer appear to other # systems to be on the local ethernet. # (you do not need this if your PPTP server is responsible for routing # packets to the clients -- James Cameron) proxyarp # Normally pptpd passes the IP address to pppd, but if pptpd has been # given the delegate option in pptpd.conf or the --delegate command line # option, then pppd will use chap-secrets or radius to allocate the # client IP address. The default local IP address used at the server # end is often the same as the address of the server. To override this, # specify the local IP address here. # (you must not use this unless you have used the delegate option) #10.8.0.100 # Logging # Enable connection debugging facilities. # (see your syslog configuration for where pppd sends to) debug # Print out all the option values which have been set. # (often requested by mailing list to verify options) #dump # Miscellaneous # Create a UUCP-style lock file for the pseudo-tty to ensure exclusive # access. lock # Disable BSD-Compress compression nobsdcomp # Disable Van Jacobson compression # (needed on some networks with Windows 9x/ME/XP clients, see posting to # poptop-server on 14th April 2005 by Pawel Pokrywka and followups, # http://marc.theaimsgroup.com/?t=111343175400006&r=1&w=2 ) novj novjccomp # turn off logging to stderr, since this may be redirected to pptpd, # which may trigger a loopback nologfd # put plugins here # (putting them higher up may cause them to sent messages to the pty) cat /etc/ppp/options.pptp on Client1 and Client2 ############################################################################### # $Id: options.pptp,v 1.3 2006/03/26 23:11:05 quozl Exp $ # # Sample PPTP PPP options file /etc/ppp/options.pptp # Options used by PPP when a connection is made by a PPTP client. # This file can be referred to by an /etc/ppp/peers file for the tunnel. # Changes are effective on the next connection. See "man pppd". # # You are expected to change this file to suit your system. As # packaged, it requires PPP 2.4.2 or later from http://ppp.samba.org/ # and the kernel MPPE module available from the CVS repository also on # http://ppp.samba.org/, which is packaged for DKMS as kernel_ppp_mppe. ############################################################################### # Lock the port lock # Authentication # We don't need the tunnel server to authenticate itself noauth # We won't do PAP, EAP, CHAP, or MSCHAP, but we will accept MSCHAP-V2 # (you may need to remove these refusals if the server is not using MPPE) refuse-pap refuse-eap refuse-chap refuse-mschap # Compression # Turn off compression protocols we know won't be used nobsdcomp nodeflate # Encryption # (There have been multiple versions of PPP with encryption support, # choose which of the following sections you will use. Note that MPPE # requires the use of MSCHAP-V2 during authentication) # # Note that using PPTP with MPPE and MSCHAP-V2 should be considered # insecure: # http://marc.info/?l=pptpclient-devel&m=134372640219039&w=2 # https://github.com/moxie0/chapcrack/blob/master/README.md # http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/security/advisory/2743314 # http://ppp.samba.org/ the PPP project version of PPP by Paul Mackarras # ppp-2.4.2 or later with MPPE only, kernel module ppp_mppe.o # If the kernel is booted in FIPS mode (fips=1), the ppp_mppe.ko module # is not allowed and PPTP-MPPE is not available. # {{{ # Require MPPE 128-bit encryption #require-mppe-128 # }}} # http://mppe-mppc.alphacron.de/ fork from PPP project by Jan Dubiec # ppp-2.4.2 or later with MPPE and MPPC, kernel module ppp_mppe_mppc.o # {{{ # Require MPPE 128-bit encryption #mppe required,stateless # }}} IPtables is stopped on clients and server, Also net.ipv4.ip_forward = 1 is enabled on PPTP Server. How can i solve this problem .?

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• PPTP ping client to client error

  - by Linux Intel

  I installed pptp server on a centos 6 64bit server PPTP Server ip : 55.66.77.10 PPTP Local ip : 10.0.0.1 Client1 IP : 10.0.0.60 centos 5 64bit Client2 IP : 10.0.0.61 centos5 64bit PPTP Server can ping Client1 And client 1 can ping PPTP Server PPTP Server can ping Client2 And client 2 can ping PPTP Server The problem is client 1 can not ping Client 2 route -n on PPTP Server Destination Gateway Genmask Flags Metric Ref Use Iface 10.0.0.60 0.0.0.0 255.255.255.255 UH 0 0 0 ppp0 10.0.0.61 0.0.0.0 255.255.255.255 UH 0 0 0 ppp1 55.66.77.10 0.0.0.0 255.255.255.248 U 0 0 0 eth0 10.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 255.0.0.0 U 0 0 0 eth0 0.0.0.0 55.66.77.19 0.0.0.0 UG 0 0 0 eth0 route -n On Client 1 Destination Gateway Genmask Flags Metric Ref Use Iface 10.0.0.1 0.0.0.0 255.255.255.255 UH 0 0 0 ppp0 55.66.77.10 70.14.13.19 255.255.255.255 UGH 0 0 0 eth0 10.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 255.0.0.0 U 0 0 0 eth1 0.0.0.0 70.14.13.19 0.0.0.0 UG 0 0 0 eth0 route -n On Client 2 Destination Gateway Genmask Flags Metric Ref Use Iface 10.0.0.1 0.0.0.0 255.255.255.255 UH 0 0 0 ppp0 55.66.77.10 84.56.120.60 255.255.255.255 UGH 0 0 0 eth1 10.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 255.0.0.0 U 0 0 0 eth0 0.0.0.0 84.56.120.60 0.0.0.0 UG 0 0 0 eth1 cat /etc/ppp/options.pptpd on PPTP server ############################################################################### # $Id: options.pptpd,v 1.11 2005/12/29 01:21:09 quozl Exp $ # # Sample Poptop PPP options file /etc/ppp/options.pptpd # Options used by PPP when a connection arrives from a client. # This file is pointed to by /etc/pptpd.conf option keyword. # Changes are effective on the next connection. See "man pppd". # # You are expected to change this file to suit your system. As # packaged, it requires PPP 2.4.2 and the kernel MPPE module. ############################################################################### # Authentication # Name of the local system for authentication purposes # (must match the second field in /etc/ppp/chap-secrets entries) name pptpd # Strip the domain prefix from the username before authentication. # (applies if you use pppd with chapms-strip-domain patch) #chapms-strip-domain # Encryption # (There have been multiple versions of PPP with encryption support, # choose with of the following sections you will use.) # BSD licensed ppp-2.4.2 upstream with MPPE only, kernel module ppp_mppe.o # {{{ refuse-pap refuse-chap refuse-mschap # Require the peer to authenticate itself using MS-CHAPv2 [Microsoft # Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol, Version 2] authentication. require-mschap-v2 # Require MPPE 128-bit encryption # (note that MPPE requires the use of MSCHAP-V2 during authentication) require-mppe-128 # }}} # OpenSSL licensed ppp-2.4.1 fork with MPPE only, kernel module mppe.o # {{{ #-chap #-chapms # Require the peer to authenticate itself using MS-CHAPv2 [Microsoft # Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol, Version 2] authentication. #+chapms-v2 # Require MPPE encryption # (note that MPPE requires the use of MSCHAP-V2 during authentication) #mppe-40 # enable either 40-bit or 128-bit, not both #mppe-128 #mppe-stateless # }}} # Network and Routing # If pppd is acting as a server for Microsoft Windows clients, this # option allows pppd to supply one or two DNS (Domain Name Server) # addresses to the clients. The first instance of this option # specifies the primary DNS address; the second instance (if given) # specifies the secondary DNS address. #ms-dns 10.0.0.1 #ms-dns 10.0.0.2 # If pppd is acting as a server for Microsoft Windows or "Samba" # clients, this option allows pppd to supply one or two WINS (Windows # Internet Name Services) server addresses to the clients. The first # instance of this option specifies the primary WINS address; the # second instance (if given) specifies the secondary WINS address. #ms-wins 10.0.0.3 #ms-wins 10.0.0.4 # Add an entry to this system's ARP [Address Resolution Protocol] # table with the IP address of the peer and the Ethernet address of this # system. This will have the effect of making the peer appear to other # systems to be on the local ethernet. # (you do not need this if your PPTP server is responsible for routing # packets to the clients -- James Cameron) proxyarp # Normally pptpd passes the IP address to pppd, but if pptpd has been # given the delegate option in pptpd.conf or the --delegate command line # option, then pppd will use chap-secrets or radius to allocate the # client IP address. The default local IP address used at the server # end is often the same as the address of the server. To override this, # specify the local IP address here. # (you must not use this unless you have used the delegate option) #10.8.0.100 # Logging # Enable connection debugging facilities. # (see your syslog configuration for where pppd sends to) debug # Print out all the option values which have been set. # (often requested by mailing list to verify options) #dump # Miscellaneous # Create a UUCP-style lock file for the pseudo-tty to ensure exclusive # access. lock # Disable BSD-Compress compression nobsdcomp # Disable Van Jacobson compression # (needed on some networks with Windows 9x/ME/XP clients, see posting to # poptop-server on 14th April 2005 by Pawel Pokrywka and followups, # http://marc.theaimsgroup.com/?t=111343175400006&r=1&w=2 ) novj novjccomp # turn off logging to stderr, since this may be redirected to pptpd, # which may trigger a loopback nologfd # put plugins here # (putting them higher up may cause them to sent messages to the pty) cat /etc/ppp/options.pptp on Client1 and Client2 ############################################################################### # $Id: options.pptp,v 1.3 2006/03/26 23:11:05 quozl Exp $ # # Sample PPTP PPP options file /etc/ppp/options.pptp # Options used by PPP when a connection is made by a PPTP client. # This file can be referred to by an /etc/ppp/peers file for the tunnel. # Changes are effective on the next connection. See "man pppd". # # You are expected to change this file to suit your system. As # packaged, it requires PPP 2.4.2 or later from http://ppp.samba.org/ # and the kernel MPPE module available from the CVS repository also on # http://ppp.samba.org/, which is packaged for DKMS as kernel_ppp_mppe. ############################################################################### # Lock the port lock # Authentication # We don't need the tunnel server to authenticate itself noauth # We won't do PAP, EAP, CHAP, or MSCHAP, but we will accept MSCHAP-V2 # (you may need to remove these refusals if the server is not using MPPE) refuse-pap refuse-eap refuse-chap refuse-mschap # Compression # Turn off compression protocols we know won't be used nobsdcomp nodeflate # Encryption # (There have been multiple versions of PPP with encryption support, # choose which of the following sections you will use. Note that MPPE # requires the use of MSCHAP-V2 during authentication) # # Note that using PPTP with MPPE and MSCHAP-V2 should be considered # insecure: # http://marc.info/?l=pptpclient-devel&m=134372640219039&w=2 # https://github.com/moxie0/chapcrack/blob/master/README.md # http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/security/advisory/2743314 # http://ppp.samba.org/ the PPP project version of PPP by Paul Mackarras # ppp-2.4.2 or later with MPPE only, kernel module ppp_mppe.o # If the kernel is booted in FIPS mode (fips=1), the ppp_mppe.ko module # is not allowed and PPTP-MPPE is not available. # {{{ # Require MPPE 128-bit encryption #require-mppe-128 # }}} # http://mppe-mppc.alphacron.de/ fork from PPP project by Jan Dubiec # ppp-2.4.2 or later with MPPE and MPPC, kernel module ppp_mppe_mppc.o # {{{ # Require MPPE 128-bit encryption #mppe required,stateless # }}} IPtables are stopped on clients and server, Also net.ipv4.ip_forward = 1 is enabled on PPTP Server. How can i solve this problem .?

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• MVP Summit 2011 summary and thoughts: The &ldquo;I hope I don&rsquo;t cross a line and lose my MVP status&rdquo; post

  - by George Clingerman

  I've been wanting to write this post summarizing my thoughts about the MVP summit but have been dragging my feet since it's a very difficult one to write. However seeing Andy (http://forums.create.msdn.com/forums/t/77625.aspx) and Catalin (http://www.catalinzima.com/2011/03/mvp-summit-2011/) and Chris (http://geekswithblogs.net/cwilliams/archive/2011/03/07/144229.aspx) post about it has encouraged me to finally take the plunge. I'm going to have to write carefully though because I'm going to be dancing around a ton of NDA mine fields as well as having to walk the tight-rope of not sending the wrong message or having people read too much into what I'm saying. I want to note that most of what I'm about to say is just based on my observations, they're not thoughts that Microsoft has asked me to pass along and they're not things I heard Microsoft say. It's just me sharing what I think after going to the MVP summit. Let's start off with a short imaginary question and answer session.     Has the App Hub forums and XBLIG management been rather poor by Microsoft? Yes.     Do I think we're going to see changes to that overnight? No.     Will it continue to look bad from the outside? Somewhat. Confusing right? Well that's kind of how things are right now. Lots of confusion. XNA is doing AWESOME. Like, really, really awesome. As a result of that awesomeness, XNA is on three major platforms: Xbox 360, WP7 and PC. This means that internally Microsoft is really excited and invested in the technology. That's fantastic for XNA and really should show you the future the framework has. It's here to stay. So why are Xbox LIVE Indie Game developers feeling so much pain? The ironic thing is that pain is being caused by the success of XNA. When XNA was just a small thing, there was more freedom and more focus. It was just us and them. We were an only child. Now our family has grown and everyone has and wants some time with XNA. This gets XNA pulled in all directions and as it moves onto new platforms, it plays catch up trying to get those platforms up to speed to where Xbox LIVE Indie Games has grown. Forums, documentation, educational content. They all need to be there because Xbox LIVE Indie Games has all of that and more. Along with the catch up in features/documentation/awesomeness there's the catch up that the people on the team have to play. New platforms and new areas of development mean new players and those new guys don't have the history of being around from the beginning. This leads to a lack of understanding at times just how important some things are because they seem so small and insignificant (Rich Text defaulting for new forum profiles would be one things that jumps to mind). If you're not aware that the forums have become more than just a basic Q&A, if you're not aware that they're a central hub to a very active community, then you don't understand why that small change should be prioritized over something else. New people have to get caught up and figure out how to make a framework and central forum site work for everyone it's now serving. So yeah, a lot of our pain this last year has been simply that XNA is doing well and XBLIG is doing well so the focus was shifted to catch other things up. It hurts when a parent seems to not have any time for you and they're spending some much time with your new baby brother. Growing pains. All families and in our case our product family experience it to some degree. I think as WP7 matures we'll see the team figuring out how to give everyone the right amount of attention. While we're talking about some of our growing pains, it is also important to note (although not really an excuse) that the Xbox LIVE Arcade developers complain about many of the same things that we do. If you paid attention to talks and information coming out of GDC 2011, most of the the XBLA guys were saying things that sounded eerily similar to what the XBLIG developers are saying (Scott Nichols from GayGamer.net noticed http://twitter.com/#!/NaviFairyGG/status/43540379206811650). Does this mean we should just accept the status quo since we're being treated exactly the same? No way. However it DOES show that the way we're being treated is no indication of the stability and future of the platform, it's just Microsoft dropping the communication ball on two playing fields. We're not alone and we're not even being treated worse. Not great, but also in a weird way a very good sign. Now on to a few tidbits I think I CAN share from the summit (I'm really crossing my fingers I'm not stepping over some NDA line I shouldn't be). First, I discovered that the XBLIG user base is bigger than I personally had originally estimated. I won't give the exact numbers (although we did beg Microsoft to release some of these numbers so maybe someday?) but it was much larger than my original guestimates and I was pleasantly surprised. Maybe some of you guys had the right number when you were guessing, but I know that mine was much too low. And even MORE importantly the number of users/shoppers is growing at a steady pace as well. Our market is growing! That was fantastic news and really something that I had to share. On to the community manager discussion. It was mentioned. I was mentioned. I blushed. Nothing more to report there than the blush in my cheeks was a light crimson color. If I ever see a job description posted for that position I have a resume waiting in the wings. I can't deny that I think that would be my dream job... ...so after I finished blushing, the MVPs did make it very, very clear that the communication has to improve. Community manager or not the single biggest pain point with the Xbox LIVE Indie Game community has been a lack of communication. I have seen dramatic improvement in the team responding to MVPs and I'm even seeing more communication from them on the forums so I'm hoping that's a long term change. I really think they understood the issue, the problem remains how to open that communication channel in a way that was sustainable. I think they'll get it figured out and hopefully that's sooner rather than later. During the summit, you may have seen me tweeting about how I was "that guy" (http://twitter.com/#!/clingermangw/status/42740432471470081). You also may have noticed that Andy and Catalin both mentioned me in their summit write ups. I may have come on a bit strong while I was there...went a little out of character for myself. I've been agitated for a while with the way things have been and I've been listening to you guys and hearing you guys be agitated. I'm also watching some really awesome indie game developers looking elsewhere and leaving the platform. Some of them we might not have been able to keep even with changes, but others are only leaving because of perceptions and lack of communication from Microsoft. And that pisses me off. And I let Microsoft know that I was pissed off. You made your list and I took that list and verbalized it. I verbalized the hell out of it. [It was actually mentioned that I'm a lot nicer on the forums and in email than I am in person...I felt bad about that, but I couldn't stay silent]. Hopefully it did something guys, I really did try hard to get the message across. Along with my agitation, I also brought some pride. I mentioned several things in person to the team that I was particularly proud of. From people in the community that are doing an awesome job, to the re-launch of XboxIndies that was going on that week and even gamers like Steven Hurdle (http://writingsofmassdeduction.com/) who have purchased one XBLIG every day for over 100 days now. The community is freaking rocking it and I made sure to highlight that. So in conclusion, I'd just like to say hang in there (you know, like that picture of the cat). If you've been worried about investing in Xbox LIVE Indie Games because you think it's on shaky ground. It's not. Dream Build Play being about the Xbox 360 should have helped a little to point that out. The team is really scrambling around trying to figure things out and make improvements all around. There’s quite a few new gals and guys and it's going to take them time to catch up and there are a lot of constantly shifting priorities. We all have one toy, one team and we're fighting for time with it. It's also time for the community to continue spreading our wings and going out on our own more often. The Indie Game Winter Uprising was a fantastic example of that. We took things into our own hands and it got noticed and Microsoft got behind it. They do every time we stand up and do something (look at how many Microsoft employees tweeted, wrote about the re-launch of XboxIndies.com or the support I've gotten from them for my weekly XNA Notes). XNA is here to stay, it's time for us to stop being scared of that and figure out how to make our own games the successes they should be. There's definitely a list of things that need to be fixed, things that should be improved and I think we should definitely keep vocal about that with Microsoft. Keep it short, focused and prioritized. There's also a lot of things we can do ourselves while we're waiting on them to fix and change things. Lots of ways we can compensate for particular weaknesses in the channel. The kind of stuff that we can step up and do ourselves. Do it on our own, you know, the way Indies always do. And I'm really looking forward to watching us do just that.

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• Day 2 - Game Design Documentation

  - by dapostolov

  So yesterday I didn't cut any code for my game but I was able to do a tiny bit of research on the XNA Game Development Technology and the communities out there and do you know what? I feel I'm a bit closer to my goal. The bad news is today I didn't cut code either. However, not all is lost because I wanted to get my ideas on paper and today I just did that.  Today, I began to jot down notes about the game and how I felt the visual elements would interact with each other. Unlike my workplace, my personal level of documentation is nothing more than a task list or a mind map of my ideas; it helps me streamline my solutions quiet effectively and circumvent the long process of articulating each thought to the n-th degree. I truly dislike documentation (because I have an extremely hard time articulating my thought and solutions); however, because I tend to do a really good job with documentation I tend to get stuck writing the buggers. But as a generalist remark: 'No Developer likes documentation.' For now let's stick with my basic notes and call this post a living document. Here are my notes, fresh, from after watching the new first episode of Merlin second season! Actually, a quick recommendation to anyone who is reading this (if anyone is): I truly recommend you envelope yourself in the medium or task you're trying to tackle. Be one with moment and feel it! For instance: Are you writing a fantasy script / game? What would the music of the genre sound like? For me the Conan the Barbarian soundtrack by Basil Poledouris is frackin awesome. There are many other good CD's out there, which I listen to (some who even use medival instruments, but Conan I keep returning to. It's a creative trigger for me. Ask yourself what would the imagery look like? Time to surf google for artist renditions of fantasy! What would the game feel like? Start playing some of your favorite games that inspire you, be wary though, have some self control and don't let it absorb your time. Anyhow, onto the documentation... Screens, Scenes, and Sprites. Oh My! (groan...) The first thing that came to mind were the screens, I thought the following would suffice: Menu Screen Character Customisation Screen Loading Screen? Battle Ground The Menu Screen Ok. So, the thought here is when the game loads a huge title is displayed: Wizard Wars. The player is prompted with 3 menu items: 1 Player Game, 2 Player Game, and Exit. Since I'm targetting the PC platform, as a non-networked game to start, I picture myself running my mouse over each menu option and the visual element of the menu item changes, along with a sound to indicate that I am over a curent menu item. And as I move my mouse away, it changes back, and possibly an exit mouse sound. Maybe on the screen somewhere is a brazier alit with a magical tome open right beside it, OR, maybe the tome is the menu! I hear the menu music as mellow, not obtrusive or piercing. On a menu item select, a confirmation sound bellows to indicate the players selection. The Esc key will always return me to the previous screens or desktop. The menu screen must feel...dark, like a really important ritual is about to happen and thus the music should build up. 1 Player Game - > Customize Character(s) 2 Player Game - > Customize Character(s) Exit - > Back to Windows Notes: So the first thing I pick up here are a couple things: First and foremost, my artistic abilities suck crap, so I may have to hire an artist (now that i've said that, lets get techy) graphical objects will be positioned within a scene on each screen / window. Menu items will be represented grapically, possibly animated, and have sound / animation effects triggered by user input or a time line. I have an animated scene involving a brazier or fire on a stick IF I was to move this game to the xbox, I'd have to track which menu item is currently selected (unless I do a mouse pointer type thing.) WindowObject has a scene A Scene has many GameObjects GameObject has a position graphic or animation MenuObject is a GameObject which has a mouse in, mouse out, and click event which either does something graphically (animation), does something with sound, or moves to another screen.  Character Customisation Screen With either the 1 or 2 player option selected, both selections will come to this screen; a wizard requires a name, powers, and vestements of course! Player one will configure his character first and then player two. I considered a split screen for PC but to have two people fighting over a keyboard would probably suck. For XBox, a split screen could work; maybe when I get into the networking portion (phase 2 blog?) of this game I will remove the 2 player option for PC and provide only multiplayer and I will leave 2 player for xbox...hmm... Anyhow...I picture the creation process as follows: Name: (textbox / keyboard entry) - for xbox, this would have to be different. Robe Color: (color box, or something) Stats: Speed, Oomph, and Health. (as sliders) 1 as minimum and 10 as maximum. Ok, Back, and Cancel buttons / options. Each stat has a benefit which are listed below. The idea is the player decides if he wants his wizard to run fast, be a tank and ... hit with a purse.Regardless, the player will have a pool of 12 points to use. Ideally, A balanced wizard will have 5 in each attribute. Spells? The only spell of choice is a ball of fire which comes without question. The music and screen should still feel like a ritual. The Character Speed Basically, how fast your character moves and casts. Oomph (Best Monster Truck Voice): PURE POWAH!!! The damage output of your fireball. Health How much damage you can take. Notes: I realise the game dynamics may sound uninteresting at the moment; but I think after a couple releases, we could have some other grand ideas such as: saved profiles, gold to upgrade arsenal of spells, talents, etc...but for now...a vanilla fireball thrower mage will suffice for this experiment. OK. So... a MenuObject  may need to be loosely coupled to allow future items such as networking? may be a button? a CharacterObject has a name speed oomph health and a funky robe color. cap on the three stats (1-10) an arsenal of 1 spell (possibly could expand this) The Loading Screen As is. The Battleground Screen For now, I'm keeping the screen as max resolution for the PC. The screen isn't going to move or even be a split screen. I'm not aiming high here because I want to see what level of change is involved when new features / concepts are added to game content. I'm interested to find out if we could apply techniques such as MVC or MVVM to this type of development or is it too tightly coupled? This reminds me when when my best friend and I were brainstorming our game idea (this is going back a while...1994, 6?) and he cringed at the thought of bringing business technology into games, especially when I suggested a database to store character information and COM / DCOM as the medium, but it seems I wasn't far off (reflecting); just like his implementation of a xml "config file" for dynamic direct-x menus back before .net in 1999...anyhow...i digress... The Battle One screen, two characters lobing balls of fire at each other...It doesn't get better than that. Every so often a scroll appears...and the fireballs bounce off walls, or the wizard has rapid fire, or even scrolls of healing! The scroll options are endless. Two bars at the top, each the color of the wizard (with their name beside the bar) indicate how much health they have. Possibly the appearance of the scrolls means the battle is taking too long? I'm thinking 1 player controls: up, down, left, right and space to fire the button. Or even possibly, mouse click and shift - mouse button to fire a spell in the direction they are facing. Two player controls: a, s, d, f and space AND arrows (up, down, left, right) and Del key or Crtl. The game ends when a player has 0 health and a dialog box appears asking for a rematch / reconfigure / exit. Health goes down when a fireball (friendly or not), connects with a wizard. When a wizard connects with a scroll, a countdown clock / icon appears near the health bar and the wizard begins to glow. For the most part, a wizard can have only scroll 1 effect on him at a time. Notes: Ok, there's alot to cover here. a CharacterObject is a GameObject it travels at a set velocity it travels in a direction it has sounds (walking, running, casting, impact, dying, laughing, whistling, other?) it has animations (walking, running, casting, impact, dying, laughing, idle, other?) it has a lifespan (determined by health) it is alive or dead it has a position a ScrollObject is a GameObject it carries a transferance of points "damage" (or healing, bad scroll effect?) (determinde by caster) it carries a transferance of "other" it is stationary it has a sound on impact it has a stationary animation it has an impact animation / or transfers an impact animation it has a fade animation? it has a lifespan (determined by game) it is alive or dead it has a position a WallObject is a GameObject it has a sound on fireball impact? it is a still image / stationary it has an impact animation / or transfers an impact animation it is dead it has a position A FireBall is a GameObject it carries a transferance of poinst "damage" (or healing, bad scroll effect?) (determinde by caster) it travels at a set velocity it travels in a direction it has a sound it has a travel animation it has an impact animation / or transfers an impact animation it has a fade animation? it has a lifespan (determined by caster) it is alive or dead it has a position As I look at this, I can see some common attributes in each object that I can carry up to the GameObject. I think I'm going to end the documentation here, it's taken me a bit of time to type this all out, tomorrow. I'll load up my IDE and my paint studio to get some good old fashioned cowboy hacking going!   D.

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• Trying to install realtek drivers for ASUS USB-N13, encountering "Compile make driver error: 2"

  - by limp_chimp

  I'm trying to put an ASUS USB-N13 wireless adapter in my desktop running Ubuntu 12.04. The details of my problem are identical to the one described in this question: Connecting Asus USB-N13 Wireless Adapter. As such, I'm running through the exact steps laid out in the top-rated answer to that question. All was going well until I get to building the drivers. sudo bash install.sh produces the following output: ################################################## Realtek Wi-Fi driver Auto installation script Novembor, 21 2011 v1.1.0 ################################################## Decompress the driver source tar ball: rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405.tar.gz rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/ rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/autoconf_rtl8712_usb_linux.h rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/clean rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/cmd/ rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/cmd/rtl8712_cmd.c rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/cmd/rtl871x_cmd.c rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/config rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/crypto/ rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/crypto/rtl871x_security.c rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/debug/ rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/debug/rtl871x_debug.c rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/eeprom/ rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/eeprom/rtl871x_eeprom.c rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/efuse/ rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/efuse/rtl8712_efuse.c rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/hal/ rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/hal/rtl8712/ rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/hal/rtl8712/hal_init.c [...truncated for space...] rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/ioctl/rtl871x_ioctl_linux.c rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/ioctl/rtl871x_ioctl_query.c rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/ioctl/rtl871x_ioctl_rtl.c rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/ioctl/rtl871x_ioctl_set.c rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/Kconfig rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/led/ rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/led/rtl8712_led.c rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/Makefile rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/mlme/ rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/mlme/ieee80211.c rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/mlme/rtl871x_mlme.c rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/mp/ rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/mp/rtl871x_mp.c rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/mp/rtl871x_mp_ioctl.c rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/os_dep/ rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/os_dep/linux/ rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/os_dep/linux/cmd_linux.c rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/os_dep/linux/ioctl_cfg80211.c rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/os_dep/linux/io_linux.c rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/os_dep/linux/mlme_linux.c rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/os_dep/linux/recv_linux.c rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/os_dep/linux/rtw_android.c rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/os_dep/linux/xmit_linux.c rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/os_intf/ rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/os_intf/linux/ rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/os_intf/linux/os_intfs.c rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/os_intf/linux/usb_intf.c rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/os_intf/osdep_service.c rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/pwrctrl/ rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/pwrctrl/rtl871x_pwrctrl.c rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/recv/ rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/recv/rtl8712_recv.c rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/recv/rtl871x_recv.c rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/rf/ rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/rf/rtl8712_rf.c rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/rf/rtl871x_rf.c rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/runwpa rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/sta_mgt/ rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/sta_mgt/rtl871x_sta_mgt.c rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/wlan0dhcp rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/wpa1.conf rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/xmit/ rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/xmit/rtl8712_xmit.c rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/xmit/rtl871x_xmit.c rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405 Authentication requested [root] for make clean: rm -fr *.mod.c *.mod *.o .*.cmd *.ko *~ rm .tmp_versions -fr ; rm Module.symvers -fr cd cmd ; rm -fr *.mod.c *.mod *.o .*.cmd *.ko cd crypto ; rm -fr *.mod.c *.mod *.o .*.cmd *.ko cd debug ; rm -fr *.mod.c *.mod *.o .*.cmd *.ko cd eeprom ; rm -fr *.mod.c *.mod *.o .*.cmd *.ko cd hal/rtl8712 ; rm -fr *.mod.c *.mod *.o .*.cmd *.ko cd io ; rm -fr *.mod.c *.mod *.o .*.cmd *.ko cd ioctl ; rm -fr *.mod.c *.mod *.o .*.cmd *.ko cd led ; rm -fr *.mod.c *.mod *.o .*.cmd *.ko cd mlme ; rm -fr *.mod.c *.mod *.o .*.cmd *.ko cd mp ; rm -fr *.mod.c *.mod *.o .*.cmd *.ko cd os_dep/linux ; rm -fr *.mod.c *.mod *.o .*.cmd *.ko cd os_intf ; rm -fr *.mod.c *.mod *.o .*.cmd *.ko cd os_intf/linux ; rm -fr *.mod.c *.mod *.o .*.cmd *.ko cd pwrctrl ; rm -fr *.mod.c *.mod *.o .*.cmd *.ko cd recv ; rm -fr *.mod.c *.mod *.o .*.cmd *.ko cd rf ; rm -fr *.mod.c *.mod *.o .*.cmd *.ko cd sta_mgt ; rm -fr *.mod.c *.mod *.o .*.cmd *.ko cd xmit; rm -fr *.mod.c *.mod *.o .*.cmd *.ko cd efuse; rm -fr *.mod.c *.mod *.o .*.cmd *.ko Authentication requested [root] for make driver: make ARCH=x86_64 CROSS_COMPILE= -C /lib/modules/3.2.0-23-generic/build M=/home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405 modules make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-3.2.0-23-generic' CC [M] /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/cmd/rtl871x_cmd.o In file included from /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/cmd/rtl871x_cmd.c:23:0: /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/osdep_service.h: In function ‘_init_timer’: /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/osdep_service.h:151:17: warning: cast from pointer to integer of different size [-Wpointer-to-int-cast] In file included from /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/rtl871x_ht.h:25:0, from /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/drv_types.h:67, from /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/cmd/rtl871x_cmd.c:24: /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/wifi.h: In function ‘get_da’: /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/wifi.h:350:9: warning: cast from pointer to integer of different size [-Wpointer-to-int-cast] /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/wifi.h:350:9: warning: cast to pointer from integer of different size [-Wint-to-pointer-cast] /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/wifi.h:353:9: warning: cast from pointer to integer of different size [-Wpointer-to-int-cast] /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/wifi.h:353:9: warning: cast to pointer from integer of different size [-Wint-to-pointer-cast] /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/wifi.h:356:9: warning: cast from pointer to integer of different size [-Wpointer-to-int-cast] /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/wifi.h:356:9: warning: cast to pointer from integer of different size [-Wint-to-pointer-cast] /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/wifi.h:359:9: warning: cast from pointer to integer of different size [-Wpointer-to-int-cast] /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/wifi.h:359:9: warning: cast to pointer from integer of different size [-Wint-to-pointer-cast] /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/wifi.h: In function ‘get_sa’: /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/wifi.h:374:9: warning: cast from pointer to integer of different size [-Wpointer-to-int-cast] /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/wifi.h:374:9: warning: cast to pointer from integer of different size [-Wint-to-pointer-cast] /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/wifi.h:377:9: warning: cast from pointer to integer of different size [-Wpointer-to-int-cast] /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/wifi.h:377:9: warning: cast to pointer from integer of different size [-Wint-to-pointer-cast] /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/wifi.h:380:9: warning: cast from pointer to integer of different size [-Wpointer-to-int-cast] /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/wifi.h:380:9: warning: cast to pointer from integer of different size [-Wint-to-pointer-cast] /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/wifi.h:383:9: warning: cast from pointer to integer of different size [-Wpointer-to-int-cast] /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/wifi.h:383:9: warning: cast to pointer from integer of different size [-Wint-to-pointer-cast] /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/wifi.h: In function ‘get_hdr_bssid’: /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/wifi.h:397:9: warning: cast from pointer to integer of different size [-Wpointer-to-int-cast] /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/wifi.h:397:9: warning: cast to pointer from integer of different size [-Wint-to-pointer-cast] /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/wifi.h:400:9: warning: cast from pointer to integer of different size [-Wpointer-to-int-cast] /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/wifi.h:400:9: warning: cast to pointer from integer of different size [-Wint-to-pointer-cast] /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/wifi.h:403:9: warning: cast from pointer to integer of different size [-Wpointer-to-int-cast] /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/wifi.h:403:9: warning: cast to pointer from integer of different size [-Wint-to-pointer-cast] In file included from /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/drv_types.h:70:0, from /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/cmd/rtl871x_cmd.c:24: /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/rtl871x_cmd.h: At top level: /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/rtl871x_cmd.h:107:25: error: field ‘event_tasklet’ has incomplete type In file included from /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/drv_types.h:72:0, from /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/cmd/rtl871x_cmd.c:24: /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/rtl871x_xmit.h:355:24: error: field ‘xmit_tasklet’ has incomplete type In file included from /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/drv_types.h:73:0, from /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/cmd/rtl871x_cmd.c:24: /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/rtl871x_recv.h:205:24: error: field ‘recv_tasklet’ has incomplete type In file included from /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/drv_types.h:73:0, from /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/cmd/rtl871x_cmd.c:24: /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/rtl871x_recv.h: In function ‘rxmem_to_recvframe’: /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/rtl871x_recv.h:435:30: warning: cast from pointer to integer of different size [-Wpointer-to-int-cast] /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/include/rtl871x_recv.h:435:9: warning: cast to pointer from integer of different size [-Wint-to-pointer-cast] /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/cmd/rtl871x_cmd.c: In function ‘_init_cmd_priv’: /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/cmd/rtl871x_cmd.c:93:75: warning: cast from pointer to integer of different size [-Wpointer-to-int-cast] /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/cmd/rtl871x_cmd.c:101:60: warning: cast from pointer to integer of different size [-Wpointer-to-int-cast] /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/cmd/rtl871x_cmd.c: In function ‘_init_evt_priv’: /home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/cmd/rtl871x_cmd.c:135:59: warning: cast from pointer to integer of different size [-Wpointer-to-int-cast] make[2]: *** [/home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/cmd/rtl871x_cmd.o] Error 1 make[1]: *** [_module_/home/thinkpad20/Downloads/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405/driver/rtl8712_8188_8191_8192SU_usb_linux_v2.6.6.0.20120405] Error 2 make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-3.2.0-23-generic' make: *** [modules] Error 2 ################################################## Compile make driver error: 2 Please check error Mesg ################################################## I'm not a superuser, only a hobbyist. I really just want this to work ~.~ so I can get on with my life. Sigh. Anyway, grumbling aside, I hope people can help.

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• Part 2: Career development as a Software Developer without becoming a manager.

  - by albertpascual

  Seems like my previous post inspired by the work of Michael “Doc” Norton was a great success for the amount of emails I have received. Yet amazed how many people didn’t want to discuss their questions in the comments  sections. I would encourage people to be more public, still I would like to reply to all of you on this public media. I still welcome those emails. What I found out is that many people feels like me, they want to be developers and still be compensated for their experience without wanting to take a job as a manager. Their perfect day is a full day of coding and learning. Many believe their companies will never pay a manager’s salary to a developer no matter what. Most of you ask how to get the ball rolling. And is the later that I’m addressing here, the previous group, will never try. What companies understand developers value and where can I find them? This is a very difficult question to ask, I don’t have a list of those companies or departments, I have seen in my past signs in companies bending backwards to compensate, in more ways the monetary, a developer that is a good resource to them. Allowing the person to move out of the state and still let them work for the company from home is a sign that company goes by individual cases. Allowing them to go to conference that will not benefit the company is another big sign. Simple signs like flexible hours and letting some people work from home. To see those signs you need to be working in that company for awhile and look at the departments where the manager is taking care of their employees in individual cases. Look for the department where people get quiet extra perks, where some people in the department work from home or remotely. In my experience, but not always true, medium to big companies, are prompt to recognize good developers. Then again, some companies just don’t get it and is when you see many technical people managing developers. For all the people that email me stating that developers can also be very good managers, I do not disagree, I just think that a good developers loves writing code, when you remove that part the better salary isn’t enough to keep a developer happy. Burned out developers appreciate being promoted to managers. How do I know I work in a bad company? In my experience I have been a consultant and seen many companies, a few signs I have learned about companies that will not recognize good developers are: When the turn over is pretty high, when developers are moving out in a big rate, no rocket scientist needs to tap you in the shoulder. When the company is looking always to outsource their development resources. The product is not that interesting nor the company cares too much for their final result and support. Code sweat shops. You’ll know when you start working in one of those. Run for the hills! Where do I start? Disclaimer: I have only based this post on Michael “Doc” Norton, this is just my interpretation and ideas. First thing is to look at Michael “Doc” Norton presentation Take Control of Your Development Career http://docondev.blogspot.com/ That should be the first thing any developer should look and follow like it was a pattern. I would personally recommend to find some language or pattern you are interested with and learn it, learn something that will make you happy. Second, join a User Group and get involve in the community. There are hundreds of user groups, and I’m sure you’ll find one in your city or near you town. Code Camps are Developers Meet Ups are also good resources. Third, I would join a open source project you are interested or better yet, create a new open source project with the new technology that you have learn and get coding. Fourth, create a Twitter account and follow the people that talks about the technology you are interested on. If you follow this 4 steps above I think you’ll be on your way, after they are complete, when you release your Open Source project you can say that you accomplished the first steps. Now, do not expect anything to change in your career life, you are changing and should not expect anything in return, besides borrowing some time from sleeping and your family. Creating a good schedule may help you, I find wasted time in many places that I use. Flying for work is actually one of those that allows me to do my best work on a airplane, don’t need to borrow time from anywhere else. Making sure you always have a light, charged laptop is so important. Next steps following the Michael “Doc” Norton Pattern or my interpretation of. First, help run a user group or better yet, start a new user group. I’ll add, as well, go to one conference a year and free development events around your city; Code Camps, Geek Dinners, etc. There are many free events sponsored by different companies for developers to get to know their products, I highly recommend those as the way to get connected. Second, chose a mentor, this is a very hard thing to do I experienced, find an expert in the technology you are learning that has the time for you, it is difficult, I wish you best of luck. Third, learn another technology or pattern, open your horizons a little bit more. Why not, if you had fun previously, keep doing it. Fourth, get involved in forums to answer and ask questions, getting notice in public forums is rewarding for your ego after such a long journey. Final steps following the Michael “Doc” Norton Pattern Teach what you know, become humble on your knowledge, find as many opportunities to teach and to get involved with the community, bring all that to your day job. Mr. Norton talks about getting naked, expose yourself to others in your knowledge and what you do not know. You are never too important for small opportunities, yet don’t  be afraid to take anything big and learn from the experience. Anytime you have the opportunity to talk to somebody that has reach the point the community knows his or her name, means that you should learn from it. Take opportunities that won’t make you money, yet will make you happy. Sometimes you need to spend money and time. Register talks in Code Camps and Dev Meet Ups, those are free, also go to Conference, Development Summits and Geek Diners for example. One day, people will pay you to attend. When will all these pay off? I don’t know. I’m still in the path, there are a few things that during your journey you may get little acknowledgements that you are in the correct path. In my case I think those are the little signs that tells you about your journey. I got awarded the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional for ASP.NET in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010. I got selected to speak at the DevConnections in Las Vegas in 2010 and Orlando 2011. I do believe that I do have a long way to go, yet what I do makes me happy and I hope I can keep doing for years to come. Every year I can see an improvement on my code, and more frameworks and languages are under my belt, I learn to embrace them all as well as in my daily job, I have been able to work in a few projects beyond my department. I’m a learner and believer of the Michael “Doc” Norton pattern. Looking forward to learn more about it to be able to apply it better. In my short journey I now see my mistakes, I did a few things right, I have been listening the intelligent people and not being afraid to move along the technology changes. In my professional life, I have tried to avoid being placed in only one technology and product. I have always share my code and never confused anybody that wanted to take over any of my projects, I didn’t think anything I created as my own nor care too much when politics didn’t see my vision. I stayed flexible, ready and visible, yet humble. I keep my head just below the clouds, and avoided managers meetings. I credit my manager for my success, and I faulted publicly only myself for the failures. Hope this helps. Cheers, Al Follow me in Twitter  Read my previous post tweetmeme_url = 'http://weblogs.asp.net/albertpascual/archive/2010/12/09/part-2-career-development-as-a-software-developer-without-becoming-a-manager.aspx'; tweetmeme_source = 'alpascual';

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