Posted: Wed 21 November, 2007 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Cynicism, Geeky, Work-related, Writing |
Funnily enough, for someone who generally likes writing stuff, (regardless of whether it’s webpage, letter, PHP functions, fiction, blog posts, etc.) I hate doing documentation for things I’ve already created. Going back over these things is (in my opinion) usually a pain in the bum, and it’s all- well- old. Been there, done that.
I know, I shouldn’t feel like that, but I do. I admit it. And of course this week I’ve been writing loads of bits of documentation for all the stuff I’ve been doing over the last year or so. In some ways it’s actually been quite useful because it’s reminded me of some of the groovier functions that I’ve created for the site, and some of the bits of arcane esoteric hackery without which the site wouldn’t even function. This is also useful for when I rewrite the client page on the business site, and also the “what I’ve been doing” bit on my CV.
But it’s still so dull. I can’t even really think of any way to brighten it up or lighten the work a little – it’s just dull. No two ways about it. Useful to people in the future, of course, and it’s all written in a way that should make sense to even the most numpty of newbies (I get to test that on some of my colleagues. Heh.) but still, dull.
Of course, on this occasion I’ve actually also been looking at older stuff and also suddenly clicked with a way to rewrite it that makes life lots easier all round, and removes the elusive point-of-failure that was lurking in there for the unwary. So in that case writing documentation had an added bonus which I wasn’t expecting.
It’s still piggin’ dull though. *sigh*
Posted: Tue 20 November, 2007 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Domestic, Geeky, Getting Organised |
While I didn’t have the laptop last night, I ended up using the main PC at home instead. As part of the general start-up, I had a quick look at the AVG anti-virus I use.
Hang on. Not updated in 93 days? Fuck me dead. Guess who doesn’t use the main PC much. Which of course means it’s turned off, and because of a configuration screwup, it also doesn’t update when it gets powered up.
So as well as everything else I needed to get done, I spent about twenty minutes updating AVG, then running a full virus scan on the machine. Thankfully it came through with flying colours. (probably something to do with not being used all that much)
Oh yeah, and then running a full set of backups, just to make sure. *sigh*
Posted: Wed 7 November, 2007 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Geeky, Travel |
I think that this idea for the Expo ’08 in Zaragoza, Spain is an absolute stunner.
Basically, a curtain of water coming through a whole load of computer-controlled nozzles, allowing messages to be written in the water. Fantastic. It’s enough to make me want to go and see it live at Expo ’08. Even the prices don’t look too bad – although of course you’ve still got to get over there, I suppose.
Posted: Mon 8 October, 2007 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Customer Services, Geeky, Own Business, Work-related |
Currently, for various reasons, I seem to be heavily involved in moving databases around. Not just the data, but the databases themselves. If you’re at all geeky, it’s kind of interesting, seeing how other people organise data as opposed to how I prefer to do it, and looking at the future-proofing of such data. If you’re not geeky then don’t read any further, you’ll just get bored. There’ll be something else along later for you, I’m sure.
In one case, the client is moving from an on-line service provider to an in-house solution that’ll be written solely by Yours Truly. In a lot of ways it’s a complete nightmare – the provider will only export the data in one format, an Excel spreadsheet. That then has to be converted to something that’ll work with SQL, then get tweaked so it’ll work without crashing on import to MySQL, and that’s just to get it into a “temporary” table before I do a whole bundle of conversions on the data in order to get it all to work in the way I want it to.
In the other main scenario (there are a couple of other smaller jobs too, but two main jobs at the moment) I’m going the other way – from an existing in-house database (on MS Access) to a much more stable, versatile, and extensible on-line version with nice web front-end and a bundle more functionality. Again, it’s producing some interesting challenges- not least that Access really doesn’t like exporting to anything. Ever.
All the same though, both jobs are interesting and (dare I say it) fun. They’re making me think (hard) and come up with solutions to problems, which is actually always something I enjoy. Once I’ve got the current data migrated over, then I get to do a load of other stuff with it in order to fit it all in with the plans/ideas that’re already present, and that again will be something I enjoy.
Yes, I truly am that sad. Worrying, isn’t it?
Posted: Thu 4 October, 2007 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Geeky, Thoughts |
I don’t often bang on about TV adverts and so on, but every so often something comes up that is truly worthy of notice.
In this case, it’s the adverts for the Sony Bravia™ ®. The first two (the now well-known bouncing balls, and exploding paint) were great, but the new one featuring plasticine rabbits is, frankly, bloody marvellous.
Posted: Tue 2 October, 2007 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Geeky, Getting Organised, Own Business, Work-related |
At the moment, I’m doing the initial work on re-designing the website for my own company – you know, the one that’s not linked to D4D in any feasible way.
The logo’s being redone, and I’m pretty sure of which one it’ll be (out of a selection of five or six from the designer) so that’s one part of the list checked off. Well, it would be if I actually had a list. Hmm, maybe I should make a list…
Anyway, the website redesign isn’t just going to be a cosmetic one, I’m also going to be putting in a lot of work on the back-end, which will also make it more maintainable in the long-run. Well, that’s the plan, anyway.
So along with everything else, I’m going to be moving the whole shebang onto WordPress 2.3. I’ve not used it before, so it’s making for an interesting learning curve – particularly with putting the static pages into WordPress as well. Overall, it makes sense though – and will increase my own knowledge of WP, which’ll help with a couple of other upcoming projects as well. No bad thing.
And with luck it’ll mean I don’t need to re-do it again drastically for a good year to eighteen months. Bonus.
Posted: Sun 30 September, 2007 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Cynicism, Geeky, Getting Organised |
Because of various changes in the set up at home, it means we’ve now got three computers in use, and only one printer – which needs to be connected to the PC. OK, it’s fine if the PC is connected, but in general either one or both of us is using a laptop, and we don’t use the main PC.
So the time has come for the printer to go on its own little wireless print server, which should mean we can print without needing to have the main PC on.
And that’s one of the things I’m going to be doing today, getting the wireless print server set up. Depending on how things go, swearing may ensue…