June 13, 2002
BEEP

The effbot likes BEEP (see July 9th.)

What is BEEP? Well, see Bird's-eye BEEP. It's an XML based peer-to-peer asyncronous message protocol framework. Enough buzzwords for you? I can't say that I know what it's for, though...

Posted by Simon Brunning at 05:06 PM
The Christian Linux distribution

Is Jesux a joke, or what? Well, I think it's funny, anyway.

I'm pretty sure that it is a joke, but you never can tell...

(Via Babu.)

Update: Turns out that it is a joke. Sort of.

Posted by Simon Brunning at 04:28 PM
South Park Studio

Offend all your friends and family with South Park Studio!

You can also do this in Lego.

Update June 14th: Between us, we've done the Evo team!

Update March 18th, 2003: Main link updated - the buggers moved it! It's also had stuff added to it, though, so I'll let them off.

Posted by Simon Brunning at 03:42 PM
Platform dependent bugs

developerWorks' Java Zone has an interesting column - Platform-dependence "gotchas".

We have really got to do some cross platform testing!

See also Java optimization techniques.

Posted by Simon Brunning at 03:10 PM
Managing Software Engineers

Managing Software Engineers. One for Paul, my ever-suffering boss.

Like we are engineers. Yeah, right.

(Via Babu.)

Posted by Simon Brunning at 02:26 PM
Confusing web sites

Web design 'causes confusion'.

Basically, the categories used by the site ought to match the categories that the users perceives, but usually don't.

Of course, this is the case with for all UI design, not just web site design.

Posted by Simon Brunning at 01:57 PM
Get to know some tools!

Get to know some tools!

If you don't like learning new things, then you are in the wrong business.

Posted by Simon Brunning at 01:45 PM
SimpleParse

If you need to parse complex text files, sooner or later re runs out. Either the whole thing becomes a hideous nightmare, or it can't do what you need at all.

When this happens, SimpleParse is probably what you need.

David Mertz has written about SimpleParse in his developerWorks article Parsing with the SimpleParse module. He explains EBNF, and gives an example, parsing smart ASCII.

Posted by Simon Brunning at 01:38 PM
Here be Dragons!

Jeff Epler posts FinalMethods, which uses metaclasses to enforce final methods in Python.

Just don't ask me how it works, OK?

Posted by Simon Brunning at 01:24 PM
GNU Enterprise

A new version of the open source ERP GNU enterprise has been released.

"GNU Enterprise (GNUe) is a suite of tools and applications for solving the needs of the enterprise. From human resources, accounting, customer relationship management and project management to supply chain or e-commerce, GNUe can handle the needs of any business, large or small. If you are looking for a full-function ERP, GNUe is the package for you." (From What is GNUe?)

(Via Python Daily URL)

Posted by Simon Brunning at 12:25 PM
Large projects in Python

Domenic Merenda has compiled a list of Large projects developed in Python.

Includes IBM, HP, Microsoft and NASA. Not included in his list, Industrial Light & Magic use Python too.

Update 24 June 2002: Details of the NASA thing.

Posted by Simon Brunning at 12:19 PM
Introduction to CSS Layout

Introduction to CSS Layout, at O'Reilly.

(Via Babu)

This site is all laid out with CSS. It all seems to work fine. I'll get around to CSSizing the rest of my site, too. Eventually.

Posted by Simon Brunning at 12:14 PM