Just a quick note that the xSiteable framework is coming along nicely, and I've started to document it and clean it up ready for a release in a couple of weeks time. Yeah, I know, release small, release often, but there are some basics I'm going through right now that will impact it enough to make a 0.9 release bunk in a week or so, so I'm just holding out a little bit more.
Anyway, take a look at the introductory page I put up at GitHub, which should give you enough info ;
https://github.com/shelterit/xSiteable/wiki
And let me know what you think. This is the framework itself, and we're releasing the CMS / CRM / Intranet / DataWarehouse / ERP / DMS / whatever system as open-source probably at the same time, we just gotta come up with a name for it first. :)
14 April 2011
8 April 2011
Dumpty-dumpty!
It's time again to dump a whole slew of links ;
Tech
ElasticSearch : Another newcomer of searchy goodness, open-source and on GitHub. Yummy.
MQL : FreeBase's MQL query language tutorial. Good food for thought.
HTSQL : A really interesting take on that juction between SQL and NoSQL.
A plugin pattern : A JQuery development pattern and tutorial.
HTML5 logo : When you want to express how cool you are.
JSON-LD : JSON-LD (JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data) is a lightweight Linked Data format. It is easy for humans to read and write. It is easy for machines to parse and generate.
BackBone : This is one cool light-weight JavaScript framework. Backbone supplies structure to JavaScript-heavy applications by providing modelswith key-value binding and custom events, collections with a rich API of enumerable functions, views with declarative event handling, and connects it all to your existing application over a RESTful JSON interface.
Aloha Editor : A damn sexy WYSIWYG next-generation editor.
Lithium : Another sexy light-weight PHP framework.
Linux Sound Scopes : A nifty albeit somewhat outdated list of Linux sound gizmos and widgets.
Less Framework : Yet another less-is-more frameworks, this one for HTML5 and CSS templating.
Biology, science, philosophy
The Trouble With Testosterone : "In these essays, which range widely but mostly focus on the relationships between biology and human behavior, hard and intricate science is handled with a deft touch that makes it accessible to the general reader. In one memorable piece, Sapolsky compares the fascination with tabloid TV to behavior he's observed among wild African baboons. "Rubber necks," notes the professor, "seem to be a common feature of the primate order." In the title essay of The Trouble with Testosterone, Sapolsky ruminates on the links, real or perceived, between that hormone and aggression."
The Information, a natural history of information theory : "Gleick is one of the great science writers of all time, and that is, in part, because he is a science biographer. Not a biographer of scientists (although there is much biographical insight to scientists, mathematicians, lexicographers, writers and thinkers inThe Information), but a biographer of the idea itself, and the way that it ricochets off disciplines, institutions and people, knocking them into new, higher orbits, setting them on collision courses."
In memoriam: the x-phi debate : "The controversial new movement called experimental philosophy – 'X-phi' as it has come to be known – has generated both excitement and hostility in the philosophical community. Questions abound: Is experimental philosophy the wave of the future or just a passing fad? Can probing for the intuitions of the 'folk' tell us anything about philosophical truth? Are philosophers qualified to conduct empirical studies, or should this be left to the psychologists?"
Starting over - choosing my religion : "What form would the ideal religion take?" Interesting question, even though I strongly disagree with the conclusions.
A natural education? : A Christian take on the secular world of education. Again, good piece, but there's many flaws to be explored here, and I'll tackle that in my philosophy blog at some time later.
Miscellaneous
Tech
ElasticSearch : Another newcomer of searchy goodness, open-source and on GitHub. Yummy.
MQL : FreeBase's MQL query language tutorial. Good food for thought.
HTSQL : A really interesting take on that juction between SQL and NoSQL.
A plugin pattern : A JQuery development pattern and tutorial.
HTML5 logo : When you want to express how cool you are.
JSON-LD : JSON-LD (JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data) is a lightweight Linked Data format. It is easy for humans to read and write. It is easy for machines to parse and generate.
BackBone : This is one cool light-weight JavaScript framework. Backbone supplies structure to JavaScript-heavy applications by providing modelswith key-value binding and custom events, collections with a rich API of enumerable functions, views with declarative event handling, and connects it all to your existing application over a RESTful JSON interface.
Aloha Editor : A damn sexy WYSIWYG next-generation editor.
Lithium : Another sexy light-weight PHP framework.
Linux Sound Scopes : A nifty albeit somewhat outdated list of Linux sound gizmos and widgets.
Less Framework : Yet another less-is-more frameworks, this one for HTML5 and CSS templating.
Biology, science, philosophy
The Trouble With Testosterone : "In these essays, which range widely but mostly focus on the relationships between biology and human behavior, hard and intricate science is handled with a deft touch that makes it accessible to the general reader. In one memorable piece, Sapolsky compares the fascination with tabloid TV to behavior he's observed among wild African baboons. "Rubber necks," notes the professor, "seem to be a common feature of the primate order." In the title essay of The Trouble with Testosterone, Sapolsky ruminates on the links, real or perceived, between that hormone and aggression."
The Information, a natural history of information theory : "Gleick is one of the great science writers of all time, and that is, in part, because he is a science biographer. Not a biographer of scientists (although there is much biographical insight to scientists, mathematicians, lexicographers, writers and thinkers inThe Information), but a biographer of the idea itself, and the way that it ricochets off disciplines, institutions and people, knocking them into new, higher orbits, setting them on collision courses."
In memoriam: the x-phi debate : "The controversial new movement called experimental philosophy – 'X-phi' as it has come to be known – has generated both excitement and hostility in the philosophical community. Questions abound: Is experimental philosophy the wave of the future or just a passing fad? Can probing for the intuitions of the 'folk' tell us anything about philosophical truth? Are philosophers qualified to conduct empirical studies, or should this be left to the psychologists?"
Starting over - choosing my religion : "What form would the ideal religion take?" Interesting question, even though I strongly disagree with the conclusions.
A natural education? : A Christian take on the secular world of education. Again, good piece, but there's many flaws to be explored here, and I'll tackle that in my philosophy blog at some time later.
Miscellaneous
Tiburtina Ensemble : Here's a Czech vocal (mostly) ensemble that I stumbled upon by random, and boy am I glad I did. Pay especially attention to Hana Blažíková (which stars in a few of these productions, especially the "Maddalena ai piedi di Cristo", an oratorio by Antonio Caldara, one of my most favorite pieces of music) whom I posted a video of a few days ago; she's amazing, in no uncertain terms.
What movies do people regret watching? Some of these answers are good, but I expected more like my own story. Quite a number of years ago now, I was doing a project that needed some old footage of people snuffing (with the old snuffbox) and smoking and cavorting, so a few good black/white fast-moving silent movies, that sort of thing. I popped in a search, opened a few random movies to see what I've found (this was many years before Google, YouTube and previewing anything), and one of the movies that came up (auto-play, no less) was this little snuff movie (of the non-profit kind) of a woman who got shot in the head. I seriously, absolutely regret seeing that movie. It was a very dark and horrifying moment in my life, also due to the shock and horror of it all.
What are the most underrated movies? This is a seriously good list of films that are far, far better than their reputation and fame. Explore.
Ok, that's it. Enjoy, and I'll see you over the weekend.
Ok, that's it. Enjoy, and I'll see you over the weekend.
7 April 2011
Ubuntu 10.10
I had held off upgrading my computer to the latest version of Ubuntu, because every time I do, something screws up. Maybe the sound disappears, or the mouse accelerates, or Java goes missing, or the graphics gets botched. Always something.
But I shouldn't have worried. I went to update manager, hit that 'distribution upgrade', waited an hour or so (lots of downloads on a slow line), one reboot, and everything worked perfectly on the first go. Not a single hitch. Not even a small one. In fact, something's even improved, such as my internal microphone started working. It looks better, feels better, responds better, and the fonts are vastly improved. Everything is just, well, perfect. Color me impressed, and thanks to the Linux community, Canonical and the Ubuntu team for making this awesome operating system that frankly, for me, couldn't be improved upon.
But I shouldn't have worried. I went to update manager, hit that 'distribution upgrade', waited an hour or so (lots of downloads on a slow line), one reboot, and everything worked perfectly on the first go. Not a single hitch. Not even a small one. In fact, something's even improved, such as my internal microphone started working. It looks better, feels better, responds better, and the fonts are vastly improved. Everything is just, well, perfect. Color me impressed, and thanks to the Linux community, Canonical and the Ubuntu team for making this awesome operating system that frankly, for me, couldn't be improved upon.
5 April 2011
Antonio Caldara: Maddalena ai piedi di Cristo (6)
I was very happy to find this gem today (and hopefully it stays up a while). I've been a huge fan of Antonio Caldara ever since that epic recording of his "Maddalena ai piedi di Cristo" with favourite soprano in the whole world Maria Cristina Kiehr, super-star counter-tenor Andreas Scholl and Gerd Turk from Cantus Koln (one of my favorite ensembles).
Hana Blazikova is a new find for me, but boy am I glad I stumbled upon her. Her singing is nothing short of fantastic, and as a bonus she's Czech which speaks to my half-Czech heart. :) But I truly love her version of Madelena, a more timbre version of Kiehr, more edgy, softer vibrato, and a rather clean ornamentation which I prefer. I wish I could find out more about who's playing and what event it is, though, but until I figure it out, let's make no mistake;
This video is amazing. I hope you enjoy it, too.
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