IronPython now free

Previously I ranted about how IronPython made a huge mistake by going non-free - meaning that Boo was now the pythonesque language of choice for cross-platform development.

So this morning I was pleasantly surprised to see that IronPython is now usable - it's changed licence to the CPL. This doesn't take away from Boo, but gives us even more choice for rapid application prototyping.

Well done Jim Hugunin!

/tech/code/C-Sharp | 31 Oct 2005 | #

World Wide Weather

What happens when Google Maps is merged with The Weather Channel? You get Weather Bonk.

/tech/misc | 31 Oct 2005 | #

It's getting worse

Continuing on...

     f(x)=6x+3 walks into a bar, goes up to the barman and asks "Can I have a couple of sandwiches please?"

     The barman replies:  "Sorry mate, we don't cater for functions"

/tech/misc | 28 Oct 2005 | #

Support NoSoftwarePatents by Voting in the Europeans of the Year ballot.

There's a new way of saying no to software patents - voting in the Europeans of the Year ballot, highlighting the efforts of Florian Müller from NoSoftwarePatents.com.

In case I obscured those links too much, here is the how to vote card and here's the ballot.

Do your bit to raise awareness that software patents are bad for consumers, software developers, in fact everyone except big multinational companies.

/tech/IP | 21 Oct 2005 | #

It's a Wonderful Life

It's a Wonderful Life

That's it in a nutshell.

/tech/misc | 20 Oct 2005 | #

Converting ArrayList to string[]

For the third time today someone has asked how to convert an ArrayList into a string[].

    ArrayList myArrayList = new ArrayList();
    ...
    string[] myStringArray = (string[])myArrayList.ToArray(typeof(string));

That's how.

/tech/code/C-Sharp | 19 Oct 2005 | #

Support your local Debian Hacker

If you are able, you should support your local Debian hacker, lest he falls fowlfoul and have to resort to other means of paying for his beer.

And it would be a good test to the financial viability of an individual working on free software. Even if most starving hackers are not as famous as AJ. There's plenty of people I know who'd like AJ's little experiment to succeed - showing that career nirvana - developing free software with the freedom to scratch your own particular itch - is possible and is sustainable.

Go AJ, go!

/tech/linux | 19 Oct 2005 | #

linux.conf.au 2006 Registrations now open!

If you didn't see the announcement, registrations are now open for linux.conf.au 2006!

Also note that an ever-growing list of speakers and miniconfs are now available.

/tech/linux-australia/lca2006 | 11 Oct 2005 | #

Ubuntu Release Party changes time

There's been a change to the Adelaide Ubuntu Release Party time - now at 2100 instead of 1800 so that you can go to the LinuxSA meeting beforehand...

/tech/GNOME | 10 Oct 2005 | #

LinuxSA October 2005 - Transmission of IP datagrams on avian carriers

  Hi all,

  Time for the LinuxSA October 2005 Meeting announcement...

  CHANGED DATE!  PLEASE NOTE BELOW!

  We're privileged to have Peter N. M. Hansteen from Norway speaking at
  our meeting this month on a topic that has been of particular interest
  to LinuxSA members over the years (CPIP):

    http://www.linuxsa.org.au/pipermail/linuxsa/2001-May/028952.html
    http://www.linuxsa.org.au/pipermail/linuxsa/2001-May/029292.html
    http://www.linuxsa.org.au/pipermail/linuxsa-talk/2004-December/000159.html

  As Peter will be in Adelaide for only a brief time (which does not
  overlap our usual meeting date), the meeting for October has been
  moved from 18/Oct to 13/Oct.

  The usual details:

    When:   7:00pm-9:30pm (doors open 6:45pm) on
            Thursday, 13th October, 2005
    Where:  Senior Secondary Assessment Board
            of South Australia (SSABSA)
            Boardroom (1st floor)
            60 Greenhill Road
            Wayville SA
    Cost:   FREE
    Who:    Anyone and everyone.
            No pre-registration necessary.

  Presentation:

    While some draft internet standards get implemented almost before
    they are fully specified, it took 11 years for RFC 1149 (The
    transmission of IP datagrams on avian carriers) to be implemented.
    A member of the first implementation team, Peter N. M. Hansteen
    presents an overview of the CPIP working group activities, including
    a view to future development.

  Pizza:
  
    After the meeting, please join us for pizza at San Giorgios (cnr.
    Frome Street and Rundle Street in the city).
  
  For more information: 
  
    Email:        organisers@linuxsa.org.au
    Web Page:     http://www.linuxsa.org.au/
    Mailing List: linuxsa@linuxsa.org.au
    IRC:          #linuxsa on irc.freenode.net

/tech/LinuxSA | 07 Oct 2005 | #

Adelaide Ubuntu Release Party

If you're in Adelaide next Thursday (Oct 13, 2005), why not come along to the Ubuntu 5.10 "Breezy Badger" Adelaide release party.

Contact Ryan (xfesty computeraddictions com au) to let him know you're coming...

/tech/GNOME | 07 Oct 2005 | #

Sound activated flashes

Foo camp did fun things with balloons and sound activated flashes. Looks like it was good fun.

Re-found via nat.

Reading elsewhere on the web, things like smashing lightbulbs and popping waterballons work well. And of course the traditional shooting bullets through apples. More fun things to add to my todo list :)

/photos | 05 Oct 2005 | #

So, just how much money would it take....

So, how much money would it take to make AJ be the Subservient Chicken for just one day? :-)

Any takers? (just so long as its recorded using Annodex, or other free software)

/tech/linux-australia | 04 Oct 2005 | #

The Long Weekend

The October Long Weekend - it's the traditional "start work on the garden after the long winter" weekend. The problem is that with spending time in Chicago, our house hasn't seen any maintenance since late last year. Even worse is that the Davies family have seen 3 winters in a _row_ :-)

So it was time to mow the lawns, weed, move stuff, remove dead stuff, plant, decide, purchase, arrange etc etc etc. An all day activity. So busy that I missed a phone-hook up meeting. Sorry guys :-(

The weekend did have a fun aspect to it - on Saturday I went mountain bike riding through Mt Crawford forest. Of course the guys I went with wanted to take the black diamond track, the most difficult, which just added to the fun. While there were some good stacks, I somehow avoided coming off. Very beautiful scenery, and some good exercise - will do this again soon.

/social | 04 Oct 2005 | #