July 2006 Archives

Finally, an explanation! This little expose reveals exactly why Dave Navarro looks like a freakingly boring piece of potato sitting on the host's couch in Rockstar: Supernova.

I've always thought he was nothing like the likeable Dave Navarro of last season's Rockstar: INXS - something was very obviously wrong with him. I had thought it's because of his obnoxious fellow rocker Tommy Lee (whom I detest for his lack of general manners, haha), but this totally feels like a fitting piece in a jigsaw puzzle.

Haven't I written about why I totally loved Rockstar: INXS, and what I thought of this year's contestants? Hmm... nothing a little time wouldn't fix...

Here's something I've swiped from my pal Ell's website, and it requires a description for every item listed in a grand total of one word.

Here we go:

Yourself: Ambitious
Your partner: Loving
Your hair: Thin
Your Mother: Deserved
Your Father: Underachieved
Your Favourite Item: Broken
Your dream last night: Bleak
Your Favourite Drink: Unsweetened
Your Dream Home: Convenient
The Room You Are In: Office
Your fear: Complacency
Where you Want to be in Ten Years? Wealthier
Who you hung out with last night: Wife
What You're Not: Relaxed
Your Best Friends: Faraway
One of Your Wish List Items: Holiday
Your Gender: Male
The Last Thing You Did: Showered
What You Are Wearing: Enough
Your favourite weather: Cool
Your Favourite Book?: Devoured
Last thing you ate?: Chicken
Your Life: Complicated
Your mood: Stressed
The last person you talked to on the phone: Wife
Who are you thinking about right now?: Parents

I just found this hilarious clip of Cristiano Ronaldo's famous crossover trick. The place where I found this just can't say enough of his copious talents.

Hmm... I suddenly realized that my focus these days is development. Interesting.

I'm wondering if there is an easier way for a .NET application to natively support different databases in the same code base. For instance, when I do SQL Server, the .NET Data Provider I would use is SqlConnection. If it is OLEDB, then it's the OleDbConnection namespace.

Now each of these namespaces have their own DataReader object, which is the primary data object I use. How can I write the application such that I can automatically choose which one to use (based on a parameter), without coding different sections for each data provider?

MSDN, here I come!

I've been evaluating online book cataloging tools recently, and have found just two of real note: Listal and LibraryThing.

Let's do a quick overview. What I'm looking at is a tool to catalogue my library of books in an easy manner, and make it available online. That's it really. Delving into the murky depths of the internet, only Listal and LibraryThing managed to come up smelling somewhat like flowers. Although, as you'll soon discover, one more so than the other.

For comparison, however, I'll only be looking into Listal's book cataloguing feature. The cataloguing of other media is very similar to books, so the features aren't too different to worry about anyway.

A quick list of similarities:

1. Both allow you to add books to your library by searching Amazon (although LibraryThing allows you to search from more sources). You enter a keyword (author, title, isbn, whatever) and it will return a list of hit results. You select the book you want, and click Add. Simple.


2. Both allow your online library to be browsed by other people.
   


3. Both allow you to add custom information on each book - comments or reviews or some such custom tagging.

Differences:

1. Listal is free. LibraryThing is free only for the first 200 books. Any more and you'll have to be a member - a one year subscription is USD$10 while a lifetime membership is USD$25.


2. LibraryThing supports mobile access. Not important if you're not a *total* geek, but imagine being able to check your online library via your mobile phone when you're browsing in a bookshop.


3. LibraryThing allows you to import and export your list. Listal's simply sits there - it's basically stuck in Listal's server. All the hours you spend inputting your library is basically sucked down the drain if Listal suddenly disappears from the face of the earth. People tend to overlook the importance of import/export, and they shouldn't.


4. LibraryThing has a much more matured implementation of social networking. This makes more of a difference than you'd first think.

Both are very nice, however in my opinion, LibraryThing wins hands down. LibraryThing understands the one advantage online lists have over similar functionality offered by offline programs doing the same thing: the social component.

The ability for LibraryThing to help you find like minded readers via its Users with Your Books functionality really allow you to see who shares the most number of books in your library with you. It allows you to see what others have written about the book you own, just to see if others share your thoughts. It even shows you what books people who own your book also own, thereby giving you a wonderfully accurate recommendation of books you're likely to enjoy.

LibraryThing encourages exposure to new books given what others have recommended or own, and exposure to new and interesting reads is always a good thing.

This social element is sadly lacking in Listal. All Listal does is cataloguing, and little else. And because it lacks many of LibraryThing's social features, that's all it really is - a catalogue. One that others can browse, granted, but Listal can be so much more.

I wish I came up with the idea for LibraryThing. It's brilliant, a true example of a labour of love by a book-loving programmer. Now if only it weren't so damn pricey for someone outside of the States, I'd be a lifetime member in a flash. :)

Okay, it's good to know that Microsoft has committed to VB6 support in Vista. It's a good thing... Microsoft simply wants old VB6 programs to run out their lifespan so that companies can start to develop in .NET.

Architecturally, VB.NET and VB6 are so different that they really are separate products, rather than a natural progression from old version of a language to the next version.

There has been talk in the VB community (don't ask me for sources - I can't remember where I read about that. Plus I'm writing about it so it must be true) that Microsoft should have spun off the VB6 developmental tree so that it will still be developed, or at least sell the VB6 technology to another company who will continue to develop it.

But alas, this is not the be, the juggernaut that is Microsoft is trudging along with .NET with the VB6 community dragged kicking and screaming behind it.

Not necessarily a bad thing, but a poster example of our line of work - evolve or die.

SQL Server 2005 Express is free, but it isn't small. Some would argue that 35MB *is* small, but I'd clout them behind their heads and clip their ears. That size is the worst size - it's not *that* huge to make the power downloader cry, but it isn't small enough for casual downloaders. Plus fitting that on a CD is just a waste of CD space - especially if the application that you're shipping with it is only 4MB.

But really, the real problem I have with it is it's inability to import and export data. That seriously limits the work I want to do with SS2005E.

Yeah, I can think of ways to work around it, but why the hassle for something that's supposed to be easy in the first place?

Not giving up on it first, though... lemme play with it a little more. Firebird has to wait a little longer - let's face it, SQL Server learning curve = almost non-existent. Firebird learning curve - a mile-long trudge up a small hill.

Sigh, I've also got to work on making catchier blog entry titles.

As far as I can tell (or read), Paypal requires Malaysian sellers to have a US bank account for me to writhdraw my funds. They apparently don't do cheques, so I'd have to::
1. Have someone in US to receive the money for me, then have him/her send it over.
2. Fly over to US, convince them that I'm eligible to have a US bank account, then fly back (since of course I'm not a resident)
3. Find a job there, settle down, move my family over, open a US bank account (this way, of course, is a better way than option 2), say adieu to new co-workers, fly back.
4. Do the above, except I stay and work in US (that sounds easier, actually).

Why don't they do cheques? Their rates are better than other payment processing sites I'm aware of. However, at least they send the cheque over.

Decisions, decision.

I've always been faced with a dilemma when evaluating databases for new projects. In otak, I had no issues using Access as I wanted to write up something quickly, and it worked. However I've at the back of my mind kept in mind that Access isn't exactly a fantastic database to use when otak grows up. Also, it isn't ideal to keep using Access because:
1. It's fading, and fading fast. Microsoft is preferring MS SQL Express instead.
2. Built in support for Jet is also going away, so one cannot take for granted every machine has Jet support there. This of course takes away Access's initial attraction in the first place - to enable the developer to whip up an application with Access with minimal installation dependency worries.
3. Since we're going to need to bundle drivers for Access, we might as well look at other more powerful databases out there.

My journey to find an Access replacement was fraught with many challenges. The first was how the heck to get started in the first place? I knew I wanted a database that is self-contained in a file. I know I wanted it to be free, open source, or whatever, as long as it doesn't restrict my using it in any applications I choose to write, whether it is freeware or commercial. I don't need a bigass relational database with boatload of features I don't use, and I sure as heck don't want users to have to install it first (ala SQL Server). And most importantly, that I can use it in .NET/Java. More for .NET, really.

It took me damn long to find out that the proper term for the database with these requirements is embedded database. It doesn't help that Access isn't exactly an embedded database, it simply could be used as one.

I've been evaluating databases for a while now for my personal projects (on and off I must admit), but as I force myself to transition to .NET. I know that I want to start with small projects that have minimal database requirement, for which requiring my users to install SQL Server or even MySQL would be an overkill.

So I'm happy to report that I have found a seemingly perfect solution to my problem: using Firebird as an embedded database. It can be used for .NET, so I'm happy.

I'll have to play with it awhile first, before I fully give it my endorsement. But from the specs it looks just like what the doctor ordered.

Btw, if ever there was a requirement to use a full fledged database, I'd actually go with SQL Server, or MySQL. I think it makes good business sense to support SQL Server, as many enterprises would have that installed already, and forcing them to use MySQL would not be very attractive.

However, for users who are on a budget, having the option to allow them to use MySQL is perfect.

Anyway, I digress. The application I have in mind will be commercial (but it'll be cheap), and a quick project. So that's why Firebird will come in handy.