I needed to extract all the explicitly declared global variables in a PHP script so I wrote a Perl script to do it for me. It then occured to me that maybe other people might find it useful, so I tidied it up a bit and released it on my site as Scrape PHP Globals.
It extracts all variable names occurring between “global” and a semicolon, then prints them out nicely as a new global statement.
I recently came across Rob Schlüter’s hack that makes search queries look at pages as well as posts.
I wanted to add the functionality, but as I don’t like doing hacks (since I usually forget about them when doing an upgrade) I decided to create a plugin named Search Pages for it.
I’m finally ready to release something I’ve been working on for the last several weeks: my first WordPress Plugin!
Qdig-WP is a plugin that allows a user to embed a Qdig gallery into a post or page. Take a look at my Qdig-WP page to learn about the plugin, or visit the Qdig website to learn more about Qdig.
At the moment, the plugin should be considered “beta” software, as I mention on the Qdig-WP page. If anyone tries it out, though, I’d love to hear your feedback! Please leave comments, bug reports, or problems with the software or with the Qdig-WP page as comments on this post.
The Graphing Calculator Story [coverage at Wired, Slashdot]
This has to be one of the most astonishing programming stories I’ve ever heard. A contractor at Apple finds his project terminated, so what does he do? He continues working on the project, unofficially, behind Apple’s back until it’s completed. Along the way, he gains the support of tons of Apple’s employees and, eventually, even wins over Apple itself. This is after he’s worked 16 hour days for free for months; not to mention that he’s recruited hours and hours of free work from many others. Simply astonishing.
Oh, and his project ended up being included as a standard part of the Mac system, shipped with every computer they sold.
I’m getting very sick of webpages that code all their links to open in a new window. If I want a webpage to open in a new window, I am quite capable of right-clicking (or command-clicking) and selecting “Open in New Window”. I don’t need some crackpot web designer telling me where to open my links. You want to open your links in a new window? Good for you! Don’t push your preference on everyone else.
When I browse a site, sometimes I like the link I click to replace the current page. Sometimes I open in a new tab. I almost never open in a new window, and I certainly never want the link to pounce a new window on me if I’m normally clicking on it.
As far as I am concerned, the overwhelming majority of “open in new window” links are outright rude. Web designers need to stop forcing this choice on us and let us open links where we choose to open them.
By the way: If you’re reading this and have a webpage with links of that variety,
On the right, part way down, there’s a “Video” link that says “Watch George Masters’ homeage iPod ad.” I recommend doing so, as it’s pretty nifty. The article is interesting, too.
An undefined problem has an infinite number of solutions.
– Robert A. Humphrey
[Quote found at ...in other words...]
This makes me think of some of the stuff I’ve learned in computer science/programming: One of the first things you’re supposed to do when writing a program is define the problem you’re solving. That way you know exactly what the program is expected to do and you can approach those goals directly. Without a clearly defined problem, you end up having a poor sense of direction when coding. You often end up trying to code things that aren’t as important as the objectives you should be hitting, or worse, you completely miss required objectives.
When I read the quote, I don’t understand it to mean that an undefined problem can be solved in innumerable ways. I read it to be saying the exact opposite of what it’s saying on the surface–that an undefined problem has no solution. How can an undefined problem have a solution, anyway? Tons of things can be put forth as solutions to an undefined (or even poorly defined) problem.
Moral of the quote: Figure out what you’re trying to do before you do it.
sun setting
hues of light fading across the sky
darkness slowly ensues
black of night
empty air
cold
isolation
desolation
reaching out
screaming out
desperation
dawn approaches
sun gradually rising
tones of warmth spreading across the earth
daylight comes
[The following was written per the instructions given at Bouts Râmes.]
An eccentric youth walks past a lonely bar,
Wearing a cloak and a hat with purple plume.
With glee he sings aloud, strumming his guitar.
Suddenly a window opens, its occupant ready to fume:
“Be silent, young man! Sing no more of that tripe!
I care not for your strumming, nor your stupid credo!”
The youth yells back, “Old man, your words are ripe.
If you dislike my song, then you can suck my torpedo!”
[The following was written per the instructions given at Bouts Râmes.]
The illny yungle and her zeer
Wungled by a vulzum chate.
“Behoof and skrie, and bezel theer,”
The zeer did porgle, full of glate.
“Behoof the krumpf, and skrie oostem!”
Blainged the yungle, full of thrornge.
“Helvin tsang, but never yoosfem,
For every theer is zran kvorange.”