Category: Software

  • First Look at Python

    When the programming language Python came out while it seemed like an interesting idea, I didn’t really see the point. I already know Perl, PHP and C (plus a few others) why learn another language? So until recently, I didn’t Recent frustrations with PHP and how “loose” it is with things like variables made me…

  • psmisc 22.14 Released

    The upstream and Debian packages for psmisc version 22.14 were released tonight.  This version has a lot of bugfixes.  I’ve also taken some time to clean up some of the minor compile warnings I used to get which were mainly variables set but not used. Two bugs that I’ll concentrate on getting fixed for the…

  • Debian Linux on HP DV6-6023TX

    It was time to update my creaking old laptop.  I ordered HP6-6023TX online and after a few days it arrived just before a long weekend. I first backed up Windows 7 onto a set of DVDs and found that either my blank DVDs are old or this new DVD drive is far more fussy. There…

  • JFFNMS 0.9.1 Released

    JFFNMS 0.9.1 has the database extracts and updates missing from 0.9.0  This is the most problematic part of the project release; ensuring that the database updates correctly. Version 0.9.1 is functionally the same as 0.9.0, it is just with less bugs!  

  • What happens without software testing

        Well JFFNMS 0.9.0 was a, well, its a good example of what can go wrong without adequate testing.  Having it written in PHP makes it difficult to test, because you can have entire globs of code that are completely wrong but are not activated (because the “if” statement proves false for example) and…

  • JFFNMS 0.9.0 Released

    After 3 release candidates JFFNMS is now at version 0.9.0. Both the web frontend and backend (engines) have had extensive re-work done to them to cleanup and tighten up the code. There should be a lot less warnings and errors from PHP when you set to a higher error level. Fixed error in syslog consolidator…

  • JFFNMS – 3rd RC lucky?

    I’ve just uploaded to sourceforge the third and hopefully last RC for JFFNMS network management system version 0.9.0  The reason for the delay was easter as well as I wanted to test the engines for a long while to make sure I was not getting any orphan children or items. Previous versions had processes that…

  • Passwords in PHP

    Are your passwords always failing in PHP programs using databases? Maybe its time to look at how the passwords are stored and the field lengths.

  • Gjay 0.3.2 released

    After getting past a series of silly errors gjay version 0.3.2 is now available.  The source code was uploaded to SourceForge and the Debian package has been uploaded to the FTP master site. This version fixes the linking bug that have been extensively reported in a lot of Debian packages.  This is where you are…

  • Silly C errors in gjay

    I have been working on Gjay to add support for http://mpd.wikia.com/wiki/Music_Player_Daemon_Wiki where I had what initially looked like a strange problem. When WITH_MPDCLIENT was defined, the program would crash in all sorts of weird places when the main program structure had this: But would work fine when it was: I tried changing the structure to…