PHP vs. ASP.NET

Given a choice, I will develop a web application using PHP. In fact, as of late I have even decided to migrate existing applications from ASP.NET to PHP. Why is this? After all, I've been writing ASP since back in the days of Classic using VB Script. I've seen some amazing things happen with ASP.NET, all the way through the 3.5 framework. Why the change of heart?

I simply prefer the open nature of PHP, the community and documentation. This is not to say that there isn't a healthy community of ASP developers. Yet underneath it all, you just can't lift the hood and wrench on the engine like you can with PHP. It's a Microsoft technology, and while I won't argue the speed and power of ASP.NET, I will say that it is fundamentally IE-centric. Wonderful server controls, but just try customizing them. It's painful at best.

I'm neither an ASP.NET expert, nor am I a PHP guru. I've used both, and I have come to prefer PHP.

Sample!

Dads 48 GMC

calendar test

Arctic climb

Dinner at Nobu in Malibu the night before, and then awake at 5:00 AM for the drive to San Gorgonio. Trailhead at 7:30. VERY steep initial climb through switchbacks, and then pretty relaxed. Snow makes things interesting. Lots of coyote tracks, though no bear.More pics here

Snowfall

View from VT part 2

View from VT

Order of Attack: GTD style

Compile 1-wire software on mac mini
sensors working and on the roof
opentracker hooked up to 1-wire
stats on the air
stats on the net
sensors and opentracker moved to boat
stats on the air
stats on the net

xastir compiled on mac mini

Radio to do list

I have three installed radios, and yet have a hard time as the UI varies considerably between all of them. If I can answer the following questions, I should then posses a solid understanding:

How do I input a frequency into VFO?
How do I save this frequency in a memory channel?
How do I enter memory mode to scan memory channels?

Three installed radios:
ICOM IC-7000
ICOM V8000
YASEAU VX-3R

Too many possibilities?

Lots of cool projects underway:

HF/VHF/UHF radio installed aboard Faith and they work wonderfully. I'd like to get the APRS telemetry going, but before I buy any more hardware I should finish what I already started. I have the weather station software, hardware and sendos book... so lets get that working, eh?

Step one: ensure Java development studio is installed and working on Mac Mini
Step two: Hello World
Step three: lay out sensor hardware and diagram
Step four: download latest weather software and compile
Step five: plug in the sensors!

Migration to Leopard?

So do I buy a more powerful mini, which comes with Leopard and Ilife 08 or do I just drop the coin on the software alone?

anyway: list of apps I need to perform the clean install:

adobe cs2 (nah... don't really use this much)
adobe acrobat pro
dreamweaver
fireworks
flash
parallels
windows xp sp2
visual studio 2005 (or beta 2008?)
fireworks
toast (does 8 work?)

files:
docs
music
photos
windows myDocs

Weekend Projects

Here is an updated list of what I was able to accomplish:

Apple TV successfully hacked via patchstick. It now supports Divx,Xvid, and network shares... which makes this thing infinitely more useful. I have a lot of admiration for the folks at: http://wiki.awkwardtv.org/wiki/Main_Page ...without their documentation I never could have done this. Thanks guys!

As for the boat, no waterproofing as yet... but the cable has been run and electronics moved to the starboard bulkhead in a waterproof containter. This afternoon I will get down there to solder the connections and plug in the modified ICOM 7000. Next step: APRS so I can monitor position and stats on Google Earth!

Oh, and the garage has been cleaned up. Boring.

Personal Projects

Faith: Antenna cable deck fitting resized, waterproofed. Console storage waterproofed with weather stripping. Solar panel deck fitting waterproofed.

Garage: sail bags stowed properly. Electronics boxed, stowed. dusted. Tools and workbench setup.

Electronics projects: aTV hacked with patchstick. xastir installed. weather station software compiled. weather station hooked up.

Airport: off to vegas

Test

Lunch

Test 2

Picture?

email post subject

Test 1

--
     Thank you,

               Justin Williams
               The Dot Printer, Inc.

project FEB

Im not going to drink any alcohol for the month of February. Im doing so not out of concern for prior drinking habits, but as an experiement in self analysis and observation. Im somewhat familiar with the nature of addiction, and its valuable to see how alcohol fits in to my life. Sometimes its easier to see how something works when contrasted with its absence.
My mother is performing this same experiement, and its great to have someone to share observations with. Here are some observations thus far:

February 1st was a hard day, as I had received some depressing news about my fathers health. I had already had a difficult day at the office, and Michelle and a number of our friends had plans to have dinner that night. I really wanted a glass of scotch when I got home. Later on that night, I was the designated driver and although I had a good time with our friends, I was pretty eager to say good night and leave after a few hours. This could have been due to the fact that I had already had a long workday, and the day after was a workday as well. The conversation with friends got silly, but I wasn't bored with them in the least. I was just tired. It was amazing driving home from the restaurant without any buzz or impaired motor control. I realized just how often I got behind the wheel after a few drinks. Pretty interesting.

Its feb 3rd and Im feeling strong. Great workouts in the gym, and a very clear head. I miss an afternoon beer with my weekend lunch.

macRover

Audio: needs new stereo unit with auxiliary in. Circuit City has a nice looking sony with aux on the front.

Power: need breakout box

Move amp to rear? Mac unit hidden in center console?

Software goals:
Wireless connect via cell, download rss content, and display?
Google earth with gps. Instant startup, no need to manually select GPS.
Touchscreen music and video (Amped)
Remote access via remoteDesktop (Wake on Lan?)
Upload of position via FTP

ftp?

migrating to ftp server

Things I would like to do

Learn Spanish
Learn Morse Code
Upgrade to General License
Ham Antenna on roof
Ham radio in truck
Read 1 tech chapter per day

OSX only

Im in the process of migrating from desktop WinXP Pro to OSX Laptop only. I'll have a VM running Win2K on a server for outlook/wireless sync via verizon moto q, but thats it. Fingers crossed...

Moto Q via bluetooth DUN OSX

I am posting this via Moto Q via bluetooth DUN OSX. But you already knew that, since you read the title of this post. 

book of the day? project management. chapter 3. haven't read it yet, but here goes. 7am to 8am then 1.5 hours in the gym. now im home, and going to bed with a project management book. 

the money isn't worth it. when do i get to spend it? lunch? im so busy i eat lunch at my desk.

anyway: time for bed and a chapter as promised.

Book learnin'

I've commited to um, well... a chapter a day every day. One chapter each and every day of any technical manual. Current readings vary from javascript to advanced OSX hacks to C# 2005. I feel productive and learned' when I read a chapter a day, and lazy and slackerish when I do not. 

It would be wise if I actually posted which/what chapter I read on this here interweb blog. So here goes: today I re-read the 6th chapter (OOP) of the Learning C# book. Success.

I am posting this from a Mac OSX widget. cool?

Project Truck PC

Purpose: Fast loading interface which powers on with auto start and ggracefully powers off when auto power is turned off. Serves as navigation, music, video and engine diagnostic application.

Navigation: As the defender is an off road vehicle, USGS maps will be a plus. Google Earth could work as well, assuming I can cache maps to hard drive where internet isn't available.

Music/Video: I will need to find or code a simple interface which works well via touch screen.

Camera: A back up camera is a must. Bonus points for servo mount so I can rotate camera view 360 degrees.

Engine Diagnostic: Ability to read/clear engine codes.

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Version 1:
Monitor: 7" Xenarc Touch Screen
CPU: PIII 700Mhz 128 Megs laptop running XP Pro. (Runs it surprisngly well!)
Needed: 4 port USB hub, video camera