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February 21, 2007
BBQ
We had a very successful BBQ yesterday, with high attendance that seemed to please most.
I think it's very important for UCS as a staff to spend time together in an environment that isn't always so driven (like computing tends to be). It helps us relate causually, and strengthens the team (in my opinion).
I've said it once and I'll say it again - I think we should have one once a term. Heck, throw in some work (like round-robin brainstorming, status reports, etc...) or start out with our Professional Development and ease into a day of conversations, movies, BBQ and ping-pong.
This one seemed pretty high maintenance. But to do it again we need what? Calling the Plant? Making sure Nathan is available and willing? Getting some meat (or veggies in Bill's case) to heat? Honestly I think it's not that much to do especially for as good of a time as we had. We'll just have to make sure it doesn't fall on an interview day...
Joan, hats off to you. Great party.
Posted by ellism at 2:52 AM | Comments (0)
February 17, 2007
I'd rather be...
Well I was sick most of this week. Only been in part of yesterday and today. I don't really love being sick, who does? You feel rotten, and when you return, your more behind than ever. Phooey.
But I'm back, and just finished cleaning up the little messes that happened while I was gone.
Yesterday I engaged in a mental exercise involving Self-Modifying Code. The concept has engaged me from my techno-infancy.
Code that changed itself...fixes itself...Improves itself.
It's quite a concept. But can a DB (database) do it? 'course - but it has less to do with the code and more to do with the data.
Recently (and the whole issue that's been inspiring my ... dangerous thinking) I've been fighting with a system that constantly gets out-of-sync with another system (although they are supposed to be always the same). Why can't I run a process (oracle job) that checks to make sure they are the same, then if it finds problems ... FIXES them. It's revolutionary, and not at the same time. Why can't the DB fix itself. It can. And soon it will.
I'm also gonna create a tool that logs all bugs from all of my apps. Another process will check the DB for all common problems AND will email a status report to me on the days I work. Brilliant.
Now how to find the time to set all of this up? Ah, there's the rub.
Posted by ellism at 1:14 AM | Comments (0)
February 3, 2007
AJAX
AJAX: Asynchronous Javascript and XMLHttpRequest
What does it mean? Well I started here. I found this 'new' technology on the internet that wasn't really anything new, just a mixed bag of other technologies. Summer and I started working on it, but ran into some technical issues. But those have now been resolved.
So what's the point? What's the deal? Why do we care?
AJAX allows a developer, such as myself, to dynamically manipulate the web page as I see fit. It allows me to receive input from the user, bounce that input off the DB and change the screen accordingly - all without submitting the page.
Think of it... a web application that behaves like a desktop one. Real application intelligence, improved user-experience, and all for the price of air.
So you can see my first success here. It's not anything super-special. But it fills the second drop-down dynamically from the DB quickly on both browsers. It's not much, but it works.
Now it's your turn.
DREAM. Dream big.
The possibilities are endless. I'm excited to see not only what we CAN do, but what we REALLY do.
Posted by ellism at 1:17 AM | Comments (0)