Next Chapter

I am going to start the next chapter of my career at Collaborative Software Initiative.

As I get my feet under me there in the coming weeks I'll say more about it.

I have had a fantastic time in my current position & have learned a ton. I have worked with wonderful & brilliant people. Leaving is definitely bittersweet.

But this opportunity is where my heart is. I am passionate about open source and more specifically open source in vertical markets & government.

You only live once & you only get a shot at fulfilling your dreams a couple times. When opportunity knocks you must jump with both feet.

Wish me luck.

Ubuntu Thinkpad

I spent part of my evening installing Ubuntu on my new Thinkpad.

The download of Ubuntu went fine. Burning a CD/DVD took 6 tries!

After that, though, it was smooth sailing. Ubuntu found my wireless network & prompted me to install the proprietary NVIDIA driver for my graphics card.

Yay.

Disconnected Client Alternatives

I want to build a *simple* cross platform fat client application. It will allow users to enter data while disconnected and then upload it to a server when they have a connection.

I'd prefer not to use Java (black magic) or AIR (not ready?).

I'd prefer to hurt the web as little as possible (i.e., the more web technology in it the better for skills transfer)

I'd prefer it to be open source.

I'd prefer to not have to hire specialist ninjas to be able to build it. Every day web programmers should be able to get up to speed with it.

What are some good choices?

XUL? Mozilla Prism (some day)? Google Gears?

Update - Nov 27

This post got some helpful comments - thanks! And a nice post from Erik Onnen - thanks! There is much love for AIR. I went to the Adobe Bus Tour and generally like Adobe. The proprietary nature of it is tough pill to swallow - opening Flex was a step in the right direction, but I'd like to see more more more.

Release It!

What Steve Vinoski said:

Release It! is truly excellent.

REST UML Drawing

Nice REST UML drawring style by Benjamin Carlyle.

Kenny and Zukes

I went to Kenny and Zukes yesterday. I had a pastrami sandwich. It was freakishly good.

Erik Onnen claims it is better than NYC. I have to (gasp) agree. Dang good. And right down the street from me. Yum.

RESTful Web Apps

Nice post by Matt Raible on RESTful Struts. One thing Matt, code gen is a bug ;)

I have been thinking about this for a couple 2-3 weeks. How do you build apps that are apps and RESTful services vs. building an app and then a RESTful service bolt-on-side-car?

Pete Lacey had a nice demo with a Ruby on Rails demo of this type of thing last week.

I find it really entertaining that more and more people are having the REST light bulb go off in their heads. It is like - wait! I have been hurtn' the web for how many years!?!? You mean it could be this simple and I can have all this reliable, scalable, security booya because the web works so well? Holy s%*#!!!!

Java based Atompub Options

I know of the following Java based Atompub impls:

• Apache Abdera
• Atomojo
• Rome Propono

The Restlet folks have also talked of implementing basic Atompub support which is appealing.

Am I missing any other impls?

Anybody have any happy experience with these or other impls?

We looked at several a couple 2-3 months ago, but all have changed since then.

QCon REST

I had a great time at QCon Connecting SOA and the Web: How much REST do we need?.

The presentations / discussions were great. I learned a couple new things. It was definitely the best conference I have been to in a long time.

Having dinner with Dan Diephouse, Stefan Tilkov, Steve Vinoski, Sanjiva Weerawarana, Pete Lacey, Glen Daniels, Jim Webber & Patrick Logan was also a lot of fun. I have known many of them virtually for a long time. It was nice to talk in person and share some great laughs.

Stefan Tilkov - REST Talk

Good stuff.

Ducks

For whatever reason I stopped watching sports when I moved to Oregon 6 years ago. I think it was because I started getting into my own sports more here (fly fishing, hiking, biking) & it was hard to see the teams I liked on TV here.

I have followed Oregon State and Oregon a little bit, but not very much.

Yesterday was the first time I felt myself becoming a Duck Fan.

My dad called me from the Michigan - Michigan State game to report that Michigan State was coming back - I was watching the Oregon game completely unaware. I grew up a fairly big Michigan State fan.

I think that the fact that Oregon is doing so well is a big part of my interest. But as I make more and more Oregonian friends (who are fanatics for Oregon), I find myself caring a bit more. It is funny how the longer you live somewhere the more it feels like home.

That Dixon dude is ridiculous - very exciting QB to watch. I hope his knee isn't canned.

Update PS. I am still very sad that Michigan beat Michigan State. I hate it when MSU loses to Michigan or Notre Dame.