Cafe Bucky

When I was starting to learn PHP and MySQL in 2001, I wanted to tackle a project that meant something to me; a non-trivial web application…

So, being a photographer and programmer with some time on my hands, I decided to write a photo database.

The first iteration of FlexiPhoto had a hard-wired interface.  I rewrote it to support multiple UIs and languages.  Sometime in 2004-2005, I rewrote it again as a PHP5 app.

In 2006, I got distracted by Second Life :)  It was like going down a rabbit hole.  I got good at scripting in LSL [1].  I shelved my web projects.  What a mistake!  Although I have learned a lot of web tech in the last 5 years, I had my attention split by learning a lot about Second Life.  It’s nice to be good at it, but it doesn’t pay!  And, damn, I could use some money about now …

So I am back on the case with FlexiPhoto.  I have a virtual Ubuntu machine running at Slicehost, which I’ll use for the public-facing Demo, Wiki, and Download site.  I’m in the midst of dusting off FP (switching database layer from DB to MDB2, for one thing), and expect to have it available within a week.  It’s going to look clunky and very pre-AJAX, but then, I am a big fan of iteration.

A fun side note about Linux and running virtual machines at home: I still have my old 1U rack server, which hosted FlexiPhoto and other sites back in the day.  The damn thing is loud! It’s running an old version of Debian.  My task today is to mirror my Slicehost OS at home.  I’ve installed Ubuntu Karmic Koala (9.10) on my iMac, hosted via VirtualBox. That will give me synced development & public environments.  I also am able to dual boot my Samsung NC10 Netbook to Windows XP and Ubuntu.  I’ve got it covered, baby!

Geez, geeking out here big time.

Anyways, FlexiPhoto is a good portfolio piece of mine, and I am stoked to be working on it again.  It’s like an old friend :)

[1] …although, to this day, I really think Cory O should have finished LSL.  It even makes Tcl look good, and that’s saying a lot…

For many years, I didn’t believe in doing New Years Resolutions. I figured that it was a good idea to just resolve to change things as one went along. That’s still a good idea, but I do see the symbolism of the clean slate of a New Year.  Doubly so for a new decade.

And I also say Good Riddance to the decade of 2000-2009. There were lots of ups to it (I love you Kimmy, and you have filled our time together with so much love, energy, and grace — I want you in all of our decades to come :). There have also been way too many downs, and I’ve learned and just want to move on.

I’m blogging some of my resolutions, so that I put a little pressure on myself to get them done … I’m only listing things that I think I can really control. Stuff that involves other people or that gets a bit personal doesn’t get penned here.

Ze Resolutions

• Wake Up when the alarm goes off
  (hitting the snooze button on my iPod is way too convenient — I’m going to move it so that I have to get out of bed)
• Lose 20 pounds by June 1st
  (I refuse to go any bigger than 34×30 Levis 550’s — I am drawing my line in the sand!  task #1: buy a scale)
• Throw stuff out so that I dont need a storage area any longer

Tech & Creative Stuff

• Average one creative output per day (such as a picture, video, blog post, tweet)
• Make a list of all of the web sites I am registered with
  (and get rid of ones I am not likely to ever use again)
• Get daniel.org redone as a proper personal domain by February 1st (themed, pages for software and writings)
• actively use my lynda.com and safarionline.com accounts to keep learning (complete at least one video course per month, and read at least one tech book per month)
• Get slide scanner working and scan at least 50 slides per month
• learn final cut express and photoshop
• learn Ruby on Rails
• resurrect FlexiPhoto and implement ThereThen addresses so that photos can be aliased by time and location  — do this by March 1st.
• No more SL scripting unless there is a financial reason to do so
  (I feel like SL has been a huge detour — I am glad that I am very good LSL scripter and have done some innovative work, but I could have been using that time to do things that would have done more to pay the bills)

There are a ton of other things I could write as Resolutions, such as Get A Job or Travel To Europe, but anything that involves other people isn’t something I can completely control.   (I do think I will be working and traveling, but it’s not like 2000, where I had the resources to just grab tickets and friends and take off)

[update -- January 14, 2010]

So far, I am paying attention to some resolutions pretty well …

Kimmy – We’re not together any more.  I do wish her the best.

Waking up – Am doing much better at this!

Weight – have ordered a scale so that I know where I am at.  Lots of little tweaks, such as making 2 scrambled eggs instead of 3.

Creative output – yep!  Doing it.

Lynda.com and Safarionline – yep! Doing it.

Second Life – yep!  I have really pulled back and I dont script there any more.

The thought that sums up my mood lately is:

“I cant get the last few years back, but I can sure make the next few count.”

[update -- January 29, 2010]

Got a scale – doing daily weigh-ins, not gaining :)

Got a VPS (Virtual Private Server) via Slicehost.com and am configuring it

Hello There – I need to get working!

I’m starting to post my short blurb on Craigslist and elsewhere.

I realize there’s a ton of things I need to do to get my full online presence polished up (blog, web site, writing and code samples, etc).  I shall!

Anyways, this is my blurb:

——–

Resume: http://daniel.org/resume

my resume is a very interactive page, utilizing prototype.js — click on sections that highlight as you mouse around …

Some Keywords: PHP Perl MySQL Apache AJAX JavaScript Mac Linux LSL / OpenSim

Also: Energetic Experienced QA Writing Design Strategy Evaluation

Very experienced with web & app development (for 20+ years and I do what I love!).

I also have 3+ solid years in Second Life scripting (LSL) and building.

Goal: Web/LAMP and/or SL/Virtual World development, evaluation, prototyping. I have been happy freelancing for the last few years, but am open to a full time gig — depends on the individual situation.

LAMP & Mac. PHP/Perl/MySQL/JavaScript/JSON/Ajax/Prototype.js, YUI, etc.

I’ve done a lot with C++ in the past, and have touched on ActionScript 2.0.  I can dive back into C++/AS 3.0 with some time to refresh.  I would even dive back into Tcl if I couldn’t talk you out of it :)  I use techniques such as HTTPFox, Fiddler, and Firebug.

Web: I’ve worked on sites you’ve heard of, such as AOL.Com and Friendster.  I’ve worked with 10 mobile phones hanging off a Linux box to implement sending/receiving messages for a subscriber service.  I’ve done work with JackBe Presto to implement a mashup of search results (for a Wells Fargo proof of concept).

Second Life: You have seen my work with Interactive Objects — Contact Bucky Barkley in-world for more info.

I am also interested in coming up to speed in the areas of Augmented Reality (such as http://Layar.com ), iPhone SDK, and Google Wave.

I live in Petaluma CA, but may relocate. Commuting to SF is fine 3-4 days a week. I will consider concurrent part time or short term (2 weeks – month) projects. I am up for telecommuting + meetings almost anywhere.  Of particular interest is NYC and the UK.

I’ve been thinking about what I want to do, gig-wise.  For way too long, I’d been waiting for Second Life and OpenSim to pop up on the radar as a marketable skill.  I’m good at it, but hell, the average salary for SL gigs is way down there [1]

There is a lot out there in the Tech Landscape that thrills me:

Google Wave, Augmented Reality, and the iPhone (in addition to the Web 2.0 LAMP/AJAX stuff I love doing)

I am waiting for my developer login for Google Wave.  Visualize Email that turns into an IM, which flows into a collaborative document, with full playback of who edited what.  That’s an icebergian tip …

Or you can look at some pretty pictures and get an idea …

I also found it instructive to watch the video on how Wave handles Concurrent Editing.

One imagines Wave dovetailing with projects in SL, Augmented Reality, and all manner of mobile devices.

As for AR (Augmented Reality), three examples everyone should check would be:

• Layar, worlds first mobile Augmented Reality browser
• The Acrossair bit on the BBC
• The biz card demo

Oh, and the ARToolkit running on the iPhone …

Speaking of the iPhone, I have downloaded the SDK and have signed up as a developer.  Objective C hits me as a kinder, gentler take on C++ and Java.  I am digging it so far.

None of this should be taken as a sign I am leaving Web Development.  Far from it!  I am just looking at the likely directions that spring from it, where I think there will be a lot of interest and opportunity.

[1] I  have recent info from Susan, who heard it firsthand from someone presenting from Marketing Truths at SLCC

For three years, I have been very much into SecondLife.

A problem is that I really wanted to work in it.  I wanted to be a good enough scripter / engineer to be worthy of real life pay in a virtual world.

Some are.  Some do make a living in SL.  But they seem to be few and far between.

I did write a piece recently about how I think OpenSim will win.  I stick to that.  I am not clear on how I will personally make much money in that area at this time, but I do think there is a clear comparison to the development efforts of Apache in the 1990’s.

My experience in SL has been that I could pick up a gig here and there and get paid in Lindens (but never very much), or that I could occasionally get a building gig that paid real money.  It was never anything consistent that I could consider living off of.  Most development in SL is done on a very slim budget, or simply for free as part of volunteer / community efforts.

As for my store, I give away my interactive objects for free, in part because it is a way of getting my portfolio out there.  I get < $10 a week from donations.

So my conclusion is, I will pay attention to SL and OpenSim, but I am going to stop developing in them for the time being.  It takes away too much time that I really need to spend doing RL work.  I am certainly open to gigs that pay; I just dont see how I can count on that though.  I see gatewaying to the web, and the trends of Google Wave and Augmented Reality, as being areas where there will be big opportunities.  Some of that will map nicely into SL/OpenSim.  They’re just not here yet on a big enough scale.

Kim and I will use our SL time to explore and attend events, and basically chill out together :)

The countryside beckons.  Worn out roads need their picture taken.  They aim to put on asphalt makeup and cover their bots dots for a “Roadway Pinup Monthly” centerfold (daring Cornwall cliffs shed retaining walls, show you all!).  I aim to see a few roads.

I love to travel, and so have been mulling over dastardly plans on how to do that and get paid.  Snicker not, kind reader, for I am armed with a skill or two!  I shall Dance In The Country! Techstyle!

Perched in the midst of Getaway Central, Somewhere in Europe.  Perhaps I am in Tuscany.  Go with it, y’all…   Some people cant make it that far, ya know.  They have boring jobs and soccer brats and mortgages and neighbors with habits that scare them slightly and one too many frikken meetings to go to this week, and, yep, looks like the next one after that.  Their life is living them.

However, some people love to live vicariously….  We’re not just talking about the Peeping Toms and Tanyas…

And therein lies the country wheat germ of a hint of an idea.  Somewhere in this post I will spell it out, but I am going to my damnedest not to crystalize it in one sentence.  This is a post about the country, where paths meander.

Back to Tom and Tanya and their Peepers…

Would they watch an irreverent slidecast that shows the beauty of Dancing In The Country?  Which country?  Which part of the country? Well, send me money and I’ll alter my travel plans!  I sense that there is an opportunity to cater to the wannabe traveler.  Ok, well a subset of them.  I aim to displease those who would look down their nose at anything less than a high minded exhaustive treatise done by thee Almighty BBC.  Think of David Letterman and Monty Python pulling into town in a noisy oil smoking 1969 VW Bug with a grinding clutch and rusted shirt hanger antenna. Whoa there, move it, we have weak brakes!  Park, grab camera, some cafe coin for coffee, cheerful attitude, and a hankering to satisfy the insatiable desire of Jonathan Livingston Armchair Traveler Seagull.

I love to write and photo and video.  I also enjoy talking to the locals and getting the sense of things.  As it turns out, I’ve been doing this sort of thing in Second Life for the last 2 1/2 years.  Yeah, and the experience surely does spill over to the Real World.  Something about SL has made it much more comfy to strike up conversations with strangers.  Amazingly, most of them do not recoil in horror when I do this.  Could be all of the free Lindens I give em.

So the threads are  .. travel, take in the gist, write and photo it, and …

Omg.. is he going to talk about yet another fucking Social Networking Website?  Bucky!  How could you?  It’s almost 2009 you big smelly gorilla!

Now hang on there pardner.  We have the advantage of history.  We know what doesn’t work (like Sarah Palin applying for Mensa), and we know the world economy is on brink of collapse.  What a great time of opportunity!  Nobody can afford to travel, so we’ll do it for them!  We’ll mash it up on a web site with commentary, supplement with local feeds, point to Amazon Associates items that actually talk about the locale in question, and laugh all the way to the credit union.

So that is the thought .. how to mash up skills and local feeds, and turn the situation of traveling into a self sustaining gig.  It would be a side project.. a weekend here and there to start.  The two keys would be the power of the mashup info (content from elsewhere), and the irreverent look at things (local discontent :)

And that is the Dance in the Country.  Cha cha cha.

So I am in my fave chinese lunch spot, Jennie Lows, laughing to the point of tears at my David Sedaris book between bites of Mongolian Beef, trying not to spit up my Tsing Tao …

My cookie comes with the check.  For just once, I want to see “Today you do not have to pay!”.  Wouldn’t that be a hoot?  I would do a victory lap around the joint, waving my precious slip of paper like Mr. Bean with a First Class Ticket.  They’d give me a key to the city and a massage.

But my fortune was altogether different, and very, very, wrong …

“For better luck you have to wait till spring”

I blinked.  Wait, someone got paid to write that?

“For better luck you have to wait till spring”

It was real.  WTF! …  It’s not even October!  Maybe they meant when Spring comes in Australia, but I checked with my friends there and it’s still cold.

It couldn’t be serious, right?  Someone bored in Fortune Central?  Perhaps this could have been worse.  They may have had extensive editorial meetings on this one:

(boss) Jenkins!  What da ya got today!

(jenkins) Well…. How about “You may as well give up till the groundhog says so” ??

(boss) Ohhhh.. no we cant use that, we’d be liable if someone got upset and choked to death on their egg roll

(cathy interjects) How about: “Your blood will run cold till the leaves turn green” ??

(boss furrows brow) Noo.. too Gothic.  And the Red Cross wouldn’t like it either

(jenkins) “Oh! I know!  — “For better luck you have to wait till spring”

(all)  Oohhhhh yesssss!!

(peterman, the wise sage in the corner)  Yes!  It gives a ray of hope but does not really promise a thing!

(all) Ha ha ha ha!

I am staying offline tomorrow, Saturday August 30th.

Why?

To switch gears a bit. Think of the last 20 years, and all of the change that has snuck up on us:

• cell phones
• blogs / facebook / myspace / linked in
• web
• twitter
• IMs
• email

It’s amazing when you think back to the 80’s.  In terms of communication, and the sense of being ‘always on’, they seem almost tranquil by compare…  It will be good to stop for a moment and reflect a bit.

So I will do my best to play hooky from the online world tomorrow.  One of the best parts is that I wont be checking online to see if anyone joins me.  It is a switch off day.  I’ll apologize on Sunday :)