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May 31, 2003
Text Pipe
It is not often that I get very excited about a piece of software but this week I unearthed an amazing bit of code.
For the past few months I have been working on a complicated project that included a superb team of designers in New Zealand with the past two weeks becoming very intensive for me. I received a zip file of the entire site - well over 200 pages – and a pre-agreed directory structure and file naming convention. We pre built the framework for these pages into our content management system but the inter links between the pages needed a long complicated extra string on the end of each url and some additions to the root of the url. We had a spread sheet of the file names and their new urls and diligently using Find and Replace in Dreamweaver input each url and its replacement then searched the whole site changing and replacing each one in one go per link. That’s over 200 times, one for each page. It took about five hours between us and was soul-destroying work.
A couple of days later we received 17 updated pages which meant that we had to either go through the whole 200+ replacement process again for these 17 files or go into each file and find each url and replace it. I opened the first file and there were 34 links to replace. I looked each one up on the spreadsheet and replaced it. I then estimated that it would take between four and five hours to do all 17 files. I had to find a solution.
After a half hour searching on the web I found Text Pipe and downloaded the trial software for Text Pipe Web as that seemed appropriate. The find and replace capabilities are awesome. It allows you to create 'filters' - things to search for and what to replace them with - but you can have multiple filters in one search. I entered all 200+ links and their replacements into Text Pipe and saved the filter for future use. I then ran it on the site files and output the changed files to a separate directory. And it worked! - although only on 5 files as that’s all the evaluation version will allow. I immediately went on-line and purchased Text Pipe pro and although I had a little problem getting the unlock key and link to the full version a quick phone call and chat with the very amiable Simon Carter the CEO Crystal Software, sorted everything out.
I downloaded the full version, opened my previously saved filter and ran it on the site files. It took 50 seconds to do what it took two of us 5 hours to accomplish earlier in the week. I was stunned and somewhat happy. Over the next few hours I tweaked the filter so that it was perfect and added four other filters to replace things like headers and footers in the code we did not need and some object code in certain files that used flash. I could have done this with Dreamweaver but the advantage with the filters is that they are saved for re-use.
The last full version of the site we received from the New Zealand Design company was at 7:10am on Friday morning and without Text Pipe we would never have met the 10am deadline to get the pages into the site before launch. I must add that the late running deadline had nothing to do with the design team who in my opinion did a superb and very difficult job to extream deadlines and I hope to work with them again in the future.
Fantastic product and gets my full endorsement even though I have only just touched the surface on its capabilities!
Posted by Simon at 12:27 PM | Comments (1)
May 27, 2003
How stupid are train drivers?
So I get on the local train this morning - the hottest day of the year so far, and the heating is on. Not only was I hot and unfit for work when I arrived, my disposition toward other passengers and possibly members of the train crew was at an all time low. I say possibly members of the Train crew as there were none to be found. As soon as the train has stopped they are off to thier tea room faster than a hamster gnawing its way out of a sack full of angry snakes. Do these driver just turn the heat on in the depot to get themselves warm and then forget or do they do it maliciosly. My money is on the second one. I think that they think that they earn less than the passengers on thier substandard train on thier way up to the city. Wondered why the trains are so substandard? It's because theres not much left over after paying the drivers thier heafty wack. The average wage packet on the local trains is a lot less than the drivers - I know I personally counted them all.
Posted by Simon at 08:22 AM | Comments (3)
May 26, 2003
New garden water feature
I have installed a new water feature in the garden at the back in the raised bed. Paula and I visted the Ideal Home Exhibition in March where they had several fantastic stainless steel water features outside the show houses. On enquirey it turned out that each was custom made and costs started at £7,000. Nice but meant giving up food for a few years!
Then we came across a stand that did all sorts of twee garden lights but had stunning tubular water features. Three four inch diameter tubes with water cascading down the sides - and at a vey good price (no where near the custom price!!) - we had to have one! I coughed up the dosh and waited five weeks for delivery and I installed the feature last Sunday.
The kit comprised of a normal black bubble pool that you will find in all garden centres these days but with 4 short tubes welded together in the middle. Into these go the three stainless tubes, the centre short tube is for spacing, one four foor, one three foot and the last two foot.
In the pool is a pump - unfortunatly the company had forgotten to pack some of the hose and valves required but a quick trip to Woodcote Green Nurseries Garden Centre and I had all the components needed. I then wired it up and spent a good hour with the long spirit level and short words getting the three tubes perfectly upright. I then filled the pool with water and spent the next half hour re-adjusting the tubes to get the flow right! (More swearing is mandatory!)
I then covered the base with the rounded rocks we had purchased from Woodcote to finish it off and it looks stunning!
I had always envisaged a water feature in this part of the garden but could never imagin how good the tubes look - it sets off so well with the curves and modernism of the garden. Perfect! We had feiends around tonight, with coupious wine, and they all admired the feature (what else can you call it - feature sounds so stupid!!).
They also do a stainless steel deer scarer - I am tempted!
Update!
We have had quite a few enquiries about our fab water feature and people have been missing my posted comment with the details of where we obtained the feature from so I will repeat it here:
Farmers Cottage Lamps Ltd.
The Blacksmith Shop, Castle Lane, Maxstoke, Coleshill, Birmingham, B46 2RA
01675 464705
Posted by Simon at 07:40 AM | Comments (11)
May 24, 2003
All my own work
Planted these allium christophii last year as bulbs and just look at 'em now! Lots of other bulbs on their way too - irises, acidantheras, arum and oriental lilies and brodiaea- but the madonna lilies don't look at all happy - hoping they'll rally. Can't believe I'm happy to spend hours pottering about and even read my plant books in bed!! (Simon's thrilled)
Posted by Paula at 07:33 AM | Comments (1)
Grub it out!
Fed up with Google? No? I know it is very good but have you noticed that the results have become more and more commercial over the past few years?
Grub.org was launched earlier this year and it is a network based distributive search engine - like the SETI project it uses your PC (not Mac unfortunatly) when you are not.
I like this idea so am running the software at home and trying to support it in a little way - you never know, if there are enough people (100k+) running the software it could become very very good.
Grub's Distributed Web Crawling Project
Posted by Simon at 06:23 AM | Comments (0)
May 23, 2003
Kathleen Godfrey 1911-2003
Paula and I attended my gran’s funeral yesterday. A sombre affair but a good turn out and some hearty singing followed by some hearty reminiscing and drinking back at Barnfield. Dad even let me have some of his very special malt whisky. A reflective thought of mine during the day was that Gran had lived through an amazing time in human development. She was born on a farm during the height of the industrial revolution and lived to see the beginnings of the current technological evolution. She had a great life and will be missed by us all.
Posted by Simon at 10:07 AM | Comments (0)
May 22, 2003
Radiohead new minisite
I have been a big fan of Radiohead for years, just thought I would mention, and they have just set up a new mini site RADIOHEAD.tv which should be interesting when it launches.
Posted by Simon at 10:45 AM | Comments (0)
May 19, 2003
New York day 5
Well I hit the Internet Cafe on 5th Ave today as I was getting digital withdrawal. Last night we all went to a very nice little Italian restaurant in Greenwich Village. Didn't go on to a jazz club as expected, as we were very tired.
We are mainly shopping and taking it easy today - weather is glorious.
Taj Mahal is at the Blue Note and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers are at Madison Square Gardens the night we leave - pants.
I will spell check this later but I am in rush because Paula’s may know where the Manolo Blahnik shoe shop is and I need to divert her!
Posted by Simon at 04:20 AM | Comments (0)
May 13, 2003
MA Course relevant links
Relevant links for my MA course (put here for my convenience!)
http://www.culture.gov.uk/default.htm
http://media.guardian.co.uk/
http://www.mpaa.org/home.htm
http://www.screendigest.com/
http://www.skillset.org/intro.html
http://www.cios.org/
http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/
The media bit :
http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/category_editor.asp?L2=17
http://www.mediajournal.org/
Note in particular:
http://www.mediajournal.org/modules/issue/view.php?id=13
http://www.nesta.org.uk/inspireme/
Posted by Simon at 10:17 AM | Comments (1)
May 08, 2003
Peter Cochrane's Uncommon Sense: Web Realities
Article on how internet usage is actually following traditional industrial revolution models of growth.
silicon.com - Peter Cochrane's Uncommon Sense: Web Realities
Posted by Simon at 10:37 AM | Comments (0)
Gary Kurtz talks
Our lecture got diverted tonight as we went along to a talk by Gary Kurtz, producer of American Graffiti, Star Wars and Empire Strikes back, The Dark Crystal and Two Lane Black Top amongst many many films and projects he talked about. Most of the 30 students there were fairly young so will not remember half of the stuff he was talking about but it was good for the old ones like me!
Kurtz said that the Star Wars DVDs will be coming out after the 6th (3rd) episode has been released. He also stated why he didn't like the Extended edition Release of Star Wars - and they were very valid reasons and he was trying to persuadfe the powers that be to release the original Star Wars along side the Extended version on DVD.
It's not often I get to listen to people talk about their work with Kubrick, Welles, De Niro, Hitchcock, Oz, and so many many other greats. A genuinely nice chap and a splendid evening.
Posted by Simon at 02:08 AM | Comments (0)
May 07, 2003
Microsoft plans toilets with Web access
"Now on the way: "Surfing on the loo" with Internet access at portable toilets.
The iLoo being developed by the MSN division of Microsoft Corp. in Britain is a standard portable toilet -- a "loo" to the English -- with a wireless keyboard and extending, height-adjustable plasma screen in front of the seat.
There would also be a "Hotmail station" with waterproof keyboard and plasma screen on the outside for those waiting in line.
MSN officials say they're negotiating for the manufacture of toilet paper imprinted with Web addresses that users may not have tried. " Salon.com
They could try some Microsoft urls then! I love this story - especially as I have been known to surf whilst having a number 2 at home - thanks to our WiFi - very upsetting for friends when they are on Messanger and realise I'm in the small room!
Salon.com Technology | Microsoft plans toilets with Web access
Posted by Simon at 03:26 AM | Comments (0)
May 06, 2003
wma189
I have a had a great deal of people reaching this site having followed a search for wma189. The reason they are landing here is that I have a page of e-mail addresses that have spammed me and this has been indexed by the search engines.
I can only assume from the amount of visitors that lots of people are getting fed up with getting unsolicited e-mail from wma189.com, owned incidentally by Arlene Allan of Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA - but no web site.
What amazes me is that if you put wma189 into Google the only result is this site.
Fortunately there are laws surfacing to reduce the amount of spam on the internet, reports say that over 40% of all internet traffic is span e-mail. Virginian laws are about to get tougher and as they are the access point for AOL and other services this should cut down a lot of the spam. But where will it all go - my guess is mobile phones as I am starting to get unsolicited calls and sms text messages now - and that's even more of a pain...
Posted by Simon at 10:04 AM | Comments (1)
May 02, 2003
What kind of thinker are you?
"For many years, people used IQ tests to try and determine someone’s intelligence. However, some researchers believe that IQ tests do not take into account the fact that different people might think in different ways, and have different strengths and weaknesses.
Most people would agree that Mozart was a genius - but Mozart would probably have struggled with Einstein’s theories just like the rest of us. This doesn’t mean that one man was more clever than the other – they just thought in very different ways." BBC
BBCi - Leonardo - Thinker quiz
Many psychologists now believe that what we call intelligence can be subdivided into different categories, all of which can all be measured independently. Different kinds of thinking are needed to solve different problems.
It turns out I am a spatial thinker!
Like other spatial thinkers, Leonardo had a talent for designing buildings and machinery. He also invented a new style of map making.
Spatial Thinkers:
Tend to think in pictures, and can develop good mental models of the physical world.
Think well in three dimensions
Have a flair for working with objects
Other Spatial Thinkers include Pablo Picasso, Michelangelo, Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Careers which suit Spatial Thinkers include
Mechanic, Photographer, Artist, Architect, Engineer, Builder, Set designer
Posted by Simon at 02:06 AM | Comments (1)
Will the real Saddam please stand up
I have just come across this hilarious send up of Saddam to Eminems 'Please Stand up'. Purile truley but an underlying genius peice of work.
Posted by Simon at 01:22 AM | Comments (0)
May 01, 2003
Peyps online diary mentions Deal today
Thanks to Dean who pointed out that the online diary of Pepys mentions a trip to Deal for the ale today.
Pepys' Diary: Monday 30 April 1660
Posted by Simon at 03:28 AM | Comments (0)