Geoffrey Smalling

A Journey Into Open Source Web Frameworks

Some Other User — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 05:04:16 GMT

I have been developing web / enterprise software for 15+ years professionally. Starting with ASP / VBScript, JAVA and J2EE, and for the last 8 years, mostly Microsoft .NET c#. The first 6 months of this year, I have been tinkering with various open source platforms and ideologies at night and during my commute to work. The software world has changed in the last 5 years drastically. I like what I have learned.

I started with the tried and true PHP / MySql. Starting first with no framework, and then tinkering with various frameworks. For me, PHP was a quick learn. It reminded me heavily of the ASP world. However, I was amazed with how the PHP platform had changed since I last used it many years ago. Object Orientation has come along way. I was able to build a bicycle library using objects. unit testing has come along way. There are many PHP frameworks, I investigated at least 3. Continuous integration is pretty amazing in PHP now. This really opened my eyes. Why do we pay Microsoft for MSDN and Team System and Sql Server. For large teams, this gets expensive. I started breaking down the stack, and learning all the technologies and there were tons! Its a huge world of options, like the wine world. I built a simple web blog with each tool I tried: Blog has Many Posts. A Post has Many Comments. A Post has many Tags. Tags belong to many Posts.

Web Server:
- Apache
- nginix
Back End: MySql
Frameworks:
ORM tools:
- Propel
- Doctrine
Unit Testing: PHPUnit
Continuous Integration: phpUnderControl

With PHP there was lots of promise! Continuing my 2010 quest to open my eyes, I looked at Ruby. I again built my Bicycle library to learn the basics. I really liked Ruby. I saw lots of promise in the interpreted language, and being able to run it inside of Java. I liked some of the language constructs. I liked that it was OO based. I liked that it had much more consistency than PHP has after years of churn. Active Record was amazing to me as a built in ORM Framework in Rails. I spent allot of time learning the basics of the language. I broke down the web stack here too:

Web Server:
Back End: MySql
Frameworks:
- Ruby on Rails
ORM tools: Active Record
Unit Testing:
Continuous Integration:

Amazing again! Lots of options.

Continuing on, I then started talking to a few people about Python. Built my Bicycle object model again. Probably the fastest for me to pick up. Unit testing was great. I really digged it, except for one thing. After 8 years of complex .NET c# OO, I have really begun to like getters and setters and various OO principles for encapsulation. Python trusts that you are good and will do good, you can see every member. It does do some mangling. I liked that term! I tried the frameworks: pylons and django.

So, after 8 months of off and on tinkering, when work and family allowed, its time to do something. I think I will start out with this Web Stack (plus mobile interfaces) and see where it takes me. I really liked Ruby over Python, can't put my finger on it, but going with it for now.

Don't get me wrong, I am still a Microsoft .NET c# fan, as it works and it scales! But I am very curious to learn some new stuff in this changing software world.

Next post, the idea for first project.

Web Video Conversion - FLV Player and Flash

Some Other User — Sat, 31 May 2008 18:17:50 GMT

Universal Web Video Compression to FLV

Are you sick of having to download many players? Many sites like youtube utilize FLASH. I wanted to figure this out for my own site. I have gone the Semi-Free way, which always takes some time… Here are the steps.

You will need three pieces of software, that are open source. Start downloading them from the various sites:

7Zip compression software
1. A new high compression software to replace zip
2. Download this and install it
3. 7-Zip Compression
FFMPEG – Converts your video file to FLV
1. Flash video is the key to the player problem, as it’s installed on 99% of browsers!
2. You can read about it here: ffMpeg Converter
3. Its very geeky, but ill make it a little easier with a simple Batch file
4. Download the file here: FFmPeg download

i. Grab the one with the most recent Date

Unzip it with the 7Zip software above

A Web Player – JW FLV Player

It’s a player that’s free for personal sites and cheap for commercial
It’s very extensible
FLV Media Player Download

Update IIS to stream FLV

Add a mime time for FLV
Set it to: flv-application/octet-stream
See notes: http://kb.adobe.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=tn_19439

Conversion Steps

I moved the FFMPEG.exe to a know location, like

c:\program files\VideoCompression

I then move the video file to that directory, like input.avi.

Then I run this from the command line:

Ffmpeg.exe -i input.mov -ar 22050 -ab 32000 -aspect 4:3 -b 2000 -r 12 -f flv -s 320x240 -ac 2 output2.flv

Parameter	Example	Description
-i		Input File Path
-ar	22050	Audio Sample Rate in Hz
-ab	32000 for Talk 64000 for Music	Audio Bit Rate in Bits / Sec. Use 32000 for Speaking and 64000 if there is music. But play around with the right setting for the file, as you can go down and not lose quality. Going up makes the files bigger
-aspect	4:3	Aspect ration of the video width : height
-b	500-2000	Video Bit Rate. Use 500-2000
-r	12	Frame Rate: 12 seems to work well, for action you may want to go higher.
-f	Flv	The format switch. Many formats are built in. But for ease of your users, use flv.
-s	320x240 640x480	Size: For web use 320x240. You could always do an optional bigger version for the patient people
-ac	1 2	Audio Channels – use 1 for web stuff, use 2 if you really need it, but 1 works.
Output file name	Output.flv	At the end, type in the file name of the result: output.flv

Publishing

After you generate your file, output.flv, you can then edit your html page and include the JW FLV Player. Look at the readme.html example that comes with it, when you unzip it.

Place the support objects in a known location on the web server.
Reference the Javascript file first
There are many options and also a great configurator on the author’s website.
- Flash Video Player Configurator

<a href="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer">Get the Flash Player</a> to see this player.</div>

var s1 = new SWFObject("mediaplayer.swf","mediaplayer","300","185","8");

s1.addParam("allowfullscreen","true");

s1.addVariable("width","300");

s1.addVariable("height","185");

s1.addVariable("file","output.flv");

s1.write("container");

</script>

Good Luck!

More Tips

Video Compression Tutorial

Embedding Flash Tutorial

Guide to kiteboarding – lessons learned

Some Other User — Sat, 17 May 2008 18:58:11 GMT

I get asked how to start kiteboarding all the time, so now I am writing down my lessons learned.

Buy a trainer kite, and go to the park / beach:

First, buy a trainer kite, and get very good at flying it. If you can’t keep it up in the air for an hour, how are you going to stay out on the water for an hour, with a bigger, stronger kite, a board, current and swell? Practice diving the kite from the zenith (neutral), and signing it to 6 o’clock and back up to the top. Work on one side, then the other.

Also try to fly the kite toward the “Edge of the wind window”, and hold it there very long without dropping it out of the sky. Very hard to do with a trainer kite, but this is how you launch and land a big kite. And the people who are helping you probably appreciate it if you have good kite control.

Good Trainer Kites:

There are many options. Be prepared to spend $90++. You need a 2-3m foil kite, with a bar, not two handles. Don’t worry; this is not a throwaway purchase. I use my trainer kite all the time still. I take it to bar-b-ques, the beach, and just go fly it when the wind isn’t strong enough to kiteboard. Friends love playing with the trainer kite, it looks easy but isn’t!

Generic trainer from the shop I get all my gear - http://www.kitewindsurf.com/store/detail.aspx?ID=583

Slingshot b2 - http://www.mackiteboarding.com/cgi-bin/shopper.cgi?preadd=action&key=D5KTSLI1154

Best – a good online brand - http://www.bestkiteboarding.com/TrainerKite

Take a Lesson

Be prepared to spend some money taking a lesson. These kites are really powerful!!! The instructors will start you on some smaller kites. Safety will be taught, especially separating the lines and double checking them, rigging the kite for flight, double checking the lines, and also how to use your safety release to de-power the kite. Pay attention to the gear your instructor is using and always ask him what kind of gear would be good for you. I should have listened to my instructor more here, but I was overwhelmed flying the kite, learning to ride a board, and dealing with the water! I ended up taking several lessons. And I wished I would have watched the Zero to Hero video below, first!

1) Land / Water lesson combo cost - Group Land/Water $350 6 hours

2) Land lesson -

a. Choosing a kite for conditions

b. Rigging the kite

c. Checking the lines

d. Using the chicken loop

e. Using the safety

f. Self and Assisted launch

g. Assisted and self landing

h. Flew the 6m kite on short lines…

i. Put away

3) Water lesson -

a. Went over everything from the land lesson

b. Practiced launching / landing a couple times

c. Got in water and body dragged around

d. Diving the kite for power

e. Re-launching the kite after a crash

f. Getting up on the board – for a second!

g. Safely putting up the kite in the water

Continued Education:

Beginning movie - Zero to Hero covers beginner through self-sufficient riding.

Why is self-sufficient bold, because your out under the power of the kite, on your own. There maybe other riders out there, but you have to be able to handle issues on your own. I practiced self-rescuing myself after every session initially. I would crash and re-launch the kite a bunch, then self land the kite in the water by releasing my safety or un-hooking. Then I would work on getting to the kite without tangling the lines, and keeping my board with me. And finally, self rescue to shore. Its really hard to do in swell and strong winds, I couldn’t imagine being hurt and doing it in strong wind and swell, so practice! Not many beginners do this, they rush to jumping!

Evolution – Beginner to Intermediate kite boarding. Evolution is a great video for people who have already taken a land and water lesson. I would skip it if you have, but I bought the full 5 disc set. Re-teaches you some things and works up to transitions (turns) and then to riding up-wind. I wish I had seen it before I went out on my own, as I spent most of my sessions walking up the beach! I didn’t think to setup a circuit.

Practice, Practice, Practice:

This sport has a high learning curve. It takes many hours in the water. Don’t get frustrated. Once you flip the magic switch, and start riding upwind, its all fun! Quick progression happens. You’ll be addicted and checking the wind / kiteboarding forums all day long!

Skiing at Northstar in Big Storm

Some Other User — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 18:33:48 GMT

Ski Videos

Alissa, Danny, and Geoffrey skiing Flatstar (Northstar) Backside in deep and getting deeper snow.

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Just got back from Costa Rica

Some Other User — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 07:22:45 GMT

Alissa and I just got back from Costa Rica . What a wonderful country. We were able to do lots of nature hikes. It is a pretty diverse place; we were in rain forest, cloud forest, and beach side forest. All of the places were very exciting and interesting, although it is getting quite touristy. I would highly recommend it for the adventurous couples and families. Kids really like seeing all of the animals, especially the monkeys in Manuel Antonio.

We first went to Arenal , were we stayed right at the base of the Arenal Volcano, at the Arenal observatory lodge. We were treated to nature hikes to the old lava flow at night and to a waterfall. We also watched several orchestrated feedings of the local birds. Besides nature, we indulged in a luxurious hot springs trip at the Baldi Hot Springs. We also spotted several groups of Howler monkeys. One was quite large with at least 9 in the group.

We then took a boat / jeep ride to Monteverde, up in the cloud forest. I think this was one of my favorite parts. The forest is very strange. Its always in the clouds, so trees don’t grow rings in the bark. The bark never hardens from the moisture. Also plants hardly grow on the ground; they grow in the tree tops. They call this an epiphite. We saw lots of birds here, and Alissa spotted the resplendent quetzal, a highly prized sighting.

We then drove down to Manuel Antonio, for some relaxing beach time. We chilled at the beach, learned to surf, and I got to practice my scuba diving skills. We also enjoyed lots of monkey sightings, both squirrel and capuchin Monkeys.

A wonderful trip. We will write a more detailed journal soon. Here is our Costa Rica itinerary, and also our photos.

Geoff

First Blog Entry - What is this about?

Your DisplayName here! — Sun, 14 Oct 2007 07:28:48 GMT

My wife and mother in law said I should begin blogging. I don’t know what they are thinking. Most of my family, friends and co-workers know I am the worst at grammar and spelling. My English teacher would laugh at the thought. Well, ill give it a go, as I do have a bit of insomnia. I should start writing down some of these thoughts.

Who am I?

I am from Houston , TX , from a very nice, loving, yet complicated family. I am sure you have heard that before. My father got me interested in computers at an early age. My mother kept me busy with many activities. I am very thankful to my family, as I have gotten to experience a ton.

I moved out to San Francisco after college at University of Texas - Austin . I studied electrical engineering, however, I had a little too much fun water skiing, mtn biking, scuba diving, and web programming, that I went into Web application consulting. Not the hardcore EE. I write software for websites, not chips or digital signal processing. What’s worse? I got a little bit of the wine bug, while out in Northern California , so I write software for a wine company. The #1 online wine retailer, wine.com.

Sounds like an easy job, but its not. After prohibition, the states were left to maker their own wine laws. So each state has its own regulations. We have to make sure we comply with all of these crazy laws. We have more warehouses than your typical online retailer, who tries to consolidate. No economy of scale there.

I love to ski. Downhill skis. I still have not snowboarded. Luckily I met a wife, who also loves to ski. We ski allot in the winter at Squaw Valley and Northstar. We love it. I have also gotten my wife into Mtn Biking, my college passion. We ride out of our house on the weekends, across the Golden Gate Bridge and into the Marin Headlands. What could be better than that? I still haven’t gotten her into my new sport, kiteboarding, but she likes to watch from a beach chair.

To cut to the chase, what is this blog about? It will be about the Northern California Experience: Work (c# coding), Wine, Adventure, and Travel. Ill post all of our weekend getaways and links to information about the areas. If anything, it will be a diary our kids and family can read.

Hope you find it a decent read.

Geoff