http://blog.punchbarrel.com Frank Carver's musings about software and life Sat, 22 Nov 2008 01:47:36 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en If you have ever run multiple terminal windows at the same time on a Linux system you have probably hit this problem. Only part of the command history seems to be saved for future sessions. This can be really irritating if you want to go back and re-sun some complex, ... http://blog.punchbarrel.com/2008/11/22/dont-lose-that-command-history/ I'd not seen this before, but it certainly has echoes of real life. The Parable of the Two Programmers http://blog.punchbarrel.com/2008/11/20/the-parable-of-the-two-programmers/ I can't think of any real uses for this right now, but I can think of lots of possible uses! thekua.com@work » Validating JVM Arguments in Code http://blog.punchbarrel.com/2008/11/20/validating-jvm-arguments-in-code/ This is a neat observation. One equivalent to test-Driven Development (TDD) when working with an existing codebase might be "test-driven refactoring". The idea seems to be that at any particular point in the lifecycle of a software system not all of the benefits of TDD are actually being used. So ... http://blog.punchbarrel.com/2008/11/20/tdd-and-test-driven-refactoring/ I'd not encountered this before, but it does kind of make sense. Showing a bright pixel consumes more energy on most display technologies. so choosing a black background for applications and web sites can help save both your own energy bills, and the planet! ecoIron - All these whirring boxes.: The ... http://blog.punchbarrel.com/2008/11/19/less-bright-applications-and-web-sites-save-power/ This is really irritating me, but I can't find a solution so far. I use Synergy to control multiple computers from a single keyboard, but have found that Ubuntu Ibex does not completely work. Apart from the "@" symbol being translated to a capital omega (which I did find a ... http://blog.punchbarrel.com/2008/11/18/ubuntu-ibex-key-repeat-problems/ The world of mobile systems and software is potentially a very exciting place to work, even if sometimes I am so close to the code that it seems just like every other piece of software I have ever worked on. Nice to note that the BBC see some crossover potential, ... http://blog.punchbarrel.com/2008/11/18/the-mobile-future-is-calling/ "Cloud computing" is still very high on my list of things I need to get up to speed on. One trouble is that innovation in this area seems to be coming faster than I have time to experiment. Still, this article seems a useful summary of the current state of ... http://blog.punchbarrel.com/2008/11/17/comparing-amazons-ec2-googles-app-engine-and-microsofts-azure/ Apparently there is to be a push to make the UK a world leader in on-line higher education. I'd love to see this happen, but I have my doubts. As with so many other attempts at "e-learning", the emphasis seems overwhelmingly on "learning and teaching resources". But this is the easy ... http://blog.punchbarrel.com/2008/11/16/uk-universities-to-lead-global-e-learning/ It seems that some people just want attention, even in an on-line setting. For me. the last line in the article is the most revealing... Second Life affair ends in divorce - CNN.com http://blog.punchbarrel.com/2008/11/16/second-life-affair-ends-in-divorce/