I didn't know web application programming is this fun! After a superficial brush with ASP.net, I plunge into PHP-MySQL- Apache-Javascript-Ajax. Two days ago, the boss and I realized that we could not make the kind of chat and whiteboard application that we had in mind using PHP alone. The kind we wanted needs to be programmed using Flash! So, I have to drop the pathetic beginnings of a chat program (with codes I have salvaged from a lot of sources) because he instructed just 2 days ago to just clone up the webpages of a model site he liked for our website (that will host the chat program). He is, right now, looking for programmers who know flash, php and mysql to build the chat-whiteboard application.
So, these past couple of days had me researching, coding, and photoshopping up images for the website. I don't know, but I feel I am really enjoying this. Maybe, it's the doing-something-new effect; probably, it's because of the warming up of my right brain hemisphere due to the aesthetics of the "art work" that I do every now and then; or, probably it's because I just had my birthday a couple of weeks ago, followed by my wife's birthday a week after that, and then my mother's birthday just 3 days ago. And I also solved my very first complete Rubic's cube; thanks to some guy's youtube instructional video.
The thing about cloning a website, or anything for that matter, is that you get to show off your skills and your finesse at doing things exactly as expected. The downside is that, even when you see that something could be done better, you'll have to forego implementing your creative ideas, because that is not what is expected. In two days, beginner as I am, I have only created the home page and just beginning the second page. All the links are still to be worked on. The boss had implied that he expects something substantial on Saturday, and that's just 3 days from now. Oh, how I hate thin deadlines. Judging by the rate I am going now, I need six days just to do the major pages. Ugh! That's why I either have to become a boss myself, or at least become really good at this programming thing fast. Or, I could go ahead and pursue a friend's idea of looking for some income earning job that's more home-based. Less stressful, he said. I might just look into that one of these days.
So far, this is all that's notable enough to write this week about my world (pretty boring world, eh?). Yeah, sort of boring, indeed. But as soon as I earn my first million dollars, things are going to change drastically, rest assured. Bye for now.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
A brush with ASP.net
A couple of weeks back, the boss came over to announce that he's scrapping the project I was currently working on because he thought it was not very commercially viable. In its stead, he explained to me the new project he thought would be more feasible. It's got to do with online tutoring. So that means it would involve some online chatting application, and some graphics manipulation to go with it. Probably, later on, it would introduce voice chat too.
The biggest issue here of course is that I need to learn a new language and fast. And that would be ASP.net. We'll, I've really been meaning to study it for quite some time, but I just didn't have the time beyond worrying over the current application project.
So, I grabbed one of 5 books in the shelf nearest me, "Instant ASP.net". After a quick pass over the book, I realized that the book is not as helpful as I expected it to be. So, to the net I splashed and googled for everything under the sun that's got ASP.net on its tag label. The problem here is that I don't have the luxury of starting from the very beginning and working myself up the ladder before plunging into a project. The boss says, I gotta launch a test chatroom in two weeks time more or less, saying that ASP.net is actually very easy a high school freshman can learn it in a week.
Long story short, I was able to publish over IIS a test chat page after 2 weeks. Elated at the success of my first ASP.net 'Hello World'-like page, I began to enjoy learning ASP.net. Then, the boss messaged me just this morning telling me to use PHP and MySQL instead. After learning 0.01% of ASP.net, I have to teach myself PHP and MySQL! Fast! God, I am introducing myself to a lot of languages. I hope I get to master at least one of them.
The biggest issue here of course is that I need to learn a new language and fast. And that would be ASP.net. We'll, I've really been meaning to study it for quite some time, but I just didn't have the time beyond worrying over the current application project.
So, I grabbed one of 5 books in the shelf nearest me, "Instant ASP.net". After a quick pass over the book, I realized that the book is not as helpful as I expected it to be. So, to the net I splashed and googled for everything under the sun that's got ASP.net on its tag label. The problem here is that I don't have the luxury of starting from the very beginning and working myself up the ladder before plunging into a project. The boss says, I gotta launch a test chatroom in two weeks time more or less, saying that ASP.net is actually very easy a high school freshman can learn it in a week.
Long story short, I was able to publish over IIS a test chat page after 2 weeks. Elated at the success of my first ASP.net 'Hello World'-like page, I began to enjoy learning ASP.net. Then, the boss messaged me just this morning telling me to use PHP and MySQL instead. After learning 0.01% of ASP.net, I have to teach myself PHP and MySQL! Fast! God, I am introducing myself to a lot of languages. I hope I get to master at least one of them.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Warm October Welcome
The first of October came with a smile on its face. I woke up feeling good. I'm not sure about the reason. A good dream probably, which most of the time I can't recall. Or perhaps I just woke up, as they say, on the right side of the bed.
Whatever the reason, I am certain to enjoy the day. The sun was just lovely as I ventured outside the door. I sat outside basking in the sunlight. I even called out to my wife, who was still in bed, to come over and sun bath. She did.
What's more...it was a holiday! Well, at least for her...a government employee holiday...something to do with a Muslim holiday. My office doesn't care about holidays. But the boss doesn't complain if you do take it though. The thing is, we don't have to rush. Usually, we would have awakened with a jolt from the alarm clock at 4:30 a.m. and dragged ourselves to the bathroom with brains still half asleep. Now, we could leisurely greet the sun, Good morning!
The day before, the wireless network at the office sort of broke down after I did some port forwarding with the router and I went home late without being able to fix it. I remember hoping that probably after a night's rest, the router would resume with its normal functions.
Well, I came to the office and with optimistic anticipation turned on the computer. The network was still down. But my day is not about to be taken down by some misbehaving R2D2. The idea of using the cables direct from the router, (instead of using wireless) popped into my mind. And so with a little crawling under and climbing over tables and a pair of dusty hands later, I was online and connected to the server. I was alone as usual in the office, so...what the heck. I jumped and danced my happy dance to celebrate my victory over digital matter. This, by the way, is also another first for me. A few years back, I never touch those things. Modems, routers, whatever. I leave them to the tech guys at the IT department. Now, I do most things myself. I'm learning a lot!
It is still morning as I wrote this. It can't wait of course. After a really warm and beautiful start, the bright day awaits with many pleasant surprises for me ahead. What can I say, but... Thank you, Lord of the Universe!
Whatever the reason, I am certain to enjoy the day. The sun was just lovely as I ventured outside the door. I sat outside basking in the sunlight. I even called out to my wife, who was still in bed, to come over and sun bath. She did.
What's more...it was a holiday! Well, at least for her...a government employee holiday...something to do with a Muslim holiday. My office doesn't care about holidays. But the boss doesn't complain if you do take it though. The thing is, we don't have to rush. Usually, we would have awakened with a jolt from the alarm clock at 4:30 a.m. and dragged ourselves to the bathroom with brains still half asleep. Now, we could leisurely greet the sun, Good morning!
The day before, the wireless network at the office sort of broke down after I did some port forwarding with the router and I went home late without being able to fix it. I remember hoping that probably after a night's rest, the router would resume with its normal functions.
Well, I came to the office and with optimistic anticipation turned on the computer. The network was still down. But my day is not about to be taken down by some misbehaving R2D2. The idea of using the cables direct from the router, (instead of using wireless) popped into my mind. And so with a little crawling under and climbing over tables and a pair of dusty hands later, I was online and connected to the server. I was alone as usual in the office, so...what the heck. I jumped and danced my happy dance to celebrate my victory over digital matter. This, by the way, is also another first for me. A few years back, I never touch those things. Modems, routers, whatever. I leave them to the tech guys at the IT department. Now, I do most things myself. I'm learning a lot!
It is still morning as I wrote this. It can't wait of course. After a really warm and beautiful start, the bright day awaits with many pleasant surprises for me ahead. What can I say, but... Thank you, Lord of the Universe!
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