Living Code

Announcing Kinzin

2008-01-25T20:49:39Z

Well, I’m not the first on the team to blog this, but at least I can explain a bit why my blog has been so quiet for the past few months: we’ve been working really hard to get Kinzin launched. And last Tuesday, we did it.

Here’s the pitch: Kinzin is a social network for the network you already have: your family. Share photos, stories, events, and news with your family in a safe and convenient way. If your family is anything like mine, then it’s full of crazy people. But also, and this is where Kinzin comes in, it is scattered around the world. I don’t generally put pictures of my kids on the web, or on sites like Flickr, but I can shared them with family members on Kinzin. I can’t tell you what a joy it has been to work on a site I’m actually interested in using.

And now that we’ve launched, I’m hoping to a) add comments to this blog, and b) start writing about all the cool programming stuff I have back-logged. But while you’re waiting, definitely check out Kinzin (we even have a blog).

VanDjangoJam

2008-01-25T20:50:01Z

The next Vancouver Python users’ group meeting will have a special guest: Adrian Holovaty, lead developer for the Django web framework. The meeting will be on Tuesday, February 6th from 7-9 pm, hosted by Sophos at their Vancouver office.

To prepare for this, there will be workshop before-hand to learn more about Django. The introduction to Django web framework workshop will be a hands-on tutorial on February 4th from 1-4 pm, also at the Sophos office. To make this event even more special (at least for me) it happens to be my birthday, when I get in touch with Life, the Universe, and Everything.

Details on both events can be found at the VanDjangoJam page. Thanks to Paul for organizing this, and to everyone who has volunteered to help out.

The Apple Tablet

2008-01-25T20:52:02Z

So last year I got tired of waiting for Apple to come out with a tablet computer (which Jobs will never purposely do, even though Ink Services are built right into OS X). I also got sentimental for the Newton that I outlined my thesis on, lo these many years ago. My sentimental reflections were enhanced by this article by Phillip Torrone on building a sub-$100 laptop out of an old eMate from eBay. I had never used eBay, so as an experiment (one of two: I also picked up a copy of the long out of print Avalon Hill board game Dune) I found myself a Newton MessagePad 110. Which, by and large, does nothing.It boots OK, but I’m reluctant to use it for anything besides a conversation piece unless I can get my data back off of it (and it would be nice to load new apps on it as well). Since none of my Macs have AppleTalk serial ports, I’m not sure how to get the Newton talking to them. I’ve checked the Newton sites, but what instructions there are appear to be dated and complex (perhaps it just is complex, I’m not ruling that out). So, LazyWeb, I invoke thee! What is the best way to get an OS X box talking with a Newton?My email is below. I’ll quote from (and credit) responses unless requested not to. Any help in reifying my nostalgia is appreciated.

Bar Camp Tomorrow

2008-01-25T21:27:43Z

Tomorrow, from 6PM to Saturday at 6PM will be the Bar Camp Vancouver. I’ll be heading over there with my neighbor, former co-worker, and original member of Pluto, John Ounpuu, currently of Sutori fame. I’m planning on ducking out to sleep at home rather than camping there, but I’m sure it will be a great time. If there is time I may reprise my presentation on Python, OS X, and Kids from the Vancouver Python Workshop. If time is short I may still be able to demo Drawing Board. If time is really short I’ll still try to squeeze in a demo of the new hack I figured out last night (see next post). I’m also hoping to find some time to hack on turtle graphics for OS X, since I’m so close to having a working port of the standard library turtle graphics in PyObjC. But the main thing I’m excited about is meeting folks, it’s going to be a great crowd.

Vancouver is such a great place. There’s the standard stuff: Great weather, beautiful beaches, forests and mountains. Then there is all the rest: lots of interesting geeks of various stripes, cool places to work, small conferences to attend. I’ve had so much more fun at the Vancouver Python Workshop and Northern Voices than at big anonymous events like JavaOne and OOPSLA. There’s just no contest. And BarCamp is all about being a small, intimate event–that appears to be its whole entire purpose. I can hardly wait.

This Friday in Vancouver: Stop

2008-01-26T23:12:57Z

My friend and neighbor Malcolm Ferrier has been at work for the past couple of years writing, shooting, and editing a science fiction movie called Stop. It’s going to premier on Friday, and based on the unfinished version I saw last year it should be a lot of fun. Malcolm and I share an interest in amateur movie-making, but he has taken it much futher than I and actually made a feature film. It’s been an exciting process to watch, and I can’t wait to see the finished version.

After two years of hard work, STOP the motion picture is finally finished and I wanted to invite you to the premiere. It takes place at the BCIT Telus Theatre (SE6-233), 3700 Willingdon Avenue, Burnaby, BC at 7:00 PM on Friday, May 12th. Admission is free, but donations are accepted for Amnesty International.

Feel free to bring friends and family (as many people as you’d like!).
For more details, check the website: http://www.ferrierconsulting.com/stop/

Hope to see you there!

Hearing Voices

2008-01-25T21:30:34Z

Northern Voices, that is. The local blogging conference is tomorrow and I’ll be there, along with my friend and co-worker, Michael. While I find the idea of a conference about blogging to be a bit odd, it’s a good chance to meet some of the people in person who I only know from blogspace, like Ted and Julie, and a chance to catch up with Tim and Lauren, who I almost never see even though we live in the same town