Igor Weblog

2009 Resolutions

2009-01-05T01:08:00.005-05:00

Tomorrow is the first official 2009 day for me, since I'm going to start going to work that day :P, so its better start with this MEME: 09 resolutions:

Read all my unfinished books
Code my unfinished Web (Django) projects
Work on my git-sharp framework
Learn Unit Testing
Write a little compiler
Go to college
Get a girl
Start coming on time to work
Read more non-tech books
Get a secondary income
Fix my car's little damages
Be a committer on a Open Source project or get a external committer in git-sharp (when its done)
Code more than I code right now (+100 LOC a weekday, +150 LOC a weekend)
Learn a Database C API
Learn how to use CouchDB and write an app with it
Learn the Android API and write an app for it
Write in my blog at least 2 times a week

I'm powered by Ubuntu

2008-06-11T21:00:00.002-04:00

My newest Ubuntu sticker it replaces the Vista one :)... thanks datalizing

The old one, thanks Canonical

Buying a laptop?

2008-06-09T20:12:00.003-04:00

I just want to point out what Matthew Garrett said about buying your next laptop:

Is everything made by Intel? no? try again... yes Success*

* Success is not guaranteed

He also said something really funny and interesting(that I completely agree of course):

Don't install Linux on Apple's hardware, don't be stupid

Check the whole talk at LugRadio USA 2008: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7753780993269800999

A&O 2008-06-09: GitSharp low level API

2008-06-09T20:10:00.001-04:00

Achievements
~~~~~~~~~~~~

* Design work [DONE]
* Index [DONE]
* Trivial Merge [DONE]
* IndexEntry [DONE]
* ObjectStore [DONE]
* Core [DONE]
* Objects [DONE]
* Tree [DONE]
* Blob [DONE]
* Commit [DONE]
* Tag [DONE]
* HASH [DONE]

* Work on Core [IN PROGRESS]

Objectives
~~~~~~~~~~

I'll work in these topics:

* Core Objects
* Read Objects
* Write Objects
* ObjectStore

Love
~~~~

* mdx4ever and sontek: They point me to System.IO.Compression that will help me to write and read objects in the git repository

Zombie meme

2008-06-07T13:52:00.005-04:00

I saw this in Brandon Perry's blog. This is funny :):

You are in a mall when zombies attack. You have:
1. One weapon
2. One song blasting on the speakers
3. One famous person to fight along side you.

Guido's Quote Of The Day

2008-06-03T02:04:00.003-04:00

Guido van Rossum(Python programming language BDFL):
but in practice the difference between practice and theory is larger than in theory
Source: http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2008-June/079994.html

Posted in twitter by @ceronman

A&O 2008-06-02: GitSharp low level API

2008-06-03T01:58:00.001-04:00

Objectives
~~~~~~~~

* Finish design [IN PROGRESS]

* Somethings have to be figured out first:
* Create a base for Hector work(so he can develop the high level part) [FIGURED OUT]
* How does Index works and how are we going to implement it(its different on every implementation) [FIGURED OUT]

* Continue working on "Core" which is Object, Tree, Commit, Blob and Tag [SOME WORK DONE]

* Start work in Index [NOT DONE]

Objectives
~~~~~~~~~~

* Design work
* Index
* Trivial Merge
* IndexEntry
* ObjectStore
* Core
* Objects
* Tree
* TreeEntry
* Blob
* Commit
* Tag
* HASH

* Work on Core

Love
~~~~

* miguel: he pointed me to nice documentation, the author is really good explaining git concepts(http://s3.amazonaws.com/chacon/git-talk.pdf)

A&O 2008-05-26: GitSharp low level API

2008-05-26T17:53:00.004-04:00

Achievements
~~~~~~~~~~~

* Setup our development infrastructure:
* http://github.com/igorgue/git-sharp
* http://devel.unionccs.net/projects/show/git-sharp

* Define our approach with mentor and fellow student(Hector, the guy that will be doing the high level API)

* Study some the git implementation(work in progress):
* CGit (commonly known as plain git)
* jGit (implementation created by a CGit developer)
* ruby-git ruby implementation
* git-ruby another ruby implementation

* Initial work on Git core, some classes infrastructure defined, also Hashing is done with the help of Hector, check github repo(git clone git://github.com/igorgue/git-sharp.git).

* Core diagram: http://devel.unionccs.net/projects/git-sharp/documents missing Index API

* Some work done on the API Design: http://devel.unionccs.net/wiki/git-sharp

Objectives
~~~~~~~~

* Finish design... we just have to do this to continue

* Somethings have to be figured out first:
* Create a base for Hector work(so he can develop the high level part)
* How does Index works and how are we going to implement it(its different on every implementation)

* Continue working on "Core" which is Object, Tree, Commit, Blob and Tag

* Start work in Index

Bonus
~~~~~

* I have been getting dirty with 'unsafe' code, anyway we are not going to use any unsafe code if its not needed(and it should not be needed)

* Learned how to correctly use Mono's encryption API to allow me to create the SHA1

Love
~~~~

* massi: Even though we have talked just a little, he gave us very nice tips :)

* spouliot: He told us to use SHA1.Create() instead of SHA1Managed or SHA1CryptoServiceProvider

* alan(monotorrent guy): This guy did some cool stuff in Mono's SHA1 :) thanks

Notes
~~~~~

* Everybody twitts these days... even Git#: http://twitter.com/gitsharp like I twitt before he is a lonely guy... so he will not follow anybody :) or even reply to anybody

My place

2008-05-24T23:02:00.003-04:00

my place(its not an after party
Originally uploaded by igorgue

This is what happens when you put 4 single guys in a very small house!

PS: It was worst but, we _threw_ away the _trash_, some pizza boxes was pissing me off so we got rid of those... but, still unorganized|dirty

Anyway... I still can hack in that place hehe.

Installing VMware Server 1.0.5 in Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron

2008-05-03T02:20:00.007-04:00

It's me again with another how-to VMware in Ubuntu...

Well as you might know, VMware have not updated their VMware versions to the latest kernel(nor GCC nor Gnome libs), so the task is kinda hard... the best advice for newbies is to wait, wait, and wait for VMware to release a supported version.

Steps:

1. Get VMware Server from www.vmware.com(don't forget to get the serial too) since we're using Ubuntu you should get the tar.gz file.

2. Install build-essential linux-kernel-devel and linux-headers-generic(or the one you're using), extract the vmware tar.gz file right click -> "extract here" or:

tar xvvzf VMware-server-1.0.5-80187.tar.gz

3. Run the installer:

cd vmware-server-distrib
sudo ./vmware-install.pl

follow all the instructions... but DO NOT RUN vmware-config.pl

4. Get vmware-any-any-update-116.tgz from http://groups.google.com/group/vmkernelnewbies/files?hl=en ~~actually you can get vmware-any-any-update-116-bridge-wireless.tgz that includes wireless support(I believe).~~

5. Run the any-any updates:

tar xvvf vmware-any-any-update-116.tgz
cd vmware-any-any-update116
sudo ./runme.pl

And select yes on run vmware-config.pl

6. Select your favorite options :)

7. Now, you have it installed... then RUN IT :)

vmware
/usr/lib/vmware/bin/vmware: /usr/lib/vmware/lib/libgcc_s.so.1/libgcc_s.so.1: version `GCC_3.4' not found (required by /usr/lib/libcairo.so.2)
/usr/lib/vmware/bin/vmware: /usr/lib/vmware/lib/libgcc_s.so.1/libgcc_s.so.1: version `GCC_4.2.0' not found (required by /usr/lib/libstdc++.so.6)
/usr/lib/vmware/bin/vmware: /usr/lib/vmware/lib/libgcc_s.so.1/libgcc_s.so.1: version `GCC_3.4' not found (required by /usr/lib/libcairo.so.2)
/usr/lib/vmware/bin/vmware: /usr/lib/vmware/lib/libgcc_s.so.1/libgcc_s.so.1: version `GCC_4.2.0' not found (required by /usr/lib/libstdc++.so.6)
/usr/lib/vmware/bin/vmware: /usr/lib/vmware/lib/libgcc_s.so.1/libgcc_s.so.1: version `GCC_3.4' not found (required by /usr/lib/libcairo.so.2)
/usr/lib/vmware/bin/vmware: /usr/lib/vmware/lib/libgcc_s.so.1/libgcc_s.so.1: version `GCC_4.2.0' not found (required by /usr/lib/libstdc++.so.6)

Nice error... I like that hehe, we're screw... are we?... well nop actually.

8. VMware is complaining about some missing libraries, and these are mainly GUI libraries(libcairo)... so what we do? we copy them to the VMware libs directory:

cd /usr/lib/vmware/lib/
sudo mv libpng12.so.0/libpng12.so.0 libpng12.so.0/libpng12.so.0.disabled
sudo ln -sf /usr/lib/libpng12.so.0 libpng12.so.0/libpng12.so.0
sudo mv libgcc_s.so.1/libgcc_s.so.1 libgcc_s.so.1/libgcc_s.so.1.disabled
sudo ln -sf /lib/libgcc_s.so.1 libgcc_s.so.1/libgcc_s.so.1

9. Try to run your VMware again... and yes, we see the light at the end of the tunel :):

vmware

I'm in!

2008-04-21T20:05:00.005-04:00

[Victory]

I got accepted in the Google Summer Of Code :) which means that this is probably my best accomplishment in my short life, I can't describe how I feel I think this is real happiness!

I'll be working on the Git# implementation, a very hard project but I really like it. Thanks Mono Project for putting their trust on me.

What is Ubuntu still missing

2008-04-19T13:02:00.004-04:00

Ubuntu is just days ahead(test the RC: http://iso.qa.ubuntu.com/), I have been using it for about 2 months now, and its really hard to tell "What is Ubuntu missing". So I'll try to list some of the "missing features" and|or "improvements".

Updates and integration with proprietary drivers: For me there's no need of having software like Envy, Ubuntu should update this already-released-drivers, just like Windows(via notification) and OSX do.
Improve hardware support: This is like a dog following its tail, but I think Ubuntu will potentially do better.
Improve compiz support: OpenSuSE does this thing very good, Ubuntu should not allow people even try to activate compiz if their video card is not in the database. The im-trying-but-no-workee is not cool.
A nice One-click-install: no comment, is very needed and we already have the architecture to do it.
Make some smart software-to-be-included-by-default decisions: We want Banshee, Beagle, Monsoon, Cheese, Elisa and Inkscape.
Install ndiswrapper by default: You know there is a wireless problem and in lots of cases can be resolved installing ndiswrapper, well INCLUDE THE THING BY DEFAULT THEN :)
Improvements in Pidgin: Add video-conference IM, is the future.
Improve system configurations via a GUI: Not everything should be configurable by a GUI, but things like Samba, Grub, drivers and partitions should be fully configurable using a GUI.
Include a pulse audio based volume control: In other words just include the one on Fedora and make it better.
Make more metapackages: mono-development, rails-development, java-development, django-development, gamers-stack, officeusers-stack, web2.0-stack etc.

If all of these features or improvements are included I'll be very happy :)

Command history meme

2008-04-13T11:35:00.002-04:00

igor@igorlaptop:~$ history|awk '{a[$2]++ } END{for(i in a){print a[i] " " i}}'|sort -rn|head
242 git
101 ls
28 cd
24 vi
22 gitk
16 gedit
15 rm
11 man
10 tree
6 e
igor@igorlaptop:~$

Pretty cool commands... I type ls more than I need to though.

Application for Google Summer of Code 2008, Mono Project

2008-03-24T23:00:00.005-04:00

Git# a fully managed Git implementation
=======================================

Igor Guerrero Fonseca <igfgt1@gmail.com>

Summary
~~~~~~~

Git is a fast, scalable, distributed revision control system, that is used in fairly big projects, one of the biggest problems of Git is his inclusion in tools(mostly IDE's), GUI clients, CLI applications and non-Unix platform like Windows. A very good way to solve this problems is making a Git implementation in managed code that can run on multiple platforms.

Benefits
~~~~~~~~

In my opinion Git is very good doing his job, the benefits of making a fully managed implementation are very interesting. With Git# a lot of paths will be open to Git, a Monodevelop plugin and also Visual Studio can benefits with this. Also Git can be used as a storage system to build rich desktop distributed applications, I can see software like Tomboy using Git# to handle notes remotely and in a distributed way, the same can go for Banshee and F-spot. Having a complete distribute system is having endless possibilities.

Understanding Of The Project
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The project can be separated in operational levels, all of this aims to implement a low level API and a high level API:

* Contributor: In this level is the more typical level in any community people without developer access will download a copy of the repository or modules. Some features to be implemented: git-show-branch, git-log, git-checkout, git-diff, git-reset, git-tag.

* Developer: In this level we have the people that are part of the project, developing it constantly and are completely trusted persons to give them accesses to change the project tree, also he will take care of reviewing the code from a "Contributor". Some features to be implemented: git-add, git-commit, git-clone, git-pull, git-push, git-fetch, git-format-patch

* Integrator: This is the high level developer that takes responsibility of applying all the patches from a "Contributor" and resolving the conflicts between "Developers". Some features to be implemented: git-diff*, git-am, git-merge*, git-pull, git-revert, git-push.

* Repository Administration: This is a level where all the other levels are involved because in Git we all manage a branch in our local repository. Some features to be implemented: git-fsck, git-init, git-init-db, git-clone.

Organization
~~~~~~~~~~~~

I and another fellow student will work in this project spliting it in two parts:

* Low level API: This includes the filesystem operations and the object model. This includes git-fsck, git-init, git-init-db, git-clone, git-cat-file, update-index, .

* High level API: This includes operational task to be able to manipulate the content in the branch. This includes git-merge, git-pull, git-push.

Plan
~~~~

* Week 1 May 26 - June 1: Automate using Nant and Nunit the creation, running and logging of the tests. Begin work in basic filesystem operations.
* Week 2 June 2 - June 8:
Week 3 June 9 - June 15:
Implementation of low level filesystem.
* Week 4 June 17 - June 22:
Implementation of filesystem database, tag system, index(cache) system.
* Week 5 June 23 - June 29:
Week 6 June 30 - July 6:
Implementation of Objects API, tree operation can be done after this.
* Week 7 July 7 - July 13 (Mid-Term):
Milestone: Filesystem, object and tree operations done.
Begin merge of the low and high level branches, identification of missing features to get a successful merge.
Begin work on basic merge low level api
* Week 8 July 14 - July 20:
Week 9 July 21 - July 27:
Begin work on checkout functionality
* Week 10 July 28 - August 3:
Week 11 August 4 - August 10:
checkout functionality done, implement missing tests
* Week 12 August 11 - August 17:
Final Milestone: Successful merge of both layers. Low level
features to manage the database objects indexes and basic merge operations and high level ones like merge, pull and push.
August 18 (Pencils Down)

Deliverables
~~~~~~~~~~~~

* Project plan
* Fully managed Git# implementation
* Set of tests to the Git# API
* Full set of documentation

Qualifications
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm sure that I can manage to finish this task, because I always exited about making developer tools, I work in a software company that makes developer tools for database connectivity(mertechdata.com) using C++, C# and a high level language called Dataflex. Also I have worked in Java using Cocoon for writing web applications with ASF member Antonio Gallardo.

I have used in all my experience SCM tools including SVN, CVS, Bazar and Sourcegear producs. Able to understand the process.

Personal Info
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I have over 2 years of professional experience on various areas of Software Development and System Administration, includes job experience in ASF Member Antonio Gallardo's ISV company in Nicaragua writing web applications using Cocoon, developing desktop applications using Visual Basic .NET for a educational institution, being a member of the CC of UbuntuNI local users group of Ubuntu in Nicaragua and part of the QA team in Mertech Data Systems in Florida able to test their products in Unix and Windows platforms and with all types of database engines. More info, read my online resumé: http://igordevlog.blogspot.com/2007/06/my-resum.html

References
~~~~~~~~~~

* http://groups.google.com/group/google-summer-of-code-discuss/files
* http://git.or.cz/#documentation

NIN Right where it belongs

2008-03-23T15:24:00.001-04:00

Heck of a song men!:

The rhythm is kinda how I feel sometimes ;)

VMware 6.0.3 in Ubuntu Hardy 8.04 kernel 2.6.24

2008-03-23T02:56:00.008-04:00

Hi, its me again with another howto VMware :), this time the task is harder :(. Based on Ubuntu Hardy 8.04 Beta

Steps:

1. Get VMware from www.vmware.com(I used VMware Workstation because I have the licence for that version) since we're using Ubuntu you should get the tar.gz file.

2. Install build-essential linux-kernel-devel and linux-headers-generic(or the one you're using), extract the vmware tar.gz file right click -> "extract here" or:

tar xvvzf dir/VMware-workstation-6.0.3-80004.i386.tar.gz

3. Run the installer:

cd vmware-distrib
sudo ./vmware-install.pl

follow all the instructions... but DO NOT RUN vmware-config.pl

4. Copy vmware drivers source code in a directory:

mkdir $HOME/temp
cd $HOME/temp
cp /usr/lib/vmware/modules/source/vmmon.tar .
cp /usr/lib/vmware/modules/source/vmnet.tar .

5. Get the patches, save them in $HOME/temp/:

vmmon-2.6.24.patch: http://pastebin.com/pastebin.php?dl=f58553c1f
vmnet-2.6.24.patch: http://pastebin.com/pastebin.php?dl=f681c5c13

File downloads: vmmon: http://www.mediafire.com/?zizfzmutmnp, vmnet: http://www.mediafire.com/?yign2immy0m

Also for the any-update: http://groups.google.com/group/vmkernelnewbies/files?hl=en

6. Apply the patches:

cd $HOME/temp

tar xf vmmon.tar
cd vmmon-only
patch -p1 < ../vmmon-2.6.24.patch
cd ..
mv vmmon.tar vmmon.tar.orig
tar cf vmmon.tar vmmon-only
sudo cp vmmon.tar /usr/lib/vmware/modules/source/

tar xf vmnet.tar
cd vmnet-only
patch -p1 < ../vmnet-2.6.24.patch
cd ..
mv vmnet.tar vmnet.tar.orig
tar cf vmnet.tar vmnet-only
sudo cp vmnet.tar /usr/lib/vmware/modules/source/

7. Run vmware-config.pl

sudo vmware-config.pl

Read the instructions and when it says "Compile drivers" you type yes to compile your patched modules.

Get lost DRM!

2008-03-20T00:20:00.002-04:00

100_2179
Originally uploaded by Naufragio

See this thing should disappear people from Apple and the music industry pushed this so hard in the last couple of years, but its so unfair with the users... I just hate it.

Defective by design for sure!

>:( DRM get lost right now!

Banshee 1.0pre screenshots

2008-03-19T23:20:00.000-04:00

Banshee is going to hit 1.0 soon, these are some screenshots:

[iTunes-like view]

[Banshee cover view]

Super weekend!

2008-03-17T02:41:00.001-04:00

This weekend was very cool, on the news we got:

Banshee hits 1.0 alpha: http://banshee-project.org/Releases/0.98.1
Monodevelop hits 1.0: http://monodevelop.com/MonoDevelop_1.0_Released
Mono hits 2.0 Beta: http://www.go-mono.com/archive/1.9/

On my personal improvements:

I finally manage to install Banshee from trunk(for me it was broken weeks ago) :)
I installed Monodevelop 1.0 :)
I submitted a patch to gTwiter: http://code.google.com/p/gtwitter/issues/detail?id=51
Also I read about .NET and C++ development :)

Document Freedom Day @ Nicaragua

2008-03-16T01:21:00.000-04:00

Ubuntu Hardy, damn it's cool

2008-03-10T22:28:00.001-04:00

As usual I begin to test Ubuntu months before is ready, but, for my surprise this release, is the best ever, because as I use to say: "if it works for you then is ok" then I'm so happy to say that "IT WORKS FOR ME".

Everything in my laptop works: suspend, hibernate, volume control, compiz, video card(an Intel chipset), all the apps, it also bringing the latest Mono version and a preview of Monodevelop :), Pidgin, Banshee the very latest(not from trunk), as I suggest to the people of deskbar-applet they now allow me to change the gui to be stick it to the panel.

A screenshot:

Announcing my retirement from blogging

2008-03-10T20:35:00.001-04:00

J/K, I'm just trying Twitter, even though I think it's still a very stupid way of blogging, still I feel so alone these days that I need something to do :P, and quickly. The problem with blogging is that you tempt to post interesting stuff, and not crap, but in Twitter, it really doesn't matter at all :D

Linux do inflicts Microsoft patents

2008-03-03T23:27:00.003-05:00

Since Microsoft does not want to show up their 200+ patents that they say that Linux inflicts(or violate), I searched them for Microsoft.

Patent No. 6727830(2002): Double click is an innovation from Microsoft, Linux do have double click in Gnome and KDE.
Patent No. 6,618,857(2000): Dependency resolvers installers. Linux have debs, rpms, ebuilds, etc.
Patent No. 6,606,101(1999): Tooltips, Linux have those in KDE and Gnome
Patent No. 6,594,674(2000): Compressed files. Linux have tar, tar.gz, etc.
Patent No. 6,748,582(2000): Source code version control systems. We have SVN, CVS, etc.
Patent No. 7,139,883(2002): Transactional file systems. We implement FAT32, ext3 is also considered transactional.
Patent No. 7,093,267(2002): Buttons on Windows, like X, Minimize, Maximize. We have that too in KDE and Gnome.

Microsoft owns 5834 patents(and counting), that's why they need a lot of developers.

[digg it]

What is a "software developer" for me

2008-02-05T23:33:00.000-05:00

Reading this article I realize how does my relatives see how I am and what I do for living:

http://www.jonandnic.com/topics/ravings/embracing-my-inner-geek-part-2-the-job

I highly recommend you(a developer) read that article it's pretty cool the way that he writes about a computer science related career.

Who I am: I'm a software developer, computer programmer, systems engineer, IT guy... even for me its hard to find the right term. But I really like the "software developer" term seams to be the only one that describe the whole concept of being a "people that makes computer software possible".

What I do: I'm the person that make your software, the person that is breaking it's head to get your software done.

What I don't do: I don't repair computers(even though I have some knowledge to do it), I'm not at phone all the day doing support(even though I do some support), I'm not playing with hardware, I'm not an user I'm a innovator.

Is it bored or not fun? Not a single moment!, every day of a software developer is a different one, where its allowed to do research about how to solve a problem(a different one every day).

For non-techi people its difficult to figure out what a software developer do, they can figure out what a accountant do because everybody do pays bills, they can figure out what a musician do because everybody can sing!, but what about programming? does somebody have seen code in their entire life?. I have problems explaining people what a software developer do, people should think: "Or this boy is lying or he is a really bad "software developer" that he don't even know what it is", the typical question "Just give me an example of what you do" its so difficult to answer!

People think that a developer is a extremely intelligent people, but that statement is completely unfair and false! practice and perseverance is what will lead you to get the skills that you need.

I think that being a software developer is like being a musician in some way, yes you need some talent but if you don't practice every day, you'll loose it and believe me, you forget code very easily.

I feel proud of doing something that helps people, people even smarter than me, successful people, wealthy and poor people, it's feels like everybody needs me and that's the feeling that makes me go always forward.

A message for TNS

2008-02-01T21:54:00.000-05:00

Hi my dear hackers I just bought this book for you guys:

More info here: http://informaticanicaragua.net/index.php/topic,752.msg5109/topicseen.html