October 2007 - Posts - More Wally - Wallace B. McClure
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More Wally - Wallace B. McClure

This blog will have all kinds of posts about Wally McClure. In it, there will be tons of .NET and computer programming posts as well as Wally's views on life in general. As you might guess, this site and blog help you get More Wally in your life. What more could anyone want? iPhone, Android, MonoTouch, MonoDroid, Mobile, HTML5, .NET, ADO.NET, ASP.NET, AJAX, jQuery, jQuery Mobile, ASP.NET AJAX, and Windows Azure............follow me on twitter at Wally

October 2007 - Posts

  • Oracle 11g on Windows.............Finally

  • Socialized Medicine

    Ok, I am hearing all of this about socialized medicine recently.  This is such a bad idea.  Here are a couple of the reasons:

    • Why should I expect the people that run the DMV to run the medical system better?
    • Why is socialized medicine free?  Its only "free" because you don't see a specific line item that says medical issue - $45,978.69.  You are paying for it one way or another.
    • One of the basic tenets of life is that I am responsible for my actions.  I have no interest in supporting someone that smokes, drinks, uses illegal drugs, or makes some other choice that screws up their life.  If they choose to do these things, they should pay more, not the same as everyone else, yet, I see very few of these proposals that address this.  I do my best to manage my risk factors, by going to the gym, not smoking, and drinking very little.  Why should someone that does these things pay the same as I?
    • Fraud.  With such a large pot of money, that will be a major target for fraud.
    • We already have Medicare and Medicaid.  TennCare is a major problem here in TN.
    PS.  After I wrote this, a TennCase fraud case was reported in Middle Tennessee involving pharmacies that were charging for medicines that were never delivered.  A big pot of money is too inviting of a target for fraud.
  • Tulsa Techfest

    Ok, this is really embarassing.  I have to cancel my speaking at the Tulsa Techfest next week.  I've got some work I have to resolve and will be unable to go. 
  • Visual Studio 2008 - Thursday October 11, 2007

     

    App_offline.htm

    I'm not sure why this has started, but I have started getting instances of App_offline.htm appearing in my webs that are opened under Visual Studio 2008.  One or two, I could understand, but I am getting multiple instances every day.  It could be something on my PC because I didn't notice this immediately.  However, I have noticed a large number of app_offline.htm files in my Recycle Bin for at least a month, maybe longer.  I'm not quite sure what is causing this.  I haven't seen this behavior in Visual Studio 2005 before.  I'm just chalking it upto beta issues.

    PS.  My buddy David Penton suggests running filemon to see what is producing the file. 

    PSS.  According to some other friends, VS 2005 does this.  I will assume that this is not a major issue. 

  • Visual Studio 2008 - Wednesday October 10, 2007

     

    FastCGI, now with GoLive

    FastCGI, which is a mechanism for IIS servers to increase the performance of PHP applications has recently been released with a GoLive license.  More info is available here: http://www.iis.net/php

     

    Astoria Samples are working

    I've been having a problem trying to get my Astoria examples working.  Then, last night, the lightbulb flipped on in my head.  I "get" it now.  More details to come.  Expect a podcast on the subject.  I have an example working to add data.  I just have to do a slightly different example to edit data, and we should be golden.

  • More definitions

    Opportunity: Big problem headed your way.

    Stepping up to the plate: Willingly accepting an opportunity. 

  • Visual Studio 2008 - Tuesday October 9, 2007

     

    Two Annoyances

    I've found two new annoyances.  I'm not quite sure if this is an issue with VS 2008 or not.

    • Printing.  I'd like to print the design view of an ASP.NET page.  I can print source, but not design view.  I think this is a limitation of VS 2005 also, but its still annoying.
    • Debugging.  Sometimes I'll be debugging in ASP.NET and I'll get an alert message from the debugger that source is no longer available.  WTF?  I'm still attached to the process.  I don't remember seeing this in VS 2005.

  • Rules of Wedding Crashing

    I love the movie "Wedding Crashers."  So that I don't have to google to look this up, I have put it here. 

    The Rules of Wedding Crashing as given by Chazz Reingold, made popular by the film Wedding Crashers:

    1. Never leave a fellow crasher behind. Crashers take care of their own.
    2. Never use your real name.
    3. Never confess.
    4. No one goes home alone.
    5. Never let a girl get between you and a fellow crasher.
    6. Do not sit in the corner and sulk. It draws attention in a negative way. Draw attention to yourself, but on your own terms.
    7. Blend in by standing out.
    8. Be the life of the party.
    9. Whatever it takes to get in, get in.
    10. Invitations are for pussies.
    11.Sensitive is good.
    12. When it stops being fun, break something.
    13. Bridesmaids are desperate - console them.
    14. You're a distant relative of a dead cousin.
    15. Fight the urge to tell the truth.
    16. Always have an up-to-date family tree.
    17. Every female wedding guest deserves a wedding night.
    18. You love animals and children.
    19. Toast in the native language if you know the native language and have practiced the toast. Do not wing it.
    20. The older the better, the younger the better. (See Rule Below)
    21. Definitely make sure she's 18.
    22. You have a wedding and a reception to seal the deal. Period. No overtime.
    23. There's nothing wrong with having seconds. Provided there is enough women to go around.
    24. If you get outted, leave calmly. Do not run.
    25. You understand she heard that but that's not what you meant.
    26. Of course you love her.
    27. Don't over drink. The machinery must work in order to close.
    28. Make sure there's an open bar.
    29. Always be a team player. Everyone needs a little help now and again.
    30. Know the playbook so you can call an audible.
    31. If you call an audible, always make sure your fellow crashers know.
    32. Don't commit to a relative unless you're absolutely sure that they have a pulse.
    33. Never go back to your place.
    34. Be gone by sunrise.
    35. Breakfast is for closers.
    36. Your favorite movie is "The English Patient".
    37. At the reception, one hard drink or two beers max. A drunk crasher is a sloppy crasher.
    38. Never hit on the bride! It's a one-way ticket to the pavement.
    39. The way to a woman's bed is through the dance floor.
    40. Dance with old folks and the kids. The girls will think you're "sweet."
    41. Try not to break anything, unless you're not having fun.
    42. At the service, sit in the fifth row. It's close enough to the wedding party to seem like you're an invited guest. Never sit in the back. The back row smells like crashing.
    43. Create an air of mystery that involves some painful experience when interacting with the girl you're after. But don't talk about it. Allude to it. Then walk away. She'll follow.
    44. Always remember your fake name!
    45. The Rules of Wedding Crashing are sacred. Don't sully them by "improvising."
    46. You forgot your invitation in your rush to get to the church.
    47. Make sure all the single women know you're there because you've just suffered either a terrible breakup or the death of your fiance.
    48. Always work the following into a conversation: "Yeah, I have tons of money. But how does one buy happiness?"
    49. Be pensive! It draws out the "healer" in women.
    50. Always pull out in time.
    51. Tell any woman you're interested in that you'd love to stay but you promised to help out at the homeless shelter today.
    52. Get choked up during the service. The girls will think you're "sensitive." Bring a slice of onion or artificial tears if necessary.
    53. Avoid virgins. They're too clingy.
    54. If pressed, tell people you're related to Uncle Ned. Everyone has an Uncle Ned.
    55. Don't fixate on one woman. ALWAYS have a back-up.
    56. When seeing a rival crasher, do not interact-merely acknowledge each other with a tug on the earlobe and gracefully move on.
    57. The Ferrari's in the shop.
    58. If two rival crashers pick the same girl, the crasher with the least seniority will respectfully yield.
    59. No "chicken dancing" - no exceptions.
    60. When crashing out of state, request permission from a local Wedding Crasher chapter.
    61. No more than two weddings in a weekend. More and your game gets sloppy.
    62. Bring an extra umbrella when it rains. Courtesy opens more legs than charm.
    63. Always save room for cake.
    64. When your crash partner fails, you fail. No man is an island.
    65. Smile! You're having the time of your life.
    66. Mix it up a little-you can't always be the man with the haunted past.
    67. No sex on the altar. Confessionals, okay. Choir lofts, better.
    68. Two shut-outs in a row? It's time to take a week off. Ask yourself: what is getting in the way of my happiness?
    69. Research, research, research the wedding party. And when you are done researching, research some more.
    70. Studies show women have a more developed sense of smell. Breath mints-small cost, big yield.
    71. The unmarried female rabbi-is she fair game? Of course she is.
    72. In case of emergency, refer to the playbook.
    73. Girls in hats tend to be proper and rarely give it up.
    74. Keep interactions with the parents of the bride to a minimum.
    75. Carry extra protection.
    76. No Excuses. Play like a champion!
    77. The tables farthest from the kitchen always gets served dinner first.
    78. Stop, look, listen. At weddings. In life.
    79. Occasionally bring a real gift-you're getting sex without having to buy dinner, you can afford a blender.
    80. Always think ahead but always stay in the moment. Reconcile this paradox and you'll not only get the girl, you might also get peace of mind.
    81. Don't let the ring bearer bum your smokes. His parents may start asking questions.
    82. Stay clear of the wedding planner. They may recognize you and start to wonder.
    83. Don't use the "I have two months to live" bit-not cool, not effective.
    84. Shoes say a lot about a man.
    85. Always choose large weddings. More choice. Easier to blend.
    86. You're from out of town. ALWAYS.
    87. Know something about the place you say you are from. Texas is played out. For some reason, New Hampshire seems to work.
    88. Of course you dream of one day having children.
    89. Never dance to "What I like about You." It's long past time to let that song go. Someone will request it at every wedding. Don't dance to it. No matter how hot she is.
    90. Tell the bride's friends and family, you are family of the groom and vice-versa.
    91. Only take one car. You never know when you'll need to make a fast escape.
    92. Deep down, most people hate themselves. This knowledge is the key to most bedroom doors.
    93. Try not to show off on the dance floor. That means you Jeremy.
    94. Etiquette isn't old fashioned, it's sexy.
    95. Catholic weddings-- the classic dilemma: painfully long ceremony - horny girls.
    96. The newspaper Wedding Announcements are your racing form. Choose carefully.
    97. Be judicious with cologne. Citrus tones are best.
    98. Save the tuxes for "the big show" only.
    99. Avoid women who were psychology majors in college.
    100. No periwinkle ties, please.
    101. Always have an early "appointment" the next morning.
    102. Be well-groomed and well-mannered.
    103. Never cockblock a fellow crasher. Cockblocking an invited guest - okay.
    104. Eat plentiful, digest your food. You'll need energy for later.
    105. Know when to abandon ship if it ain't floating.
    106. Know your swing and salsa dancing. Girls love to get twisted around.
    107. Always carry an assortment of different placecards to match any wedding design.
    108. Make sure your magic trick and balloonanimal skills are not rusty. If the kids love it, the girls will too.
    109. Never, ever reveal your true identity.
    110. Never walk away from a crasher in a funny jacket.

  • Football on Saturday October 6, 2007

    There were a couple of games of signifiance on Saturday.

    LSU beat Florida.  That was a surprise to me.  Florida seems to have LSU's number of the past few years.  I thought that Florida would win this one.  LSU trailed Florida 24-14 going into the final quarter.  LSU pulled out all the stops.  They went for it on 4th down 5 times.  By taking a large number of chances, LSU was able to pull out at 28-24 victory.  I have a feeling both of these teams will be meeting for the SEC championship at the end of the season.

    Stanford over USC.  WTF?

    Ohio State over Purdue.  The battle of unbeatens in the Big10 wasn't much of a battle. 

    In unimportant news, Maryland beat Georgia Tech 28-26.  I wonder if Reggie Ball has any eligibility left................... 

  • ASP.NET Podcast Show #102 - ASP.NET AJAX Futures Part II

    Subscribe <-- All the cool kids are doing it!

    Download WMV <--  For PC Users.

    Download M4V <--  For iTunes/iPod/Zune Users.

    Download MP3 <--  For Audio Only Users.

    Show Notes:

    function pageLoad() {

    WebService.GetValues(1, OnCompletion);

    }

    function OnCompletion(results)

    {

    var dataOutput = "";

    var divOutput = $get("Output");

    var strReturn = "<br />";

    var dt = ReturnTable(results.tables[0]);

    dataOutput += "DataTable: " + strReturn;

    for(m in dt)

    {

    dataOutput += m + strReturn;

    }

    var dc = dt.get_columns();

    dataOutput += "DataColumn: " + strReturn;

    for(m in dc[0])

    {

    dataOutput += m + strReturn;

    }

    dataOutput += "Random commands: " + strReturn;

    dataOutput += "Columns[0].dataType: " + dc[0].get_dataType() + strReturn;

    dataOutput += "Columns[1].dataType: " + dc[1].get_dataType() + strReturn;

    dataOutput += "Number of Records: " + dt.get_length() + strReturn;

    for(i = 0; i<dt.get_length(); i++)

    {

    var dcc = dt.getRow(i);

    dataOutput += "Row:" + i + " Value:" + dcc.getProperty("Name") + strReturn;

    }

    var dr = dt.createRow();

    dr[0] = "Fred Smith";

    dr[1] = 5;

    dt.add(dr);

    dataOutput += "Number of Records: " + dt.get_length() + strReturn;

    divOutput.innerHTML = dataOutput;

    var dtTest = new Sys.Preview.Data.DataTable();

    var dv = new Sys.Preview.Data.DataView();

     

    }

    function ReturnTable(dt){

    /// <returns type="Sys.Preview.Data.DataTable" />

    return Sys.Preview.Data.DataTable.parseFromJson(dt);

    }

    </script>

    <asp:ScriptManager ID="ScriptManager1" runat="server" >

    <services>

    <asp:servicereference Path="WebService.asmx" />

    </services>

    <Scripts>

    <asp:ScriptReference Name="PreviewScript.js" Assembly="Microsoft.Web.Preview" />

    </Scripts>

    </asp:ScriptManager>

    Intellisense of Data

    Warning, Danger Will Robinson, Danger.  This is running against CTP level code which will most likely change.

     

  • Visual Studio 2008 - October 4, 2007


    .NET Source available for Review - Apologies for the editorializing

    Like everyone else, I heard the big news that Microsoft is going to make the source code of .NET available for review under one of their licenses.  I have already heard every extreme viewpoint on this, from "This is great, stupendous, awesome." to "This is the end of modern civilization."  I'd like to think about both of these scenarios for a moment.  This is not a complete set of thoughts, but its just the first couple of issues that popped into my head.

    For the "This is great, stupendous, awesome" crowd.  This group seems to be of the opinion that getting access to any source is the best thing that can happen.  Yes, source is good.  I love source.  It lets me see how things are done.  It helps me learn.  It does not help me fix bugs in my application.  Ok, how many times have you found a bug in the shipping copy of the .NET framework 2.x and are you were worthy of fixing the bug?  Yes, I know about the bugs in 1.x, but I'm really more interested in the current generation.  While I have never met a developer that didn't think they were the best thing that ever walked the planet, the truth is that perhaps 1% (and that number may be high) are really capable of understanding why a bug in the framework is occurring and how to fix it so that it meets the needs of all users.  Sorry, but you aren't going to fix the bugs in the framework folks.

    For the "This is the end of modern civilization crowd" get off of this anti-Microsoft bashing.   If you don't like the fact that MS is making available the source, don't use it.  If you are afraid of license violations, then don't use it.  If you just want to bash MS, get over it.  They are a company and they have a right to make money for their employees and shareholders.

    For more discusion on this, head over to: http://developers.slashdot.org/developers/07/10/03/1626209.shtml

    My personal opinion is that if this provides value for you, then use it.  If it doesn't provide value, then don't use it. 

  • Something at noon EDT today?

    I am hearing talk in the grapevine that MS will be putting something out at noon EDT today.  I have no idea what it is.  Perhaps it is a new build of .NET 3.5 and Visual Studio.  Perhaps Silverlight 1.1 beta.  Perhaps.......................

    Info should be posted at http://weblogs.asp.net/scottgu later today.

  • Visual Studio 2008 - Wednesday October 3, 2007

     

    Javascript Intellisense

    Whine all you want to about intellisense being bad and allowing bad developers to write code.  I'd like to ask those people that say that, how do you expect someone to learn a product/feature when there is no documentation on that feature?  How am I suppossed to learn about the Sys.Preview.Data.* classes in the ASP.NET AJAX Futures bits?  There is no documentation on these bits at this point.  I'm trying to poke around and see how things work.  And yes, reading through the .js files does help, but I need something with more immediate feedback.  Javasscript Intellisense, I love you.

2006 - Wallace B. McClure
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