benkruger.com

Blocks and Procs, Blocks are anonymous Procs!

2008-02-28T05:34:00.000-08:00

Block and Procs can be very confusing! What is the difference between the two? How do you call the code? When do you use a block or a proc?

As it turns out, blocks are anonymous procs and you can use them almost interchangeably.

In the below code both yield and call work. There is a subtle difference though. You can not send the call message to the object if you don't explicitly state that the method accepts a block. Personally, I like to send the message call to the anonymous proc object myself since it makes the method signature clearer, you know there is a block being passed in. Another point of confusion is that if you want to actually pass in your proc you need to use the ampersand.


def foo(&block)
yield
block.call
end

proc = Proc.new {puts "proc"}
foo(&proc)

foo{ puts "block" }

ben@jefferson ~ $ ruby test.rb
proc
proc
block
block

Natural Patterns

2007-07-05T07:01:00.000-07:00

I read a good RSS about the Presenter Pattern today by Jay Fields. I have Jay on my Reader.

I have used this pattern in the Java world, the old world... Actually, you have to or else you lose focus quick.

I think this can help us all out. In Jay's example he is using the pattern more for saving data and doesn't emphasize enough about how this pattern will pull a ton of logic out of the partials and expose this logic for deeper testing! This is really the strength of the pattern.

I am a huge fan of patterns but I can never remember what patterns are called. Earlier in my career this lead me to steer away from them and focus more on natural patterns. Natural patterns are something I often refer to as Patterns that are just organically grown in your own code base. This is how I think patterns as a whole get extracted out and become formal patterns. However, this can lead to anti-patterns, so you have to be careful.

Back in the "Old World", I used to have one object, my presenter, encapsulate an entire JSP page. At the time of course, this was just a natural pattern that I came up with, who knew it was a presenter! Anyway, this allowed me to pull logic specific to this JSP into the presenter and out of the Servlet, JSP, DAL (Data Access Layer) and wherever. I was also able to inject things I needed for deeper testing.

In the New World, RoR of course, the presenter is equally as important even though we already have this build in structure and testing. I don't think the pattern needs to apply globally here though, just where needed when your controller and view starts getting nasty.

Ahh Paris

2007-03-31T19:11:00.000-07:00

My Paris e-mail.

My wife and I rented a flat in Paris for 3 full weeks back in 04. It was a great vacation but that is a digression. This was my standard Paris e-mail that I would send out to anyone I knew that was going to Paris, the city of light!

There are three places that you absolutely have to go to eat in Paris.
If you don't go to all of these places than I just don't think we
could be friends anymore! You need to buy the "petit plan de Paris
par arrondissement". This is a must have so you wont get lost taking
the metro! It will be your most precious map! The best place by far
is Le Petit Trouquet! You will definitley need a reservation and want
the window seat. It is very intimate and the chef is to die for!

Le Petit Troquet
28 rue de l'Exposition, 7th
tel: 01.47.05.80.39

Angelina's Tea Salon has the best damn hot chocolate! You might kill
your spouse for seconds! I recommend getting a pot of it.

Angelina's Tea Salon
226 rue de Rivoli. 1st
tel: 01.42.60.82.00

Le grand epicerie paris is actually a grocery store that you can get
great food to eat in. You wont even believe such a place exists.
Also this is right next to a huge cool ass Paris mall and park.
"insert wifes name" would love the stuff in the stores there.

La Grand Epicerie paris http://www.lebonmarche.fr/anglais/indexbis.htm

Now for things to do! Don't wast your time with the lame shit like
the Eifell tower. What you want to do is climb to the top of the Arc
De Triumph, you can have a blast on top watching the tourists try to
cross the circle also, climb to the top of the DOME of Sacre Coeur.
The dome is by far the best view in all of Paris. Next, strolling
down the champs d'elysee is a must. There are lots of shops,
restaurants and people. This will take you to the Arc.

If you are thinking about a museum you'll want to goto Museum D'orsay!
Also eat in the cafe there. Not the restaurant but the cafe. We
went to almost every notable museum and this was by far the best. One
last thing which was actually our favorite was the segway tour of
Paris. This was just amazing and so much fun.

http://www.citysegwaytours.com/paris/

Dont forget to stop at a local bakery and get a bagett or pan de chocolat.

My Nerd Score

2007-03-13T05:59:00.000-07:00

It's All Text

2007-03-12T11:49:00.000-07:00

I love this add-on. I have been thinking about looking for something that would allow me to edit a text area in a proper editor. I ran across this and you can get the add-on for firefox here. Of course it doesn't work with every editor like IDEA

Ben's Software Manifesto

2007-02-17T06:57:00.000-08:00

I know we have all read the Manifesto for Agile Software Development and The Programmers Bill of Rights but I have my own.

MY SOFTWARE MANIFESTO

Always think you can do better, You can!
Always leave a file in better shape then when you entered it.
Write and test your code together at the same time.
Write code so that the code does one thing and one thing only.
Write self documenting code.
Remove dead code!
Compile, test, and check in your code often. At least once a day.
Use patterns to guide you.
Reuse code!
Use your hammer where appropriate
Refactor, Refactor, Refactor.
Adopt a coding standard, it doesn't matter who's it is.
Don't be lazy.
KISS
Meet with your Project Manager and Manager daily to keep the ship right.
Meet with your peers frequently to openly discuss code, algorithms, patterns, and methodologies both in and out of the office (umm Beer).
Most Important, Don't get attached to your code and don't be afraid of someone else's.
Embrace new technology.

TV Commercials

2007-02-11T07:20:00.000-08:00

I watch Top Chef, mainly because my wife does, but I got sucked in... Anyway, we always record shows on our PVRs or DVRs or Tivo if you have been branded. I have been impressed by their marketing blitz during their show. Since we fast forward through commercials we are basically not marketed too except by Bravo with some of their newer programming such as Top Chef. They are always in the "Kenmore Pro Kitchen". During the shows they had the "Kraft" food condiment challenge and the "Nestle" baking challenge. Then of course their was the "Hilton Resort" in the finale. Anyway you get the point.

I have also noticed this on their other shows such as Project Runway and Top Design. So since we never watch commercials due to our PVRs we are now being directly marketed too. Those advertisers will find a way to reach us somehow! I haven't noticed this on other networks to the same extent yet. Perhaps PVRs haven't reached a critical mass. Anyway, I am see this type of marketing as the future and the commercial as a thing of the past especially with products like Apple TV out.

Pet Peeves

2007-01-27T17:14:00.000-08:00

Not Washing your hands after you do your business! Make sure you watch the videos at http://www.washyourhands.tv

Google, you are on the list!

2007-01-16T02:18:00.000-08:00

I use a pretty big set of Google products but my favorites are G-Mail, Reader, Calendar, Groups, and Docs & Spreadsheets. What I can't understand is why these aren't integrated better!

Lets get right to the rant, or rather list. Yes that is correct, Google you are on the list.

Google

When I am logged into Google, I shouldn't have to log in to Google Analytics or any other Google Service. Come on Google, lets get the Single Sign On (SSO) working already!
Why is the breadcrumb only in G-Mail?
If I have read the New Features page of a product, then make the link go away.

G-Mail

If I am already forwarding my email to a different account, I don't need to see a message on how to forward my email.
If I already have G-mail on my personalized Google homepage then I don't need to be asked if I would like to do that.
In G-Mail, how about making my little bread crumb what I actually use most often and not what you think I use. I rarely goto photos but I goto Reader, Blogger and Google Analytics a lot.

Docs & Spreadsheets

Why can't we upload PDF's?
Where is my G-Mail bread crumb?
Where is the chat between the collaborators?

Google Groups

Why is there a cap on what you can upload?
Why isn't there a Google Page Site for the Group?
Why can't we use the Docs & Spreadsheets for our group easier?
Why isn't G-Mail the message editor? I'd like to spell check and use a rich editor.
Where is my G-Mail bread crumb?
Where is the group calendar?

I feel as if Google has a lot of super smart chickens running around with their heads cut off. If they had complete integration between all of their services... ah, now that would be Nirvana.

Fancy Bathrooms

2007-01-15T06:05:00.000-08:00

One of the criteria I use to determine whether or not I'll go somewhere to eat is if the establishments bathrooms are fancy! This trend started a few years ago back at the ZIPR when Baystreet first opened up and a gaggle of us went to lunch at PF Changs . I immediately fell in love with their offering. Here is my list to date.

I Heart iPhone

2007-01-10T07:25:00.000-08:00

Years and years ago I used to download music from Napster , this was of course before it was "illegal". MP3's were the wave of the future. Who needed to buy Cd's anymore, certainly not me but perhaps my friend Val :) This of course lead to several things one of which was buying this $330 Sony MP3 player. It is so old now I can't even remember the name. However it did not have any moving parts, was smaller than a cigarette lighter and could hold a whole downloaded album. Loading the music was cumbersome and painful to say the least with USB 1.0 and Sony's horrid UI. This lead to me not using the product after a few months. I was still using Cd's.

Not to much longer lots of vendors started releasing lots of Hard Drive MP3 players aka BRICKS. I still remember my buddy, we'll call him Kevin strapping one of these bricks to his arm when he worked out. Of course Mr. Gun-show has like 22" biceps but still come on!

Finally the iPod came out and it was a tada like moment. We were all saved by Apple. I still have and use my first generation iPod. I used it in my car during my commute, during my workouts and whenever else I wanted to listen to music. Of course around this time we had finally finished digitizing our media library and my measly 15G ipod could hold everything but is still worked wonderfully so why upgrade. BTW, I accumulated most of the music by purchasing it from iTunes. Why go through the trouble of stealing music when it is so easy to download!? I never had a problem paying for stuff.

Time has moved on, I no longer have to commute and the use of my iPod has dwindled quite a bit. However I still do use it and would carry it everywhere with me. Now you can imagine the first generation iPod in my pocket with my wallet, keys, and cell phone! No I wasn't happy to see you it was just all of this crap in my pants! To top things off, my new car had a blue-tooth phone in it. Man did I want to use the handsfree blue-tooth phone in the car. This prompted me to go out and purchase the sLver . I do love that phone since I was able get rid of a lot of the happy to see you stuff in my pants! However the phone sucks. While it does serve my needs, I mean it does have blue-tooth, iTunes, and the phone :) it is an antiquated and boring device. Just try to surf on it or use any of its other features.

Anyway, here comes iPhone. Apples demo says it all. The only hold back is the price. However, the price will fall and fall rapidly. I don't really see a need for an iPod anymore. This is where I see it's advantage. What Apple has done is create an iPod killer and not just a cell phone killer. So while all of the naysayers are saying the price is high, which it is today or in June rather, whenever anyone needs a new phone or iPod it is definitely time to consider the iPhone. Just wait until the storage is around 100G and the price is $299.

Why I moved to Blogger

2007-01-06T17:27:00.000-08:00

After several unsatisfing emails with the wordpress support about Google Analytics I have been forced over to blogspot. I didn't want to go, really I didn't want to leave but I was left with no choice. Being a Software Engineer, I wanted my Google Anaytics Damit! While wordpress.com has offered some very nice things like their themes, recent comments, dashboard and pages, I was able to achieve all of the same with blogspot. Blogspot isn't quite as easy to use but it is far more powerful.

Farewell and Adieu wordpress.com!

My Blogspot blog is benkruger.com
http://www.benkruger.com

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Why Pat Riley is worst than Tom Brady

2007-01-06T17:05:00.000-08:00

I used to have this long standing hatrid for that "punk ass bitch" Tom Brady. He stole the starting job from Drew Bledsoe years ago, then went on, no thanks to that "tuck rule", eventually winning the super bowl. In the last year, my hatred has weened. This is primarly do to the fact that "the man" keeps taking away his assets and he keeps playing phenomimally!

Anyway, here comes a good guy, lets call him Stan Van Gundy and Pat Riley recognizes that the Miami Heat have an awsome team. So he pries the Miami Heat away from his cold dead hands and then goes on to win the Championship. Now that the team is struggling, he is walking away. What a loser and not that I have ever respected him but now I lothe him. He is he worst type of sportsman! Plus doesn't he look seedy?

Sharper Image ruined my Christmas

2007-01-06T17:01:00.000-08:00

My wife, Lauren and I never buy each other Christmas presents. We have been together 10 years now and pretty much have the things we want. Anyway, I had been paying special attention to detail this year because I felt the time was right for a Christmas surprise! I thought of a very thoughtful gift. I went online and found the right one at The Sharper Image. Of course The Sharper Image is a pathetic company that doesn't have a very good e-commerece website so I thought it would be best to buy from them through amazon.com. Things went very smooth as they always do from amazon.com. I sent the package to my work since my wife is still working from home after the birth of my pride and joy Mirabelle.

A week later when I came home from work my wife exclaimed, "I know what you bought me for Christmas". I was like, what are you talking about... She went on to show me a letter we got from The Sharper Image. The lame bastards sent a letter to my house just to say that I shipped the package to a different address. Now I have been buying items online since 98 and I have never had a letter like this sent to my house.

So I wrapped her present and put it under the tree and she opened it on Christmas day. She of course liked the present but it was much much larger IRL and from the pictures online. She wanted a smaller one. I proceeded to read the return policy and call a local store. I certainly didn't want to bother with returning it via the mail. That would have taken 6 to 8 weeks and the hassle and worry, who needs that! Luckily the local store said they would be able to refund my credit card.

We trecked all the way into San Francisco to one of The Sharper Images. When we got to the counter, luckily we had the assistant manager, he was very friendly and I explained the story. Of course when I went to give him the receipt, or what was the receipt things got complicated. The receipt that they sent me was nothing more than a packing list with an order number and item number on it. Anyway he went into his pathetic little DOS type interface computer and came back to me and basically called me a bold faced liar. He said I paid for this with a gift certificate and could only get store credit. I explained to him again how I purchased the item. He went back to his pathetic little DOS type interface computer and came back and said, wait, I see you paid for it with a voucher through Sky Mall. I actually laughed at this and told him I didn't. I paid for it with my AMEX. Long story short, they were unable to give me a refund.

Later I called The Sharper Images corporate office and complained. The customer service woman was extremely nice and after she talked with a couple people she basically said that there policy with amzon.com was weird and there was nothing that she could do.

Bottom line, The Sharper Image ruined my Christmas surprise for my wife and I certainly wont do business with them again and I warn anyone else of the same!

Little Bunny Foo Foo

2007-01-06T16:57:00.000-08:00

So I came home from work a few weeks ago and walked in on my wife singing Little Bunny Foo Foo, to Bells. I was immediately enthralled. First off, my wife is very cute and I just assumed she came up with this amazing rhyme on her own, she does things like that! Turns out she didn't and this rhyme has been around for decades if not centuries. I felt robbed of my childhood at that very moment. How could I not have known about Little Bunny Foo Foo! What else did I miss out on. Turns out there is a lot. These are just the ones my wife knew that I didn't. They are excellent!

The Santa Racket

2007-01-06T16:54:00.000-08:00

It started out so simple, my wife, Lauren Do and I wanted to take our baby girl to see Santa. While she is only nine months, we wanted to get her used to asking Santa for a special toy for Christmas. We also wanted a few pictures for her baby book and to feed her blog! As it turns out you can't see Santa without paying! To make matters worse, most places, even if you pay, you can not take your own pictures.

When did the Santa Racket begin? The whole thing just makes me so angry. I remember a time when Santa would show up at a Mall and the children could all go sit on his lap and tell him what they wanted for Christmas. Now, it will cost you at least $14

It's a crying shame

It's a Shame

2007-01-06T16:51:00.000-08:00

This morning during my morning exercise routine I witnessed a middle aged lady picking my neighbors lovely sun flowers. I immediately ran after her and told her that I saw her take the sun flower and to give it back to me. She of course denied it but I exclaimed, "I saw you". She reluctantly handed it over. Then I noticed the callo-lilly's she had also picked. While I did not witness her take these, I did point them out. I told her that next time I see her stealing flowers I'll call the cops on her. I then said, have you no shame?

It is a shame that we don't live in a shame based society! How can people think it is okay to steal other peoples property! I find it simply outrageous.

Easy to say but hard to do

2007-01-06T16:48:00.000-08:00

One of the blogs on my google reader is Coding Horror. I often find this guy amusing and interesting, both in a postive mannor.

Today he was off on an interesting rant, Does Writing Code Matter? and I have a few thoughts on the subject. First and foremost it does! A codeslinger enjoys his ways and has not only a swagger but a look in their eyes. So, again, first and formost, it matters.

However, Jeff went on to make a very good point, one we all already know in the back of our heads. He says "Become a better writer. Become a better speaker. Improve your personal skills. Participate in the community. ... That's how you distinguish yourself from your peers. And that's ultimately how you become a better software developer, too.". While I completley agree with this statement it is not that easy. The vast majority of developers are poor at this skill set and either don't want or can not obtain it. So while it is a lovely idea, it isn't practical and has nothing to do with writing code.

If I can do it shouldn't the Database be able to?

2007-01-06T16:31:00.000-08:00

Back at the ZIPR I used to get teased about things like BJava (Ben's Java) and BOracle (Ben's Oracle) since I would often find annoying and limiting aspects of a Technology and then I would go on and on about what a POS they were.

Now I work a lot with MS SQL Server, which I enjoy working with much more than my old friend Oracle. So this is no way a reflection on one POS Database or another POS Database.

Anyway, if I can tune a query, shouldn't the Database be able to do it for me? Why is the optimizer more often then not wrong? Why do I need to use join hints and join types? Why will it even allow me to add a redundant index? I'd really like to see some improvements in these areas. I feel so limited in what we can do with DSQL with a POS optimizer. Imagine a world where you write a query and the Database figures out how to make it run fast. I don't care if it re-writes the query for me. Why should I have to worry about join order and indexing? Can't the database figure out I need an index and what columns should participate in that index? Java has done a fairly good job with their Hot Spot Technology.

It is time for the Databases to shape up since there is no way they are going to slim down in todays world of unsurpassed data.

Fantasy Football (pickem)

2007-01-06T16:29:00.000-08:00

Doesn't FF just make a leisurley day of football more enjoyable? There is something to be said about rooting for not only teams but individual players. It is sad however that the black out rules often pre-empt the best games on TV. I was not able to see the Dallas vs. Philadelphia game today due to the Niner vs. Raider game with the same time slot and that game was hardly worth watching. I am doing quite well in all of my leagues! I have an algorithm that I follow for Yahoo Pickem.

Always pick a team coming off of a bye week.
Never pick against New England.
Never pick Arizona, they are the new Cincinatti. No matter how much you are tempted
Make your picks after the Sunday Night Game while everything is fresh on your mind. This saves you a lot of time during the week thinking about it.
Don't adjust your picks during the week unless a significant injury occures to a key starter.
Never join more than one pickem league, this can lead to your down fall if one of your leagues is doing poorly.
Always go with your gut!

I'll be riding to a first place win this year if I can follow my own algorithm.

Getting your leg up with Rounders

2007-01-06T16:23:00.000-08:00

I am tired of playing Texas Hold'em. Seems like that is the only type of poker anyone wants to play anymore. I used to enjoy getting my leg up with with the Rounders but not so much anymore. It used to be about drinking, talking about computers and finances, oh and the occational smack, but with Hold'em everyone is so much more serious. I am calling for a ban on Hold'em!

Lets bring back the fun games like Legs, 727, Baseball, Del-Solar, even 5 card draw and not forget why we got together in the first place.

Who is with me?

A codeslinger in the making!

2007-01-06T16:21:00.000-08:00

Today my daughter is well on her way to becoming a codeslinger

Donations Welcome for The BMW Performance Driving School!

2007-01-06T16:16:00.000-08:00

Yes I have a 2006 330i with the sports package (bloged one of these days...)

But I want to drive the M5 and M3, So please donate so I can go experience The BMW Performance Driving School

Frackin Clustered Index Seek

2007-01-06T16:14:00.000-08:00

The key to tuning your query is to have all of the columns you want returned in your composite index. This is a pain in your ass especially as the number of columns grows. However, when you are dealing with data sets in the gizmillions (Yes a reference to my fat kitty cat gizmo) then you have no choice because the last thing you want to see is a Frackin clustered index seek. What you want to see is a comely Index Seek.

Youtube

2007-01-06T15:31:00.000-08:00

I never did like youtube and I think Mark Cuban is correct and says it well on his blog.