SheepAOP::SheepAspect

Another aspect orientated framework -SheepAOP now SheepAspect by Hendry Luk.

I'm glad to see someone else in this space. I'm also happy to see that it is derived with an IoC container in mind. Seems straightforward enough - could have some real promise. I will keep this framework in mind for any future projects.

http://sheepaspect.codeplex.com/

http://hendryluk.wordpress.com/2011/05/08/sheepaop-part-1-getting-started/

Building Silverlight Toolkit (again)

Paths I find most useful - especially when compiling SL Toolkit 4.0 from source (on an x64 machine). For whatever collection of reasons (IDE resolving assemblies, poor source-code structure - whatever) I usually end up wasting x hours of my life (usually on the weekend) trying to resolve these things. The Design solutions seem to be the worst offenders. 

The saddest comment I saw posted on the message boards (from a moderator no-less) was along the lines of - "Well, just don't build those projects." 


The sound you just heard was me throwing up, just a little bit...

Anyway - some of magical GAC paths....


(Useful for the little things - like System.Windows and System.Windows.Controls)
C:\Program Files (x86)\Reference Assemblies\Microsoft\Framework\Silverlight\v4.0\

(For the Blendability aspects - notice the 10.0 - instead of the 9.0; which is generally how the IDE(?) resolves it)
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0\Common7\IDE\PublicAssemblies\

(For the all the references that look to C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Silverlight\v3.0\Libraries)
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Silverlight\v4.0\Libraries\Client\

I love what SL has done to the CLR - I really do! In general, the IDE is a pleasure to work with but that said....

• My best advice is stop using the GAC! Use the shared binary folder (only if source is unavailable or overly prohibitive) for the shared dependencies consistently and across the board.
• Where's the automated batch build? If Code-Plex = MS <3 OS  at least follow some basic principals... 
• The few tests that there are suffer the same path dependency problems as the rest of the project. (No automated build - or automated tests?) 
• Developers are your audience - and we are relentless when we don't have a sense of assurance with the project we are working with. It needs to be clear, well-organized and predictable. I've personally abandoned Open Source projects for less than this.
• Source-tree restructuring - make-over is well overdue. What a bloody-mess! (Take a look at the majority of projects at github if you want to see how its done.)
• All this being said - I want SL to succeed; but MS needs to want their developer base to succeed. We're paying attention...are you?

Every minute (wasted) compiling/resolving references is a minute NOT spent writing those oodles of apps required to catch up to Apple, oh - no wait - it Android now.
 
Assimilated the new Android SDK yesterday -> was out for about 15 minutes as the emulator changed paths and Eclipse required an update. Just saying...

KoL Wiki Search

Because the KoL Text search hurts my feelings.

only search the KoL Wiki

*Update: Wiki editors - please steal this code!

Language Trends (Predictions for future?)

Programming Language Trends (Dec. 2010)
Programming Language Trends (Aug. 2010)
 
Not a clue - but interesting to see java in forefront and an increase in objective-c (certainly not my favorite :P)

Shakes fist at iPhone

Eclipse Update :: Android update :: OS Update

When free-software costs you development time, it's not free - its costing you! Now that I have your attention here's my disclaimer:

I have had equally horrid experiences with other expensive OS' and development tools.

My dilemma has always been with trying to reconcile the differences and find what works best for me.

So who is to blame when a working development environment just "stops" after a week of updates. So Ubuntu had a minor distro release (10.10) - I waited over a month before installing, Eclipse (3.5.2) had a series of seemingly innocuous updates, and the latest version of android development had a minor bump (.7 to .9 release). To make matters even more convoluted, I'm also running an x64 bit OS on top of it all.

What is the issue - the Android project type is no longer available from the Eclipse IDE? Compiler can't reconcile imports, keywords etc. Horrible. So like any good troubleshooter what do I do?

I tinkered with various settings (for awhile - how bad could it be) then I remembered it took less than 30 minutes to set-up before. I un-installed everything (downloaded the latest of all-the-above - installed) - and restarted; no love - no joy - but a slew of half-muttered obscenities.

The real tragedy of this is that I've been working with both Linux::Eclipse and Windows::MonoDroid and I actually preferred the Linux set-up.

It was clean, seemingly more stable (has been a plugin provider for a long time), generally unobtrusive and the resulting program responded better - i.e. very snappy!

So after wasting half-a-day tinkering with Eclipse - I'm removing it completely for now. If I want to develop on the Unix side of things maybe I'll try Netbeans with Android, though it seems younger and potentially more unstable than Windows with MonoDroid (as it is in its .2 release). 

I'm so frustrated at this point - I don't know if I'll continue for today. Ah well, live learn.

UPDATE: Just because I can't leave well enough alone. I figured out a solution to aforementioned problem(s).  This assumes that you've unpacked the SDK to the same path as before (and that you've already added to PATH).

With the new Android SDK - make sure ALL Shell Scripts have execute permissions (under \tools) chmod +x

Completely uninstall everything from Eclipse.

Delete the .eclipse folder under home (with whatever reside exists in there)

Reboot (for good measure)

Run android script (follow Google destructions as before)

Reinstall Eclipse/ADT Plugins/ etc. -> will be golden afterwards.

MORAL: Living on-the-bleeding-edge hurts (just a little).

NOTES: Not at all impressed with NetBeans 6.9 after trying it out - feels like a work in progress.

iPhone and MonoDevelop

Seems that initial reports (back in April) about Apple dropping support for anything but Objective-C was aimed primarily against Adobe - and not Novell. So MonoDevelop (w. MonoTouch) can still be the choice development-platform for i(Whatever) applications. Full article (complete with dispelling misconceptions, etc.) stumbled upon here.

Google University - laid back

Who doesn't love Google? Ok, don't answer that! They've recently made course material available to to public. Which is kind of cool since I've established an interest in the Android platform of late - and have been experimenting with the DI containers available for the platform; specifically Gin and Guice. I just know Snoop Dogg would be proud!