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I've started March in an appropriate way - in the office late on a Wednesday night/Thursday morning learning to write Python code!
1/3/01 That kind of paid off since the program I wrote was accepted and put up on the (aptly named) Useless Python site.
The code mentioned above is in fact truely "Useless", since it has been pointed out to me that it doesn't actually fulfill the criteria laid out in the original ACM problem. I think the problem is more with my mental representation of the problem/solution rather than a deficiency in my code writing. The code does exactly what I tell it, and I have no problem getting my ideas into Python statements (probably a testament to the ease with which you can pick up Python). The fact that it doesn't work properly is because I don't fully grasp the requirements for an adequate solution. I think I'm trying to distinguish here between writing code i.e. converting natural language statements to satisfy a programming languages' constructs, and programming i.e. analysing a problem, developing a solution and THEN writing the corresponding code.
I'm tearing my hair out with this Palinwords problem. I think I've made it difficult for myself - I bet the solution is really straight forward. There are a few other problems I want to get stuck into, but I don't want to move on to them until I have this figured out. In future I will NEVER submit code I haven't fully tested out!
I spent Sunday 4th March in the office getting help to install Red Hat Linux 7.0 on my desktop machine. I also downloaded ActivePython 2.0 for Linux, so I now have that package running on both Windows and Linux. I might try and force myself to use Linux when I'm doing my own programming work...
6/3/01
Tonight I read through some Linux documentation and wrote a few basic "Hello World" programs in Perl, C and Python on Linux. I just used the Pico text editor since Emacs confuses me at the minute. I had to use the default Python installation, since I can't find the ActivePython 2 package that I installed (or think I did!).
We have the release date for our Mission Control Wireless development suite coming up on Fri 16th March, and I have to say it is looking mighty fine at the minute. The speed has been vastly increased and the functionality of the demonstration applications are very impressive. The technology I have been working with (ok testing) is much better than a lot of products I read about in online press releases (eg "Company X releases 'Y' which lets people read email on a Nokia 7110" Big deal...), and I think I've neglected to say that in these diary pages so far. It's the organisation (or lack of) within the company that I haven't been impressed with, but I suppose that is secondary to delivering an ass-kicking product.
13/3/01
Went up home for Colleen's birthday (9th March incase I get the wrong date again...). While I was up North, I took the opportunity to go up to Coleraine and get my USIT card and have a look for accomodation for next year.
21/3/01
Loads happened recently that I haven't got round to writing about. I rectify this ASAP. Let's just say I'm on the lookout for another placement!
30/3/01
Right then. Overall this has been a very eventfull month in The Life Of Eoghan. I'll start by recording the good news that the staff of the Propylon Labs Development facility here in Enniscrone met our deadline and produced a completed, tested CD of Mission Control V2.0 on Friday March 16th. This was a bit of an anti-climax, and was not how I imagined a software release would work out. Instead of getting bonuses or any kind of recognition for meeting this deadline, the majority of staff were put on 'Protective Notice' i.e. they were told that due to funding problems, their wages could not be guaranteed past the next month's cheque. Effectively they were sacked after they were past their usefulness. My position was OK as I was costing very little, but I did not fancy sticking round Enniscrone without the rest of the lads who made life in the office and this tiny village almost bearable. I immediately went about looking for another placement as was fortunate to see a "Student Wanted" notice on the UU website. I emailed a quickly drawn-up CV to the contact address, and to cut a long story short, I am now looking forward to starting a new placement with Shorts/Bombardier Aerospace in Belfast at the end of April. I'm really excited about moving out of here, and I can't wait to start work - it seems I'll be working with databases initially so I'm going to start playing with MS Access for the next week or so... Other good news is that I've got tickets to go to Copenhagen over Easter with some of the lads I've became friends with. I'm really looking forward to this as well!