Just a friendly reminder: the Feed Validator is located at feedvalidator.org. Unfortunately, due to a bizarre confluence of circumstances beyond my control, an old version of the validator is up and running at the old location, but we are unable to update it to the latest version or redirect it to the new server (HTTP is running but ssh is not, and no, bouncing the box does not help). It is very important that you update your bookmarks, links, templates, scripts, and applications to point to the new domain. Important bugs have been fixed and deployed at feedvalidator.org that will never be deployed at the old location.
In other news, I got a new desktop PC today, for work. At 2.4 GHz, it is faster than our 8 other computers combined. It is sitting on my desk next to a Rev D iMac which, running OS X 10.2.6 at 400 MHz on 128 MB of RAM, can only be described as wheezing
. Sadly, I will need to run Windows XP on the new PC, complete with Service Pack 1 and 25 critical updates to download out of the box (thanks Dell! glad I have an external firewall), and later the .NET framework and the complete suite of Visual Studio .NET tools. Yes, I’m learning how to be a .NET programmer. I’m even getting paid for it. The world is rich with irony.
In other other news, I have a new server, through Bytemark Hosting. I have set up a CVS repository for my book and soon for all my other projects as well, and will be setting up anonymous CVS access shortly. It will also host my book’s companion website, and probably some or all of my other sites as well, plus my mother’s website, if I ever finish it for her (sorry Mom). It is running Debian GNU/Linux, and I have root access on it. Today I celebrated my new-found non-paying full-time got-root-why-yes-thanks-for-asking job by patching a buffer overflow in ssh to protect my server from a rumored zero-day exploit.
Meanwhile, if you’re in the market for some kickass non-root hosting, I strongly recommend Cornerhost, where I am currently hosted. It will take me many moons to replicate for myself all the niceties that I take for granted on Cornerhost, and I will never be as nice to myself as Michal has been to me. But non-root hosting is like dry humping; it’s fine as far as it goes, but at some point you have to hunker down and get naked. It’s probably best not to stretch this analogy too far.
In other other other news, I’m writing a book. Or rather, have written a book, or at least part of a book, Dive Into Python, the book I’ve been writing, or not writing, for years, the book I said I’d never work on again. Except that now, Apress is paying me to work on my book again, expand it, and hopefully finish it. And if all goes well, they’re going to publish it on actual paper sometime next summer, by which I mean fall, by which I mean God willing before 2005
.
My book will be edited by James Cox, and reviewed by we know not whom. My book — including all new work, edits, and corrections — will remain freely downloadable under the GNU Free Documentation License, but you should buy a copy anyway, because this is the way I want the world to work. My book is not yet available for pre-order, but believe me when I tell you that I will make it very clear when it becomes available.
My book. My book. I’m just going to go around muttering my book
for a few weeks until somebody smacks me. Or until a hurricane knocks my house down, whichever comes first.
“I’m just going to go around muttering “my book” for a few weeks until somebody smacks me.”
I know the feeling, and all I got was a single chapter!
(In hindsight, I don’t think the difference matters to your mother between writing one chapter or being the sole author. You still get the “oh, my baby boy!” and the “I’m so proud of you!” with 15 pages.)
Comment by Dave S, — Wednesday, September 17, 2003 @ 12:46 am
This goes in the Python category?
*Blinks*
Comment by kami — Wednesday, September 17, 2003 @ 1:23 am
*smack* ;-)
Comment by Sascha — Wednesday, September 17, 2003 @ 1:27 am
Truely excellent. Congrats.
Comment by Matt — Wednesday, September 17, 2003 @ 1:34 am
This is great news. ‘Dive Into Python’ was one of the main reasons to start developing in Python again after I left the language alone a few years ago. As a result, my company has now shifted from PHP to Python as our main language for doing web development.
I am really looking forward to a printed version!
Comment by Thijs van der Vossen — Wednesday, September 17, 2003 @ 2:55 am
Congratulations. I’m in for at least one copy.
Comment by James Kew — Wednesday, September 17, 2003 @ 4:36 am
Agreed, I’ve recently gone back to Python programming after a few years break from it too, and DIP was the first place I turned. I wasn’t disappointed. Good luck with the book.
Comment by Jim Dabell — Wednesday, September 17, 2003 @ 5:20 am
Welcome to the club.
I’m also writing a book for Apress, and so far they seem to be a great bunch of people to work with.
And yeah, I also did the whole “O my god I’m actually writing a book” thing for a few weeks…
Now I just need to finish it…
Comment by Garrett Rooney — Wednesday, September 17, 2003 @ 7:46 am
Would you please warn readers when http://www.diveintomark.org stops working? :) I had a feed which wouldn’t update, and it turns out that the “www” is the cause.
Comment by Manuzhai — Wednesday, September 17, 2003 @ 8:09 am
Oh, and Sam has the same problem (you’re on the same box, right?). Only for him, it’s worse, because all the links on his site point to http://www.intertwingly.net (which doesn’t exist).
Comment by Manuzhai — Wednesday, September 17, 2003 @ 8:18 am
If you want to cool down for a bit, set up a CafePress store and make a book; upload a Dive into Python PDF and order it. I’m sure the trance will slow down. For a day or so.
Congratulations.
Comment by Jesper — Wednesday, September 17, 2003 @ 8:47 am
Honey, you’re gonna get over that in no time, let me tell you.
Comment by Joe Clark — Wednesday, September 17, 2003 @ 8:59 am
If you can use a review from a semi-techie (as opposed to the several Highly Learned reviews I’m sure you will get), I’m game.
Comment by Dorothea Salo — Wednesday, September 17, 2003 @ 9:49 am
It’s a wonderful book. Congratulations.
Comment by Adina Levin — Wednesday, September 17, 2003 @ 9:53 am
Could you post an MP3 of you muttering “My book” repeatedly? That would be rad, thanks.
Comment by l.m. orchard — Wednesday, September 17, 2003 @ 12:01 pm
Wait until you start coming upon deadlines. My book will become more of a cry for help or a shriek.
Comment by Bill Brown — Wednesday, September 17, 2003 @ 12:09 pm
I really like dive into python, and I am really looking forward to a print version. Keep up the good work, Mark!!
Comment by Robb — Wednesday, September 17, 2003 @ 1:29 pm
I started learning Python with the “Python Tutorial” and “Dive Into Python”. Now at work we are switching from ASP/ASP.NET to Python. Thanks Mark.
Comment by dee — Wednesday, September 17, 2003 @ 2:25 pm
Wait–what happened to the syntax highlighting? I swear it was there before…
Comment by kami — Wednesday, September 17, 2003 @ 2:29 pm
Mark, your page is a joy to read as is your book. Can’t wait to buy a copy.
Comment by Erik M. — Wednesday, September 17, 2003 @ 2:50 pm
“My book will be edited by James Cox, and reviewed by we know not whom.”
I know whom… some random guy on slashdot who will absolutely love your book, and link your website to the slashdot post, and absolutely kill the bandwidth for your site for the rest of the month ;)
Comment by Adrian — Wednesday, September 17, 2003 @ 4:21 pm
Just watch out when you install all those updates for XP.
My brand new, never connected to the internet, laptop keeps rebooting randomly due to some problem with one of their darn updates. I have been without it for nearly 10 days as the IT guys try and work out which update is at fault.
Comment by RIchard — Wednesday, September 17, 2003 @ 5:04 pm