Well today was my first day in my new job and it was time to get reacquainted with Java. My first task was to get the existing code base working on my Linux workstation (rather than fight the Java on FreeBSD demons). I downloaded the JDK from Sun and installed it. Checked out the appropriate code from CVS. Ran the compilation process. It all compiled. Ran the script to start up the server. It started. On the first try. No tweaking.
So I guess this Java stuff really IS multi-platform, huh?
My next task was to modify the command line interface to the server (you telnet to a funny port and issue commands to it). I added an echo command, so you can telnet in and type echo foo at the prompt. If it works, the server says: foo
Yeah, this is high-tech
Anyway, that was hard that I thought it might be. If memory serves, I created 3 new classes and modified as many configuration files. I'm a little surprised at the amount of code necessary to do something that trivial. I hope it's not a sign of things to come. Maybe Perl has spoiled me a bit too much?
My next task is to learn more about the server framework we're using: Avalon from the Apache project. According to the Avalon site:
The Avalon project is an effort to create, design, develop and maintain a common framework and set of components for applications written using the Java language.
Lots of docs to read. And I need to brush up on my language skills. This whole "everything is an object" mentality is going to take some getting used to again.
Oh, I suspect there's gonna be a lot of Java commentary spewing from me in the near future. I'll create a Java category in my blog for it.
As previously noted my DSL is going away. But there's a silver lining. My soon-to-be new provider, Raw Bandwidth tells me that there's now a remote terminal in my area. That means I get the DSL from it rather than the "local" central office. So instead of having 384kb/sec down, I should be able to get a more respectable 1.5Mb/sec.
As Mr. Burns would say: Excellent.
(Just don't get me started on how Direct TV is screwing their existing DSL customers. That's a story for another day...)
As noted by a co-worker... an interview with AOL's VP of Community Products:
Q: AOL is getting into weblogs?
Weblogs, over the last several years, have migrated to replace, in some cases, people's home pages. It's natural that the blog and the home page would combine. And when you remember that AOL has the largest collection of home pages in the world, it kinda gets interesting.
Hmm. I'm trying to decide if that's good or not. Anyone else remember when AOL first gave their users Usenet access? *sigh*
UPDATE: The url is fixed now.
Today's my first day as part of the search team at Yahoo. As mentioned earlier, I've spent 3 years working on Yahoo Finance.
I can't say a lot about what I'm working on, but from the sound of things I'll be playing with Java, MySQL, and Oracle a fair amount. It should be interesting. I haven't really touched Java since 1996.
Well, the rain is mostly done. Power is still out in many places. I saw police at several intersections directing traffic on the way to Yahoo today. Lots of broken trees and crap all over the roads. There were some mud slides in the hills.
All in all, we've seen quite a bit of rain in the last few days. It sounds as if we're getting a bit more later today and then again on Thursday. (Hopefully later on Thursday so that I can still make my morning flying lesson.)