See the actual chart here
It moved up one more spot in the past month, although temporarily to 12th, but as of today, it’s in 13th again.
That said, at this time last year it was in 35th!! That’s right, it moved up 22 spots over one year ago. In contrast, VB.Net was in 16h at this time last year, and is now in 19th.
Visual FoxPro is now listed as an ‘A’ language, VB.Net, a ‘B’.
Java remains at number one again this month, moving up one spot from the #2 slot it had last year.
I remain exited about FoxPro’s climb this year. I know part of it is due to the number of us out here posting about our success stories as well as doing a bit of ‘evangelizing’ about the product. I also know that a good part of it is also due to the fact that it remains a solid business tool.
FoxPro was one of, if not the, first of the MS languages with the ability to consume web services. It’s got an extremely versatile language that’s been tuned over 20+ years to provide incredible data manipulation capabilities.
Couple that with the ability to work easily with Oracle, DB2, MS-SQL or the native VFP database container (DBC) and you have a tool that exceeds TOAD, or Squirrel in not only working with ‘raw data’, but as a front end to those stores as well.
I know Microsoft will never give the press to FoxPro it gives to Access or SQL Server, as they see it as competing with both of them (something it does very well by the way), and as the pricing model does not separate the ‘data engine’ from the language, and provides the developer the ability to distribute their application without the end user needing a copy of VFP there’s just no profit motive for them to start doing so.
I am seeing a growing community of FoxPro ‘bloggers’ though… and some talented ones as well. I read a discussion this morning about some of us creating a site that showcases Visual FoxPro success stories. I think that’s an excellent idea, and one I think I’ll incorporate into the revamp of one of my sites I’m currently working on.
For those of you who are not ‘techies’ or programmer types, think about it this way. Imagine you spent 10, or 20 years of your life, learning how to use a tool, or better yet a ‘set’ of tools to do your job. Then, one day, you’re told the ‘tool set’ you’ve invested time, and money, to become expert at…. Is no longer an acceptable tool set for you to use.
To me, it’s similar to telling a mechanic, who’s managed to become proficient, and make a living with, sockets, ratchets, screwdriver and hammers, being told those tools can no longer be used, and they now have to use an ‘new and improved’ tool set. Never mind that most of the new tools don’t look, feel or work like the old ones, but in many cases require more time, money and effort to not only use, but to master as well.
I’ve made a fairly big investment in .Net, and while I’m far from the expert I am in FoxPro, with .Net, I’m certainly proficient.
Unfortunately, even if I was to purport .Net expertise, the going rate for .Net programmers is about half what I’d earn on a similar project in VFP. Like that mechanic, I still need to feed and provide for my family, so I’m going to take the work that will allow me to do so, all other things being equal.
In addition, in the right hands, VFP is still one of the fastest development platforms around allowing a VFP guy like me to model, and present an interface to the customer, complete with a basic data model, in days, not weeks or months.
I’m taking steps to get my blog ‘googlized’ so it’s included in the “Tiobe Index” calculations… the way I see it, FoxPro needs all the free press it can get.
Technorati Tags: FoxPro - Microsoft - SOA - Software Development
-IceRocket Tags: Software Development - Decisions - SOA - FoxPro
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
Monday, July 03, 2006
A Little Manual Labor Is Good For The Soul. . .
Or in this case, a lot of manual labor!
I took the concept of ‘Labor Day’ and decided to embark on another labor intense weekend project.
About half of our lot is ‘overgrown’… I’m sorry, it’s a “Natural Area”.. in current landscape speak.
One of the reasons I believe it was being kept as a natural area, instead of as lawn, is that much of it is so steeply sloped as to make it difficult to mow. One of the reasons I’ve let it stay ‘Natural’ is that I liked the fact that from the street, it’s very difficult to even see our house.
Why, well from the house, it’s also very difficult to see the street, or most of the neighboring homes, so, despite living ‘in the city’ it can feel like we’re ‘in the country’.
Unfortunately, as anyone who lives in or around wooded areas can attest, these areas also are a breeding ground for all sorts of summer insects, and I decided that this year I was going to attempt to reclaim some of that land. While I want to keep it ‘natural’, I also want to be able to walk around on it and not have to fight my way through brush, mosquitoes and all other sorts of annoying insects.
Also, in the center of this area is a drainage conduit (otherwise known as a “ditch”) that needs some attention. There are some washed out areas and one ‘hole that needs to be filled in. Last year when I’d rented the tractor I tried to get back in there with it, but the undergrowth was so thick, and there were so many deadfalls that it was close to impossible to find a direct route in.
So, as phase 1 of my reclamation project I decided to see what I could accomplish with a day and a half and a walk behind brush cutter. I’m sure you’ve seen them advertised, the most common is the DR field and Brush Mower, and there are other, similar ones as well. The one I rented was made by Murray, who makes most of the Lawn and Garden equipment you see with a ‘store’ brand on it.
It was 15HP, had 4 forward speeds, and one reverse speed. Al I ever used was 1st, and reverse… and often I was wishing 1st was even slower than it was. This area was very, very overgrown, and while the going was slow, this little machine did (what I think) is an amazing job.
I had to enlist the chainsaw, and a pair of heavy duty loppers to help get though some of the thickest stuff, but over a day and a half I managed to really make some headway.
I’ve posted some before and after pics here and as you can see I knocked down a lot of brush.
One of the things I liked best was that the machine essentially mulched everything up into fairly small pieces, leaving the area looking like I’d actually mulched it (I didn’t).
It was tough work though, and with the temps here in the 90’s and the humidity fairly high as well, it was hard on this old body of mine. It’s much tougher work than it looks on TV, when working through the heavy stuff. On the other hand in the couple of small areas where I had mostly tall grass and ivy, it was about the same work as mowing the lawn.
It cost about $80 to rent the machine for Saturday afternoon and Sunday, considering one of the machines costs about $2,000 to buy, it was a bargain in my book. I would only use one once, maybe twice a year, so owning one doesn’t make much sense to me.
Oh, if you plan on renting one, a tilt bed, or ramped trailer is the way to go… it’s far to heavy to lift in and out of a pickup bed!!
I’m off today and tomorrow as well, but I think I’m going to find something less, labor intensive to do!!
Enjoy the 4th!!!
Technorati Tags: Yardwork - Brush Mowing - Weekend Project - Natual Area
-IceRocket Tags: Natual Area - Weekend Project - Brush Mowing - Yardwork
I took the concept of ‘Labor Day’ and decided to embark on another labor intense weekend project.
About half of our lot is ‘overgrown’… I’m sorry, it’s a “Natural Area”.. in current landscape speak.
One of the reasons I believe it was being kept as a natural area, instead of as lawn, is that much of it is so steeply sloped as to make it difficult to mow. One of the reasons I’ve let it stay ‘Natural’ is that I liked the fact that from the street, it’s very difficult to even see our house.
Why, well from the house, it’s also very difficult to see the street, or most of the neighboring homes, so, despite living ‘in the city’ it can feel like we’re ‘in the country’.
Unfortunately, as anyone who lives in or around wooded areas can attest, these areas also are a breeding ground for all sorts of summer insects, and I decided that this year I was going to attempt to reclaim some of that land. While I want to keep it ‘natural’, I also want to be able to walk around on it and not have to fight my way through brush, mosquitoes and all other sorts of annoying insects.
Also, in the center of this area is a drainage conduit (otherwise known as a “ditch”) that needs some attention. There are some washed out areas and one ‘hole that needs to be filled in. Last year when I’d rented the tractor I tried to get back in there with it, but the undergrowth was so thick, and there were so many deadfalls that it was close to impossible to find a direct route in.
So, as phase 1 of my reclamation project I decided to see what I could accomplish with a day and a half and a walk behind brush cutter. I’m sure you’ve seen them advertised, the most common is the DR field and Brush Mower, and there are other, similar ones as well. The one I rented was made by Murray, who makes most of the Lawn and Garden equipment you see with a ‘store’ brand on it.
It was 15HP, had 4 forward speeds, and one reverse speed. Al I ever used was 1st, and reverse… and often I was wishing 1st was even slower than it was. This area was very, very overgrown, and while the going was slow, this little machine did (what I think) is an amazing job.
I had to enlist the chainsaw, and a pair of heavy duty loppers to help get though some of the thickest stuff, but over a day and a half I managed to really make some headway.
I’ve posted some before and after pics here and as you can see I knocked down a lot of brush.
One of the things I liked best was that the machine essentially mulched everything up into fairly small pieces, leaving the area looking like I’d actually mulched it (I didn’t).
It was tough work though, and with the temps here in the 90’s and the humidity fairly high as well, it was hard on this old body of mine. It’s much tougher work than it looks on TV, when working through the heavy stuff. On the other hand in the couple of small areas where I had mostly tall grass and ivy, it was about the same work as mowing the lawn.
It cost about $80 to rent the machine for Saturday afternoon and Sunday, considering one of the machines costs about $2,000 to buy, it was a bargain in my book. I would only use one once, maybe twice a year, so owning one doesn’t make much sense to me.
Oh, if you plan on renting one, a tilt bed, or ramped trailer is the way to go… it’s far to heavy to lift in and out of a pickup bed!!
I’m off today and tomorrow as well, but I think I’m going to find something less, labor intensive to do!!
Enjoy the 4th!!!
Technorati Tags: Yardwork - Brush Mowing - Weekend Project - Natual Area
-IceRocket Tags: Natual Area - Weekend Project - Brush Mowing - Yardwork
Sunday, June 25, 2006
We live in very strange times. . .
I read this today… and I find myself thinking more and more about it.
You can see a 'G' rated pic here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/48600077142@N01/166601565/
What is it with our society?
A teacher can spout anti-government rhetoric, or take and promote a “kill ‘em all” line with respect to the war on terror, and there’d be no ‘outcry’, no out right ‘dismissal’ and a call for a revocation of his/her teaching certificate.
Show a nipple however, and well…. You can’t be teaching art to students in Austin...
What is it anyway about the female nipple that makes it such a ‘forbidden’ item? I watch the Discovery Health channel from time to time and I’m always amazed that while they can show a flaccid penis, they always ‘blur out’ a woman’s nipple. They’ll show the rest of the breast… and just blur out the nipple.
Is there some sort of secret, uncontrollable ‘urge’ that drives, other men, but not me, insane with lust at the sight of a nipple? Did I miss some instant nipple arousal genetic trigger in my DNA?
While I’ll admit I’m as big a fan of the female body as anyone, I’m not instantly aroused to the point of distraction at the sight of a naked female, unless it happens to be my wife… and she’s ‘nekked’ as opposed to ‘naked’ (Nekked for those of you who don’t know, is naked, with “intent”)
At what point does the nipple cross the line from its utilitarian function of nurturing an infant, to being something that MUST remain hidden at all times lest it unleash a torrent of unmanageable arousal in all who see it?
I’ll go out on a limb here and suggest that there are just as many women who like to see a bare male chest, as there are men who like to see a female one. Somehow though our society has deemed that women are far more ‘in control’ of their hormonal ‘urges’ than we men are, regardless of age. I think I’m more than a little offended by that assumption.
I think also that this has far deeper reaching aspects than just this one teacher, and these pictures. Could an employer of mine find my blog (it certainly wouldn’t be difficult) and decide that, this post for example, violates some ‘decency’ clause in the employee handbook, or a contract? Could I be blacklisted as a contractor, potential employee, or dismissed from the job?
It’s possible, and while I could probably win a wrongful termination suit… it would, no doubt, be an expensive legal battle, and once won would certainly narrow my chances for future employment.
Most of you who stop in here are also bloggers, your lives are out here, a diary for all to see, have you ever posted anything that could be viewed the wrong way?
So what do you think? Is the simple depiction of a woman, without clothes, or semi-clad, pornography? Or is it, as she claims, art?
I’ve not seen the actual pictures in question, but as I understand it, these were candid shots of her doing everyday things, like laundry, changing her clothes, etc. They did not depict any sexual acts, either alone or with others.
You, my readers, are a pretty level headed bunch so I’m asking you, does this strike you as an overreaction, or is management doing the right thing here?
I’ve scanned a dozen or so ‘Before’ outside photos of the house and I’ll have them posted today at www.thecoupes.org . As always, you’re welcome to drop in there and take a look.
I may have to turn off the public viewing in the next day or so as the pics begin to hit the google image search, I don’t need the additional traffic! Once again, I offer you regular readers the opportunity to register for the site, it’s free and you’ll never receive any spam I promise. If you’re concerned about divulging personal information, just place gibberish in those fields, we’re just gathering it for family mailings etc anyway.
As always, thanks for stopping in.
Technorati Tags: Society - Porn vs. Art - WTF - Choices
-IceRocket Tags: Choices - WTF - Porn vs. Art - Society
You can see a 'G' rated pic here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/48600077142@N01/166601565/
What is it with our society?
A teacher can spout anti-government rhetoric, or take and promote a “kill ‘em all” line with respect to the war on terror, and there’d be no ‘outcry’, no out right ‘dismissal’ and a call for a revocation of his/her teaching certificate.
Show a nipple however, and well…. You can’t be teaching art to students in Austin...
What is it anyway about the female nipple that makes it such a ‘forbidden’ item? I watch the Discovery Health channel from time to time and I’m always amazed that while they can show a flaccid penis, they always ‘blur out’ a woman’s nipple. They’ll show the rest of the breast… and just blur out the nipple.
Is there some sort of secret, uncontrollable ‘urge’ that drives, other men, but not me, insane with lust at the sight of a nipple? Did I miss some instant nipple arousal genetic trigger in my DNA?
While I’ll admit I’m as big a fan of the female body as anyone, I’m not instantly aroused to the point of distraction at the sight of a naked female, unless it happens to be my wife… and she’s ‘nekked’ as opposed to ‘naked’ (Nekked for those of you who don’t know, is naked, with “intent”)
At what point does the nipple cross the line from its utilitarian function of nurturing an infant, to being something that MUST remain hidden at all times lest it unleash a torrent of unmanageable arousal in all who see it?
I’ll go out on a limb here and suggest that there are just as many women who like to see a bare male chest, as there are men who like to see a female one. Somehow though our society has deemed that women are far more ‘in control’ of their hormonal ‘urges’ than we men are, regardless of age. I think I’m more than a little offended by that assumption.
I think also that this has far deeper reaching aspects than just this one teacher, and these pictures. Could an employer of mine find my blog (it certainly wouldn’t be difficult) and decide that, this post for example, violates some ‘decency’ clause in the employee handbook, or a contract? Could I be blacklisted as a contractor, potential employee, or dismissed from the job?
It’s possible, and while I could probably win a wrongful termination suit… it would, no doubt, be an expensive legal battle, and once won would certainly narrow my chances for future employment.
Most of you who stop in here are also bloggers, your lives are out here, a diary for all to see, have you ever posted anything that could be viewed the wrong way?
So what do you think? Is the simple depiction of a woman, without clothes, or semi-clad, pornography? Or is it, as she claims, art?
I’ve not seen the actual pictures in question, but as I understand it, these were candid shots of her doing everyday things, like laundry, changing her clothes, etc. They did not depict any sexual acts, either alone or with others.
You, my readers, are a pretty level headed bunch so I’m asking you, does this strike you as an overreaction, or is management doing the right thing here?
--------------------------------------
I’ve scanned a dozen or so ‘Before’ outside photos of the house and I’ll have them posted today at www.thecoupes.org . As always, you’re welcome to drop in there and take a look.
I may have to turn off the public viewing in the next day or so as the pics begin to hit the google image search, I don’t need the additional traffic! Once again, I offer you regular readers the opportunity to register for the site, it’s free and you’ll never receive any spam I promise. If you’re concerned about divulging personal information, just place gibberish in those fields, we’re just gathering it for family mailings etc anyway.
As always, thanks for stopping in.
Technorati Tags: Society - Porn vs. Art - WTF - Choices
-IceRocket Tags: Choices - WTF - Porn vs. Art - Society
Saturday, June 24, 2006
Well… it’s certainly been a week!
One of ups, downs and turn-arounds…
Work-wise… things went pretty well. I managed to get everything out that had to go out, despite a server crash that disabled my access to the data. Only a (clever, if I do say so myself) workaround got me access and allowed me to hit the deadlines.
I got the ASP application working and the financial group signed off on the results (it’s always good when the financial people need your help!) I’ll document the changes, and hand everything off to the Business objects folks early next week.
Professionally I had a second interview with the folks in Connecticut, this time with the Development Manager. It turns out she lives in Atlanta and works 100% remotely managing the various developers. She indicated that, should I get the job, a remote assignment was possible.
In the course of the interview she also indicated that she (and the company) were looking to me specifically become a ‘big picture’ person in their move to a multi-tiered approach to data management and a tightly integrated mixed architecture.
Once she said that our discussion took on a whole new dimension… remote work… help with architecting the transition, proof of concept models… now they have my interest! This is the sort of thing that really gets my juices flowing creatively. Now all that has to happen is for the dream, to become a reality!!
I’d love to be a part of something this big, this state of the art and with a company that’s not only a leader in its field, but one with virtually no competition… sweet.
I’m trying to keep my hopes realistic as I’m not sure moving to Connecticut is a long term solution for us, I’d miss the weather here too much! Time will tell I guess, and I’ll make a decision when there’s one to make… for the moment I’m just enjoying being ‘in the hunt’.
I hope you’ve enjoyed the Camaro pictures; there are some others various pics out there as well, with more to follow soon. In fact tonight and tomorrow with whatever time I have I’ll be scanning the photo album of our remodel of the house a few years back. I’ll most likely post them in sections, like before, during, after and current… the place is very much still a work in progress.
Micah is still talking about coming up on Sunday, but, considering he’s got a late day wedding to be in on Saturday, and remembering how I was at his age, I’m not counting on it!
As I was typing this yesterday, we had one of those signature North Carolina summer thunderstorms, incredible lightning, heavy rain and high winds… it knocked out power for a little bit and cable/internet access for several hours.
As a result I’m just starting to work on the scans, it’ll be Sunday before they’re posted for sure.
Also, Micah called last night, and as expected the heavy rains (5” + in many areas) the company he works for, and therefore he, will be very busy this weekend doing water removal.
I’m off to do some yard work, trimming mostly as I managed to get the yard mowing done before the storm actually got here yesterday.
So what are you doing this weekend?
Technorati Tags: FoxPro - Work - Life - Software Development
-IceRocket Tags: Software Development - Life - Work - FoxPro
Work-wise… things went pretty well. I managed to get everything out that had to go out, despite a server crash that disabled my access to the data. Only a (clever, if I do say so myself) workaround got me access and allowed me to hit the deadlines.
I got the ASP application working and the financial group signed off on the results (it’s always good when the financial people need your help!) I’ll document the changes, and hand everything off to the Business objects folks early next week.
Professionally I had a second interview with the folks in Connecticut, this time with the Development Manager. It turns out she lives in Atlanta and works 100% remotely managing the various developers. She indicated that, should I get the job, a remote assignment was possible.
In the course of the interview she also indicated that she (and the company) were looking to me specifically become a ‘big picture’ person in their move to a multi-tiered approach to data management and a tightly integrated mixed architecture.
Once she said that our discussion took on a whole new dimension… remote work… help with architecting the transition, proof of concept models… now they have my interest! This is the sort of thing that really gets my juices flowing creatively. Now all that has to happen is for the dream, to become a reality!!
I’d love to be a part of something this big, this state of the art and with a company that’s not only a leader in its field, but one with virtually no competition… sweet.
I’m trying to keep my hopes realistic as I’m not sure moving to Connecticut is a long term solution for us, I’d miss the weather here too much! Time will tell I guess, and I’ll make a decision when there’s one to make… for the moment I’m just enjoying being ‘in the hunt’.
I hope you’ve enjoyed the Camaro pictures; there are some others various pics out there as well, with more to follow soon. In fact tonight and tomorrow with whatever time I have I’ll be scanning the photo album of our remodel of the house a few years back. I’ll most likely post them in sections, like before, during, after and current… the place is very much still a work in progress.
Micah is still talking about coming up on Sunday, but, considering he’s got a late day wedding to be in on Saturday, and remembering how I was at his age, I’m not counting on it!
As I was typing this yesterday, we had one of those signature North Carolina summer thunderstorms, incredible lightning, heavy rain and high winds… it knocked out power for a little bit and cable/internet access for several hours.
As a result I’m just starting to work on the scans, it’ll be Sunday before they’re posted for sure.
Also, Micah called last night, and as expected the heavy rains (5” + in many areas) the company he works for, and therefore he, will be very busy this weekend doing water removal.
I’m off to do some yard work, trimming mostly as I managed to get the yard mowing done before the storm actually got here yesterday.
So what are you doing this weekend?
Technorati Tags: FoxPro - Work - Life - Software Development
-IceRocket Tags: Software Development - Life - Work - FoxPro
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
I know I'm late. . .
I promised you the Camaro pics yesterday and I didn't post them.
I tried, honest! Blogger just wouldn't allow me to upload any pics at all!!
So, now, for a limited time only you can go to my family website www.thecoupes.org and click on Family Photos, go to the album named Bill & Maryan and then click on the album 'Camaro Rebuild'.
I say for a limited time because normally you'd have to be a registered member to view the photos. Feel free to register if you'd like, you're more than welcome as you all feel like family to me. I thought you might not be comfortable giving me personal information so I made the album 'public' for the time being.
I hope you enjoy them, I had almost as much fun scanning them as I did doing the project!
I tried, honest! Blogger just wouldn't allow me to upload any pics at all!!
So, now, for a limited time only you can go to my family website www.thecoupes.org and click on Family Photos, go to the album named Bill & Maryan and then click on the album 'Camaro Rebuild'.
I say for a limited time because normally you'd have to be a registered member to view the photos. Feel free to register if you'd like, you're more than welcome as you all feel like family to me. I thought you might not be comfortable giving me personal information so I made the album 'public' for the time being.
I hope you enjoy them, I had almost as much fun scanning them as I did doing the project!
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