David's Weblog

This could be considered a task list:

• Select a communication protocol to be used by the client/server
• Way to create objects on screen that can be re-used, and tied to objects on the server
• Way to exchange PHP objects with Flex application objects
• Security – needed for saving customer/subscriber information, also for adding site content using basic forms

Decisions to make:

• Select a language.  I would like to use PHP because it is the only language supported in the Linux hosting plan by my web host, GoDaddy (ASP is another option, but that requires Windows hosting).  I also have some PHP classes developed and could re-use them.  
• I would like to be able to prototype using AMF because it allows PHP objects to be exchanged with ActionScript objects.   JSON is another option for exhanging objects.
• Zend Framework v1.7 has PHP support for AMF.  It is Open Source.

Other:

• The Zend Framework download is here:  http://www.zend.com/en/community/downloads?fle=Adobe   Adobe Flex PHP documentation is here: http://learn.adobe.com/wiki/display/Flex/Flex+and+PHP
• Zend Studio will let me program/debug PHP in Eclipse, but it only has a 30 day trial.   Not required, but I would like to try it.

CS658 Project Description – Photography Website Framework

During this project I will develop a framework for  presenting photos and related data. One of the goals is to use an interactive  client server technology like Adobe Flex or Microsoft Silverlight. I hope to  utilize a technology that will allow the content to be deployed in both web and desktop applications.  The intent is to deploy the photo application not just on the desktop in a web browser, but also on standard applications and in portable devices. Content will be dynamically generated based on photo data in the server’s database and responsive to user interaction with the website. The goal is not to develop a  photography website, rather the project will focus on the interaction between the client/server and how the server constantly maintains knowledge of the client’s state. There are two issues that need to be balanced:

•   Providing new content from the server while minimizing page reloading
•   Maintaining the client’s state on the server to save user preferences

For example, the application should allow users to register with the server. Once registered and logged in the users should be able to customize their view and return to that customized view at a later time.

Another feature I hope to provide is dynamic content that is based on subject/keywords. For example, if a user is viewing a photo with a certain set of keywords, then the user should also be presented with a short list of other photos with the highest number of relevant  matching keywords. I hope to  develop a workable framework  that provides  intelligence about the relationships between photos and user interaction with them. In the past, photographers might make a folder with “Michigan” photos, however this is often too limiting. Perhaps users would like to view photos of  “Michigan, creek, beach and sunset” or “Michigan, creek, !beach and !sunset”.  The framework should provide a way for users to quickly follow these keyword relationships.

Here is a short list of features I hope to implement: 

1.   Provide  object oriented photo, catalog (size and pricing), and user classes
2.   User classes will keep track of past user actions to preserve the user’s state for later retrieval
3.   Support keyword search for photos (database driven)
4.   Present photos in a way that can be customized by the viewer. Allow users to rearrange the photos on their display. i.e. drag and drop
5.  Allow users to save their favorite arrangement and return to it later (database driven)
6. Allows users to register with the site and get back to their favorites and arrangement (database driven)

Problems and concerns:

• Search engine indexing of content.  How will search engines find photo content if they are embedded in an application? How can the application be designed to allow search engines to find images, titles, alt tags, meta keywords, meta descriptions and other content that help increase search engine rankings.
• I’m sure there will be many others along the way!

One of the benefits of working at an old manufacturing plant is that it shuts down over Christmas break for a week each year.  During this holiday break I began planning a trip to Escalante, Bryce Canyon NP and Zion NP  in the spring.  Though we plan to spend a day at Zion and Bryce the main focus will be on Escalante.  During research I began to realize that most of this trip would include driving on dirt roads to locations that are not marked like they are in a National Park.  Many of these places do not have a trail and require hiking over slickrock to find them.  Having done some of that in past trips I soon decided that a GPS for hiking would be required, rather than just nice to have.  

Garmin Vista HCX

I began researching a GPS and soon decided that the Garmin Vista HCX had the most features that are important to me as a software engineer, hiker and photographer.  Some of the key features for me were:

• 25 hours of battery life on 2 AA’s
• High sensitivity receiver
• accepts USB cable
• accepts SDHC card
• Topographical maps at 1:25,000 scale available for several important areas I visit

Other features that seemed interesting, but weren’t critical

• electronic compass (independent of satellites) so it gives direction when you are stopped  (also includes GPS compass)
• altimeter (nice to have, but I don’t climb many mountains)

I am probably not going to be the kind of person who gets geeky with my GPS.  I probably won’t use all the advanced features for hiking, but I will take the time to write down the coordinates of where I start out and where I want to end up.  Fortunately, I found one at Target.com for $180 with tax and shipping.

One other important item I picked up over the holidays is a 4 pack of Sanyo Eneloop AA batteries with charger.  I’ve been using Energizer Lithium AA batteries for a few years and they are fantastic, but I also like the idea of low discharge NiMH batteries.  Check back in a few months and I will let you know how well they perform.

Hello World! It’s the first post to my new blog so if you’re reading this

WELCOME TO MY WEBLOG!

I must say, if you are looking for an easy blog package to deploy, then WordPress.org is for you. It works really well if you have a Linux hosting account with GoDaddy, PHP 4.X or greater and MySQL 4.X or greater. It took longer to copy the files to the GoDaddy server than it did to configure the software. My only complaint so far is that the admin pages seem to load very slowly. That’s something I can live with. I like the style and selection of templates and the ease with which you can configure everything.

Photography related things:

After 3-4 years of light use my Gitzo 1325’s leg has come loose (unglued) from the base. It wiggles in and out about 1/4″, just enough to worry about sharpness in my shots.  If I wanted to I could pull the leg right out of the base.  I sent it in to Gitzo hoping for a warranty repair and sure enough they have decided to fix it for free.

Back in 2005 I bought a Gitzo 1325 tripod to replace a sand and water damaged 1548. I really haven’t used the 1325 that much in the 3-4 years and have almost never used it on the beach (except for a few star trails photos when I frequently use 2 cameras and 2 tripods to maximize my chances). I sometimes use it in the woods and submerge it in creeks/ponds, but after my experience with the 1548 I ALWAYS take the 1325 legs apart, clean and dry the bushings, threads, etc after getting the tripod wet.  Even so, the bushings have degraded and the little plastic rings don’t seem to want to stay in the grooves when re-assembling the tripod.  Since it needed service for the base I also asked for and received an estimate for new bushings, and preferably plastic ones. The estimate ended up being $75.31 with shipping, which includes the following:

• ($36 for labor) 1/2 hour of labor
• ($26 for parts)
• D1325.26 Shell for G1325
• D320.JS Bushing Set 320
• D326.JG Groove Bushing Set St. Comp. PE

I don’t know what each of these parts are, but I hope they send me plastic bushings so the water issue goes away! I will be sure to update you on the tripod when it arrives.