Puzzles for Hackers
09:15 PM | 0 Comments | Tags: puzzleNew Year's Resolutions '09
It is with great remorse that I begin writing the traditional "First Post" of the new year. It is, of course, on the topic of resolutions and forward looking predictions for the coming year. I usually abstain from writing this post since EVERYONE ELSE has one of their own. However, I have am already well on my way to meeting my primary resolution goal. That goal is to finish at least as many projects as I start this year. Note that I'm not actually planning to finish any of the projects I start this year. That said, here is a ridiculously incomplete list of my current, in-progress projects:
- PyRSS2Twitter is a Python application that will daemonize and continually check any number of RSS feeds and post each to it's specified Twitter accounts. I've been remarkably disappointed with the existing players in this realm.
- PyPingFM is a Python Interface to the Ping.fm API. This project has been started to tie into the RSS2Twitter project as it occured to me that I or others might like to post to something other than Twitter. Rather than implementing thousands of social network API's, I figured the smart approach would be to interface with someone who already had.
- Practical Django Projects is a wonderfully written book that walks through the itterative development process for web apps that Django suits so well.
- Puzzles for Hackers is a fun book that's almost too good to finish. It provides lots of computer-related puzzles and mind games for people with an analytical mind.
- Hacking: The Art of Exploitation is a great book that can be approached from several different angles. My approach is from that of an exploit researcher. This is one thing I've needed to work on.
- Processing is an interesting looking Java based language for data visualization. It just looks cool, and I've done little more than look at the website. I'd really like to learn how to do something with it.
Now I've mentioned that I intend to finish at least as many projects and I start this year. I have actually completed one project, so I guess I get a freebie to start this year.
I have now a feature complete implementation of a Python Interface to the bit.ly URL Shortening API.
04:55 PM | 0 CommentsCruel 2 B Kind
After some discussion tonight and reading the Cruel 2 B Kind website, I wondered how easy it would be to make an SMS interface, to help manage a game automatically. More details to follow...
03:09 AM | 0 CommentsFlattery
I am incredibly flattered. Some folks from Public Radio have decided to use my python script to post various Gustav RSS Feeds to a handful of twitter accounts to help folks affected by the hurricane. Check out the script here: http://github.com/opie4624/pyrss2twitter/
11:10 PM | 0 CommentsSlacker Portable Player
The Slacker Portable Player is one method of consuming the Slacker Personal Radio service (review here). Without a doubt, the Portable Player is the best feature of Slacker. The ability to have custom internet radio stations but still take them with you where there isn't a connection is great. Since I ordered the Portable Player I haven't spent a day without it either in my pocket or in my car. I've nearly stopped burning my MP3 cd's to play in the car, and I'm not even sure where my mp3 player is.
The player is outfitted with a USB port and a wifi card. You use the USB port to charge the player and, on a windows computer, to sync up your music. Though, I almost exclusively use the wifi connection to sync. It works effortlessly, and works while still playing music. With the windows software, you are able to load up your own MP3's on the device (no encrypted wma's though). Or if you have a Slacker subscription, anything you've favorited will automatically show up in the on-demand music library on the device. The subscription isn't required, however. The Portable Player works just fine on the free plan, if you can stand the (very) occasional audio ad.
Ultimately I like the player enough that it's replaced everything else as my primary mp3 player. The only thing to keep in mind, is that the Portable Player is a good well built device, but with beta quality firmware. This means I do experience the occasional lock-up or jittery audio, but it's easily remedied and the Slacker tech support folks are phenomenal. The firmware releases have been fairly frequent and tend to fix the most common problems that are being posted on the forums. I'd still recommend a Slacker Portable Player to anyone that doesn't want to have to load their player with music (hence the name Slacker).
04:03 PM | 0 Comments | Tags: mp3, portable, hardware, player, music, personal, internet