AVL Tree for Google's New Go Language

Anyone interested in Google's new Go language should check out my open-source AVL Tree. It was originally crerated as a C++ class and a template, used in my HERMIT program. Porting it to Go was an interesting exercise. First, I didn't need my heap allocator because Go's garbage-collected memory manager already does block allocations. Perhaps the most interesting part of the port, however, was moving from a class hierarchy way of thinking to Go's interface-based programming, which is more akin to "duck typing." I was able to add some interesting iterators similar to those in other Go containers, but until Go has generics I can't add that. Overall, it was an interesting study in simplifying the code. Assuming that Go grows and scales, it is shaping up to be a powerful programming tool with much of the simplicity of script languages.

PS3 Surgery!

PS3 Surgery!, originally uploaded by lore.

My out of warranty PS3 won't start up...so time for surgery! Not sure I can make it work, but it's fun to see what's inside. It seems like most of it is a heat sink. I am hoping the fiddling and cleaning will loosen things up enough. Supposedly you can heat the mainboard to fix any loose solder caused by overheating. We'll see how it goes.

I also took apart the Bluray drive enough to get the Little Big Planet disk out, but I neglected to get pictures of that. Some of the connectors are so small you need tweezers to take them off. Delicate work for sure.

Overall it's pretty well built - unfortunately these older models get really, really hot and it causes problems when the dust builds up, which is inevitable.

Kindle DX Thoughts

I finally broke down and got myself a Kindle DX from Amazon. I just couldn't avoid it when I saw that it supported PDF natively. And it had a larger screen for my programming books. I couldn't stop myself. Or maybe it was the 500 pounds of books that I've been moving around my house so the floors could be refinished. I kept thinking how all those books wouldn't make a Kindle weigh any more than it already did. My back thanks me. Too bad I can't put all my old books in there too.

The Kindle DX arrived nicely packaged with simple instructions to get started. The Amazon Kindle DX Leather Cover, which I highly recommend, is great for protecting the Kindle and it also makes it seem like it really is a book. The front cover folds around the back easily. Initially it took some time to get the wireless to sign in. I haven't experienced any issues since, so I am chalking it up to lack of cell towers in my area, an overcast day, and possibly problems with my cellular signal booster.

After signing in the DX quickly downloaded a book I had already purchased online and I was already reading. The screen is much easier to look at than an LCD monitor. I expected it to be slightly less gray on the background, but the subtle contrast works well for reading. A neat feature is that you can rotate the screen to change the orientation of the page. Like others have reported, it's a bit touchy so it's nice that you can lock it if you need to.

The PDF support on the DX works very well. The rendering and font support is excellent. I found only two issues. First, it doesn't support a password-protected PDF (which I didn't find surprising). Second, for some landscape-oriented documents, when you rotate the Kindle to fit the actual page size, going to the next page doesn't advance all the way, leaving you viewing the middle of two pages. I hope to see this fixed in a future software update.

Overall I am very pleased. This is a great device for people who like to read.

Pros:

• Very readable screen, and good grayscale rendering of images and diagrams


• Well built


• Large amount of storage


• Good PDF support


• Long battery life


• Amazon store works very well


• "Experimental" features like a basic web browser and music player

Cons:

• Slightly heavier than I thought it would be, but still comfortable


• Screen orientation changing is a little too sensitive


• Minor issues with some PDF files

Cox providing free Tuning Adapter to Tivo HD users

A while back I posted a nasty rant about Cox Communications and their "2-way" service. Were I more knowledgeable about the cable industry, I might have known that they are utilizing something called Switched Digital Video (SDV) - where your cable box actually "turns on" the channels it needs, allowing their network bandwidth to be better utilized. The channels I cannot receive on my Tivo Series 3 today are the SDV channels.

Now it turns out Cox is also offering a SDV Tuning Adapter to Cox customers with HD Tivo units - and it's free. This is, in my opinion, a great thing.

Also see the Tivo FAQ on SDV for more information.

Heather's Book Available

After months of work and many delays that were generally my fault, Heather's first self-published book The Guardians of Skylark is available on Amazon.com!

When Wynna Stewart heard that her in-school nemesis, Dominic, had run away from home, she wasn't sorry that he had gone. A chance encounter with him in one of the most unlikely places would challenge everything that she knew about him. An adventure awaited them that was neither convenient nor expected.

One thing I've always enjoyed about Heather's work is her ability to develop characters you care about and put them in compelling situations. Set in a modern community that could be a model for progressive neighborhoods everywhere, Wynna's story is touching and full of discovery.

International Wolf Center

CIMG4243, originally uploaded by lore.

We took a great vacation to see the International Wolf Center in Ely, Minnesota. We also stopped by the North American Bear Center. We had the privilege of staying at the Wintergreen Dogsled Lodge during our trip. See the full set of pictures at http://www.flickr.com/photos/lore/sets/72157606176973103/.

Flickr does video!

Flowing Stream
Originally uploaded by lore


Ok, it was news to me anyway...