Dark Side of the Carton

I’ve been building web apps for a long time now, I guess about 5 years. In the early days, database abstraction didn’t “exist”. Everyone just used the functions provided in the standard PHP library such as mysql_connect, mysql_query, etc. At some point, we as developers decided this wasn’t good enough. We needed an easier and a cleaner way to execute db calls.

Along comes PEAR and brings with it the DB package. DB promised to be an abstraction layer that provided an object oriented style API for querying most of the popular RDBMS. DB is now replaced by the MDB2 package, but the premise remains the same. I’ve never gotten on the PEAR bandwagon so I’ve always gone with writing my own implementations of some sort of simple abstraction layer.

I’ve gone through writing a set of simple functions all the way to implementing a full PHP5 MySQL class that I use for various web apps and I continue to change and modify the heck out of my abstraction layer. Where I am at now is a place of complete frustration. With all the time I’ve sunk into working and reworking my own abstraction layer, couldn’t I have just saved myself the trouble and hard-coded MySQL functions into my applications?

I mean, I can partially understand an Abs Layer for open source apps like SMF or phpBB since they aren’t in control of the RDBMS that the end user will be running, but for custom designed applications does it even make sense to go the route of abstraction?

At this point, I am beginning to think the answer to that is no. I’m curious to know what other developers think about this topic. I may ping some of the greater PHP minds out there and get some feedback.

We had some stuff going on Monday night and didn’t get a chance to see the second episodes of the new Monday night shows until last night. Despite being exhausted I made it through Chuck, barely. In it’s second episode the show really gets going and comes into its own. I am really enjoying the mix of humor and action and I am beginning to develop a need for more. We’ll have to see how the story goes, but Chuck might end up being one of those shows that I love to watch, but can’t possibly go past a single season.

Journeyman, well… I was asleep for most of it. I have no idea how it was.

The Big Bang Theory was better than last week by a long shot, but it still went too over the top on the jokes. I totally get that is what the writers are going for, but they are pushing a bigger audience away by going TOO high level. Throw in a few very high level jokes and tone down the rest and you’ll see a lot better response. I’ll watch next week, but I’m not so sure how long this show is going to last.

There are rumors flooding gaming sites across the net that something big is going down concerning Microsoft and Bungie. Bungie has historically been very open with members of the press, but this week it’s been tight lips and lots of pointing towards the direction of Edelman, Microsoft’s PR Firm. Rumors range from an amicable split between the two to some sort of self buyout. All I know is that there is a lot of talk going down and everyone seems to know someone in the “know” that has some sort of special information on the topic although not a peep of it has been confirmed.

Should something go down with Bungie, I guess this is as good a time as any for it to happen. I honestly can’t think of a single situation that would be altogether bad for the industry aside from Bungie closing up shop to become a large team of shoe salesman, but I think the odds of that happening are pretty slim.

At any rate, I guess all we can do is continue to wait and see what unfolds as we wade through a waist high river of rumors that is quickly rising. If you so feel inclined to read everything that the PA forumers think might go down, you can read all 8 pages of that thread here.

I work in the vast world of “IT”. All that means to most people is that I have some sort of job related to computers. It could range from cleaning out the inside of computer cases all the way up to managing a multi-regional network complete with complex data links between each location. That is not really what this post is about though.  What it is about is the fact that I want Microsoft to release a Home Edition of Exchange.

You see, I have a full time day job complete with in-house Exchange server. I can access that email from anywhere via the web or remote desktop. I have 1 copy of those emails and I know how to get to them. I also run a side business if you will. That business revolves around communicating with PR people via email. Much to my frustration, I have a copy of those emails here at the office and at home in Outlook. Messages sent from the office, do not get put into my Sent Items folder at home and vice versa. This has created an email synchronization nightmare for me.

Sure, I could shell out for the full version of Exchange and the hardware to run it, but that is a pain and I’d prefer not to mess with it. What I really want is a version of Outlook or Exchange that is super light weight and meant for home users to access their email globally. I know I’m not the only person that jumps through hoops to check external email accounts.

I have found a few possible solutions that include a combination of hMailServer and Roundcube webmail as well as just using remote desktop or LogMeIn to get back to my home machine, but that’s a little cumbersome. I mean, they both work, but it ends up being slow.

In all honesty, I am not sure that a lightweight version of OWA would be all that much faster, but it would be nice to be able to get to that email via the web. Glad I finally got that off my chest.