Emacs Python Completion

I always used Emacs for Python editing. And usually i use the ‘dabbrev-expansion’ to use auto-complete feature. After a talk w/ Phil I discover http://www.python.org/cgi-bin/moinmoin/EmacsPythonCompletion (py-complete lisp module).

This seems to be a cool stuff but i get the same error as Phil:

>>> Traceback (most recent call last):
File "<stdin>", line 1, in ?
NameError: name '__py_complete_string' is not defined

So I need to look at this another day..

NetGear WG511 on Linux

After a lot of trouble w/ my PCI linksys card WMP54G, I need to install a pcmcia netgear WG511 on my notebook. I usually use a Cisco Aironet but the new one is a 54g so.

It only takes 10 minutes to figure that this kind of cards are well supported in Linux.

To install:

  • download the latest kernel (2.4.23 for the test)
  • download the latest Prism54 patch
  • Patch the kernel
  • make dep; bzImage …
  • download http://prism54.org/firmware/isl3890 in /usr/lib/hotplug/firmware/
  • reboot and enjoy

You should get something like this:

Loaded prism54 driver, version 1.0.2.2
eth0: prism54_mib_init()
eth0: islpci_open() 
eth0: resetting device...
eth0: uploading firmware...
eth0: firmware uploaded done, now triggering reset...
eth0: prism54_mib_init()
eth0: done with prism54_mib_init()! -- Client Managed mode

Latest point the README say that Ad-hoc mode for 2.4 kernel is a work in progress .. and it seems to work.

Update: You can get the firmware here . Take care that most recent WG511 sold now are WG511T which doesn’t use prism54 drivers but the Madwifi one.

SQLObject on Birthday

First it’s my birthday today (19/12) .. I am 29 years old .. Oh my god and still playing w/ computer like a kid :)

So my playground today was SQLObject. Despite Big (author of Modeling is one of my best friend, and I have been for a long time the only debugger of this stuff (i work with him during 1year), today I decided to try SQLObjet.

And I really enjoyed this game play:) Modeling is far more complex because it use a hard model described in XML. SQLObject is really more fun, adding some row to the db is a piece of cake. Beside i really like the Editing Context used in Modeling ( ripped of EOF and used in MiddleKit too ), SQLObject is more simple and better fit for projet that take care finer to db .. And it is thread safe.

If i have 10 min i will look why the SQLLiteConnection seems buggy. it looks like trouble is in fetchInsterID() ..

Have a nice Birthday Jerome :) and now patch your linux kernel to use the new NetGear your girlfriend give you for the turn.

Webware HTTP Adapter

Ho, i miss it ..
Yesterday, it tested the HttpAdapter for Webware. This is a nice, easy to use (no need to use the cgi or tweak the httpd.conf) Adapter for Webware.

To test: Just copy the WebKit/Adapters/HTTPAdapter.py in your current Webware instance, edit this file to feet w/ your need ( mainly the 2 first vars ), and run it directly.
Now point your mozilla to http://localhost:8080/ and enjoy :)

I haven’t play w/ Webware since a while.. and i don’t know the real difference between this and ‘Standalone Webkit’ .. but this is pretty kool ..

Now i need to look at the URLHandler as Ian tell me..

Pam_USB

Pam_USB is a pam_module that allow you to log in w/ a usb-key (or a cdrom/ floppy .. any removable device w/ a serial number or a free space to hold DSA keys.)

This is pretty kool since, this kind of stuff can be usefull. I think about:

  • security of course ( using Additional directive )
  • or usefull ( for example in POS …)

Anyway i will install this on my notebook since I use it a lot and I can’t always trust the potential users. ( I usually leave it w/ xlock at my work. )

Blog vs CMS

I spent a part of the day hacking reST and Alinéa and i’m in a issue. In fact i usually write a lot of things like tutorials, FAQ and tips lying around, so i decide to put this in my blog because i don’t want to have too much trouble writing stuff at 10 different place.

So i have been hacking a Zope system which is a bit like a CMS and a bit at a blog, but this is not so easy because blog is (by definition) not hierarchical as opposite of CMS.

Despite i managed to do several good things i need to fix this:

  • ZODB is hard to tailor ( using session,aq_x and other things really sux )
  • Having to rewrite all things like cut/paste/ .. take care about urls etc etc is awfull
  • Having to test and test again this so crappy ..

I’m a bit confuse tonight since a lot of work have be done, but now I’m wondering how i will use it without emacs, and need a lot to do again.

I really think that this kind of system should be easy to use, and pybloxmon seems to be fine cause we can use simple tools. but the main lack is that you can’t easily organise it.. for example finding the right stuff on a lot python website is awfull.

Right now it got a lot of questions in my head:

  • Why should i use Zope over Webware (despite i pretty like Webware) ?
  • Why should i fight with ZODB instead of a good old fashion filesystem or db server ?

And guess what i won’t use Plone :)