Everyone should have their own personal URL shortener, shouldn't they?
I figured that this wouldn't take more than a couple of hours to write. And, indeed, the core functionality didn't take much more time than that. But then we start designing our way round the shortcuts and quick-and-dirty hacks we've used to "get things going quickly", writing unit-tests and comments explaining our thinking, adding some JSP pages so that we can exercise the whole mess, brewing a couple of batches of beer in between times... let's just leave it at a little bit longer!
Why?
Indeed! Why would anybody want Their Very Own Personal URL Shortener?
First: I don't really trust all the "cloudy" hype going around right now. For a start, I have no good reason to trust bit.ly, is.gd, goo.gl or any of the other several-dozen public shorteners. Not that I have much reason to distrust them, but really, I don't know them or the people behind them from a bar of soap. And why should I, like a sheep, participate in generating value[1] for someone who gives me little or nothing in return aside from a shorter, opaque URL that requires an extra network round-trip? And let's not forget that these entities have a nasty tendency to vanish, sometimes rather abruptly. Companies get bought and the acquiring company borgs the product, or sees no value in it, or any of a thousand other corpthink accidents may happen.
Then, too, what sort of assurance do I have that I'll ever be able to get my data (and if I shorten a reference, it's my reference) out of their service ever again? Granted that Google does make some effort in that direction (or at least nods benignly while their engineers do it), but, like the actions of the kakistocracy throughout history, things are only good until a single bad apple rots the barrel.
Second: I don't have PHP deployed on my servers and have no wish to add to the system-administration burden I already have to deal with, so I distinctly want something written in Java...
Third: A whole lot of the URL-shortening services out there don't give any analytics. At least not of those that I can self-host. I think that the analytics angle is compelling. Conventional web analytics - like Google Analytics - are only accessible to the people who created and host the content under analysis. They know where their audience came from, when and how, but nobody else does. If I refer people to some web-stuff[2] I'd like to get an idea of how many people I influenced - how many people followed my recommendation. It is a measure of my own reputation and influence, so highly personal[3]. URL-shorteners give us a way to measure, with a reasonable degree of accuracy and assurance, the influence we have in persuading others to follow our webby blatherings.
I will confess that Google's shortening service is pretty good, and has some nice-ish analytics, but I still think it's in our own best interest to keep at least some stuff out of Google's (or anybody's) mitts. Just on general principles.
An Unexpected Bonus
As it turns out, this is a really, really nice project to use for teaching a JSP/Servlet course, so I'll be reversing it into my Java web-dev course. It covers all the principles I like to get across, from container-managed security through session management and clever use of error-pages, to exploiting the underlying infrastructure properly (instead of hoping that some crapulatious web framework will substitute for your own lack of knowledge or understanding.)
Where?
I'll be releasing the code under the GNU Affero General Public License (probably via Google Code). Just have some tidying-up to do first (like getting license notices in place.) The first deployment is very feature incomplete - there's quite a bit I'd still like to add to the app - and some downright dodgy implementation details that need replacing in time, but for now its working for me.
Drop me a line if you're desperate to have it work for you and can't wait...
[1] At least I assume they get some value out of hosting their shorteners, otherwise why would they do it?
[2] I despise the word "content", despite using it quite frequently.
[3] And, YES, ego-gratifying[4].
[4] Or ego-destroying, as the case may be.
Showing posts with label web-development. Show all posts
Showing posts with label web-development. Show all posts
20 April 2011
15 April 2011
SEO Fail
So. I've been working quite hard at getting course material together... mainly for OO Software Analysis Design courses and a Design Patterns course. The motivation comes from years and years of teaching Other Peoples Courses and experience a deep and abiding dissatisfaction with the material I am handed to work with. I strongly suspect that my students sense this...
Not Good!
So - after a very, very long time umming and aahing over it - I've put my own course materials together. Blatantly stealing tricks and tips from the HeadFirst books, plans include incorporating video and even music. Dare I say I've done a whole lot better than the usual run-of-the-mill courseware? Order of magnitude? But that would be presumptuous, wouldn't it?
Along the way I realised that I needed to pay a whole lot of attention to my (business) website. The old one sucked. Bad! Not at all descriptive of what I'm now doing or trying to achieve in the OO design and architecture space. So I spent a little time reading up on the website of that famous search engine about how best to structure my site and its content for searching. How to better market what it is I do. I read all about "not using Black Hat SEO" techniques. I paid strict attention to their advice! And I went forth and restructured... but only in a good way! What you see is what the googlebot gets. No tricks!
The result?
Falling from a page-rank of nearly fuck all, I now have a page rank of... zero. Thanks, Google! I guess I'll take my advertising business over to Microsoft, now.
I can only speculate what might have brought this on. Perhaps I got listed on some directory site that Google's software considers Bad News. That's the most likely thing I can think of... Or did I just use words like "software design and architecture" a time or two too many? Perhaps it was the word "Java"...
Unfortunately - like The Borg - there's no Human Person one can contact at Google to say, "Hey! I'm really a Person. What went wrong here and how do I fix it?" Pretty much I'm screwed. Where my site was ranking very well for searches on stuff like "software design training", "Java training" and "software architecture course" last week, this week I'm nowhere to be seen. Instead you'll see listing from schmucks offering the same-old same-old. The same tired, half-hearted training crap that led me to start developing my own course material in the first place!
So what's a Real Human to do? I guess I'll just have to live with it. After all, my reputation amongst intelligent human beings is top-notch... not something I have to worry about. So do I need to get upset over how some software see me?
Probably not.
Not Good!
So - after a very, very long time umming and aahing over it - I've put my own course materials together. Blatantly stealing tricks and tips from the HeadFirst books, plans include incorporating video and even music. Dare I say I've done a whole lot better than the usual run-of-the-mill courseware? Order of magnitude? But that would be presumptuous, wouldn't it?
Along the way I realised that I needed to pay a whole lot of attention to my (business) website. The old one sucked. Bad! Not at all descriptive of what I'm now doing or trying to achieve in the OO design and architecture space. So I spent a little time reading up on the website of that famous search engine about how best to structure my site and its content for searching. How to better market what it is I do. I read all about "not using Black Hat SEO" techniques. I paid strict attention to their advice! And I went forth and restructured... but only in a good way! What you see is what the googlebot gets. No tricks!
The result?
Falling from a page-rank of nearly fuck all, I now have a page rank of... zero. Thanks, Google! I guess I'll take my advertising business over to Microsoft, now.
I can only speculate what might have brought this on. Perhaps I got listed on some directory site that Google's software considers Bad News. That's the most likely thing I can think of... Or did I just use words like "software design and architecture" a time or two too many? Perhaps it was the word "Java"...
Unfortunately - like The Borg - there's no Human Person one can contact at Google to say, "Hey! I'm really a Person. What went wrong here and how do I fix it?" Pretty much I'm screwed. Where my site was ranking very well for searches on stuff like "software design training", "Java training" and "software architecture course" last week, this week I'm nowhere to be seen. Instead you'll see listing from schmucks offering the same-old same-old. The same tired, half-hearted training crap that led me to start developing my own course material in the first place!
So what's a Real Human to do? I guess I'll just have to live with it. After all, my reputation amongst intelligent human beings is top-notch... not something I have to worry about. So do I need to get upset over how some software see me?
Probably not.
18 October 2010
HTTP Response codes & msgs as Java enum
Just in case it saves someone else the tedious typing... Capitalisation of messages duplicates the inconsistencies in RFC2616. Don't ask me...
public enum HttpResponse {
HTTP_100( 100, "HTTP/1.0 100 Continue\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_101( 101, "HTTP/1.0 101 Switching Protocols\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_200( 200, "HTTP/1.0 200 OK\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_201( 201, "HTTP/1.0 201 Created\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_202( 202, "HTTP/1.0 202 Accepted\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_203( 203, "HTTP/1.0 203 Non-Authoritative Information\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_204( 204, "HTTP/1.0 204 No Content\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_205( 205, "HTTP/1.0 205 Reset Content\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_206( 206, "HTTP/1.0 206 Partial Content\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_300( 300, "HTTP/1.0 300 Multiple Choices\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_301( 301, "HTTP/1.0 301 Moved Permanently\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_302( 302, "HTTP/1.0 302 Found\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_303( 303, "HTTP/1.0 303 See Other\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_304( 304, "HTTP/1.0 304 Not Modified\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_305( 305, "HTTP/1.0 305 Use Proxy\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_307( 307, "HTTP/1.0 307 Temporary Redirect\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_400( 400, "HTTP/1.0 400 Bad Request\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_401( 401, "HTTP/1.0 401 Unauthorized\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_402( 402, "HTTP/1.0 402 Payment Required\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_403( 403, "HTTP/1.0 403 Forbidden\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_404( 404, "HTTP/1.0 404 Not Found\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_405( 405, "HTTP/1.0 405 Method Not Allowed\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_406( 406, "HTTP/1.0 406 Not Acceptable\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_407( 407, "HTTP/1.0 407 Proxy Authentication Required\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_408( 408, "HTTP/1.0 408 Request Time-out\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_409( 409, "HTTP/1.0 409 Conflict\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_410( 410, "HTTP/1.0 410 Gone\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_411( 411, "HTTP/1.0 411 Length Required\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_412( 412, "HTTP/1.0 412 Precondition Failed\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_413( 413, "HTTP/1.0 413 Request Entity Too Large\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_414( 414, "HTTP/1.0 414 Request-URI Too Large\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_415( 415, "HTTP/1.0 415 Unsupported Media Type\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_416( 416, "HTTP/1.0 416 Requested range not satisfiable\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_417( 417, "HTTP/1.0 417 Expectation Failed\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_500( 500, "HTTP/1.0 500 Internal Server Error\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_501( 501, "HTTP/1.0 501 Not Implemented\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_502( 502, "HTTP/1.0 502 Bad Gateway\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_503( 503, "HTTP/1.0 503 Service Unavailable\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_504( 504, "HTTP/1.0 504 Gateway Time-out\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_505( 505, "HTTP/1.0 505 HTTP Version not supported\r\n\r\n" );
private final int intValue;
private final String msg;
private HttpResponse( int intValue, final String msg ){
this.intValue = intValue;
this.msg = msg;
}
public int intValue(){
return intValue;
}
public String responseString(){
return msg;
}
public static HttpResponse forResponseCode( int responseCode ){
for( HttpResponse v : values() ){
if( responseCode == v.intValue() ) return v;
}
throw new IllegalArgumentException();
}
}
public enum HttpResponse {
HTTP_100( 100, "HTTP/1.0 100 Continue\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_101( 101, "HTTP/1.0 101 Switching Protocols\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_200( 200, "HTTP/1.0 200 OK\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_201( 201, "HTTP/1.0 201 Created\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_202( 202, "HTTP/1.0 202 Accepted\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_203( 203, "HTTP/1.0 203 Non-Authoritative Information\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_204( 204, "HTTP/1.0 204 No Content\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_205( 205, "HTTP/1.0 205 Reset Content\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_206( 206, "HTTP/1.0 206 Partial Content\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_300( 300, "HTTP/1.0 300 Multiple Choices\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_301( 301, "HTTP/1.0 301 Moved Permanently\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_302( 302, "HTTP/1.0 302 Found\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_303( 303, "HTTP/1.0 303 See Other\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_304( 304, "HTTP/1.0 304 Not Modified\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_305( 305, "HTTP/1.0 305 Use Proxy\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_307( 307, "HTTP/1.0 307 Temporary Redirect\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_400( 400, "HTTP/1.0 400 Bad Request\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_401( 401, "HTTP/1.0 401 Unauthorized\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_402( 402, "HTTP/1.0 402 Payment Required\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_403( 403, "HTTP/1.0 403 Forbidden\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_404( 404, "HTTP/1.0 404 Not Found\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_405( 405, "HTTP/1.0 405 Method Not Allowed\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_406( 406, "HTTP/1.0 406 Not Acceptable\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_407( 407, "HTTP/1.0 407 Proxy Authentication Required\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_408( 408, "HTTP/1.0 408 Request Time-out\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_409( 409, "HTTP/1.0 409 Conflict\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_410( 410, "HTTP/1.0 410 Gone\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_411( 411, "HTTP/1.0 411 Length Required\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_412( 412, "HTTP/1.0 412 Precondition Failed\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_413( 413, "HTTP/1.0 413 Request Entity Too Large\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_414( 414, "HTTP/1.0 414 Request-URI Too Large\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_415( 415, "HTTP/1.0 415 Unsupported Media Type\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_416( 416, "HTTP/1.0 416 Requested range not satisfiable\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_417( 417, "HTTP/1.0 417 Expectation Failed\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_500( 500, "HTTP/1.0 500 Internal Server Error\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_501( 501, "HTTP/1.0 501 Not Implemented\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_502( 502, "HTTP/1.0 502 Bad Gateway\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_503( 503, "HTTP/1.0 503 Service Unavailable\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_504( 504, "HTTP/1.0 504 Gateway Time-out\r\n\r\n" ),
HTTP_505( 505, "HTTP/1.0 505 HTTP Version not supported\r\n\r\n" );
private final int intValue;
private final String msg;
private HttpResponse( int intValue, final String msg ){
this.intValue = intValue;
this.msg = msg;
}
public int intValue(){
return intValue;
}
public String responseString(){
return msg;
}
public static HttpResponse forResponseCode( int responseCode ){
for( HttpResponse v : values() ){
if( responseCode == v.intValue() ) return v;
}
throw new IllegalArgumentException();
}
}
27 December 2009
Flightwish Reboot
Restarted working on Flightwish today. A lot of background stuff... seeing that the DNS is correctly set up for all the FW domains... getting Subversion properly configured on the dev server... restoring the old FW software trove... all the dirty little details of permissions, software configuration and setup that don't usually get mentioned in software development plans, but eat into your time in such a big way.
I've installed the Pebble blog engine on the server, and I have to say it looks pretty nice. Far more impressive than the Blojsom engine that I'm still using for my personal blogs. Simpler to use and customise, and performance feels somehow snappier. The only real snag I hit is that Pebble is supposedly able to interpret WikiCreole - not my wiki syntax of choice, but better than no wiki syntax at all! - only it doesn't seem to work. At least I couldn't make it work. Well, it was pretty late in the day, so maybe my brain has simply had enough for the day.
My idea is to first just get a Flightwish blog up and running so that I can get some content up on the site, and update it reasonably regularly so as to improve its pagerank. I was a bit surprised to see, though, that despite having only reactivated the flightwish.com site a few days ago, its pagerank is 3. Not bad for a dead site! I guess it must be because it has been a real site in the past, and also due to its age (several years.)
After that my next priority will be to get a forum system up and running and looking reasonable so that people can start to sign up and chat. Yes, it would seem to be Yet Another Social Networking Website. Hopefully we'll have enough of a real focus to make it a bit different. The idea is (as it always has been) to do something in the travel space, with a strongly social slant.
As soon as the forum is set up I'll focus on writing a bunch of content - to be released at several-day intervals - telling the stories that drive/drove the initial concept of Flightwish. Those stories (you'll have to subscribe to the Flightwish Blog and wait a few days if you're interested - there's no content there yet) will explain the shape of the Heart of Flightwish as it exists in my head. I'll probably also reminisce about some of the experiences we've had with this thing in years past... the long, long road we've travelled to get here.
Lots of work for a one-man-band! But I think we can do something really interesting, different and meaningful in the travel space. Certainly I'd love to visit Bolivia, Peru, Guatemala, Mexico, Belgium (for the beer) and loads of other places, but I don't think I can do it without a bunch of help!
I've installed the Pebble blog engine on the server, and I have to say it looks pretty nice. Far more impressive than the Blojsom engine that I'm still using for my personal blogs. Simpler to use and customise, and performance feels somehow snappier. The only real snag I hit is that Pebble is supposedly able to interpret WikiCreole - not my wiki syntax of choice, but better than no wiki syntax at all! - only it doesn't seem to work. At least I couldn't make it work. Well, it was pretty late in the day, so maybe my brain has simply had enough for the day.
My idea is to first just get a Flightwish blog up and running so that I can get some content up on the site, and update it reasonably regularly so as to improve its pagerank. I was a bit surprised to see, though, that despite having only reactivated the flightwish.com site a few days ago, its pagerank is 3. Not bad for a dead site! I guess it must be because it has been a real site in the past, and also due to its age (several years.)
After that my next priority will be to get a forum system up and running and looking reasonable so that people can start to sign up and chat. Yes, it would seem to be Yet Another Social Networking Website. Hopefully we'll have enough of a real focus to make it a bit different. The idea is (as it always has been) to do something in the travel space, with a strongly social slant.
As soon as the forum is set up I'll focus on writing a bunch of content - to be released at several-day intervals - telling the stories that drive/drove the initial concept of Flightwish. Those stories (you'll have to subscribe to the Flightwish Blog and wait a few days if you're interested - there's no content there yet) will explain the shape of the Heart of Flightwish as it exists in my head. I'll probably also reminisce about some of the experiences we've had with this thing in years past... the long, long road we've travelled to get here.
Lots of work for a one-man-band! But I think we can do something really interesting, different and meaningful in the travel space. Certainly I'd love to visit Bolivia, Peru, Guatemala, Mexico, Belgium (for the beer) and loads of other places, but I don't think I can do it without a bunch of help!
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