Tim Groeneveld

Ever written a web application, wondering what will happen months down the track when a client (or even *gasp* you) need to install your web application?

I am working on a new installer skeleton (if you will) which will allow you to very simply create a fully functional installer for your slightly complicated web applications.

Basically, you can provide the user with different modules. Modules are either required or optional. Modules can define what forms they will show to the user. When a modules form is shown to a user, it gets the chance to run code (via a function in the module’s include file) to both before the user is asked to input any data and after. Also, a separate function can be used to validate that the user has entered correct code.

The installer is (almost) completely modular. I should have an awesome release over the next coming weeks… here is a sneak peak.

Duff Beer!

While in Brisbane, a good friend of mine (Hadi Nematollah) introduced me to Duff Beer (of The Simpson’s fame). Although I am not really  a beer drinker, I can say that I was not put off the taste. Not a bad deal, $25 for a six-pack of novelty beer. Bonus points for being drinkable!

A panorama of a Brisbane city, Oh how I love Brisbane

Brisbane, one of the few cities that I really love. It quite possibly might even be my favorite capital city in Australia. Should you look down similar streets in Sydney, everyone is too busy to have even the smallest of smiles.

Streets Beach - an artificial beach

Streets Bubble O' Bill ice cream

Sure, Sydney has some nice beaches – as it is a capital just kilometers away from the coastline of the Pacific Ocean – such as Manly Beach and Bondi Beach (which has made many a lifegaurd state celebrities with the TV show Bondi Rescue), but Brisbane has Streets Beach, a man-made beach with just about 4,000 cubic meters of sand. It allows you to have a perfect view of the city lights while kicking back eating a Bubble O’ Bill ice cream.

Park on the South Bank - Panorama(Click to see Full Image)

It almost seems like that on every corner there is a park. Not just a tiny 50m² block, but a decent sized area. Enough to fit a school class room worth of kids in. The parks in Brisbane show the fashion, style and flare that defines Brisbane, especially South Bank. South Bank is Queensland’s cultural precinct and includes Australia’s largest Gallery of Modern Art, the Queensland Theatre Company, Queensland Museum, Queensland Performing Arts Centre and State Library of Queensland.

Hello Linux Conference, I can’t wait until you begin!