Re: [Blatant Alias Abuse] Anyone want to help out with a coding problem?

I am not anti-DotNet.. i wanted to make sure everyone understands the pitfalls one encounters when writing code for a OS and .Net-version specific framework specifically:

1)change OS - code doesnt work
2)change supported .NET framework version - code doesnt work

if you're writing missile-guidance systems that only work for one specific suite of OS -compiler-environment thats perfectly ok..in fact you specifically dont want portable code
it has been my experience that non-portable code is generally
1)easy to code upfront..usually a day or two
2)a nightmare to maintain..as you'll have to rewrite what you have for each OS and .NET-framework permutation you encounter

so to lure customers in go for the quick fix onetime solution.

then when they needs conversions ..quote them big $ conversion

the latest Mono implementation i have is horribly gacked..do you have connections at novell that have a working copy?

Takk!
Martin Gainty
______________________________________________
Verzicht und Vertraulichkeitanmerkung/Note de déni et de confidentialité

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> Date: Thu, 17 Jun 2010 06:14:24 -0700
> Subject: Re: [GENERAL] [Blatant Alias Abuse] Anyone want to help out with a coding problem?
> From: mike(at)kitchenpc(dot)com
> To: mgainty(at)hotmail(dot)com
> CC: pgsql-general(at)postgresql(dot)org
>
> Regarding the RAM thing, all the recipes will be in the database but
> when the engine loads, it will create a graph in memory of all the
> recipes. They'll actually be linked by similarity, recipe A will have
> an array of pointers to other recipes that someone who likes recipe A
> might also like. Though this design may be rethought if it doesn't
> work out. The data in RAM is read-only and will be "updated" with
> fresh DB data once every day or so. The reason I need to keep the
> data in RAM is I need to be able to very quickly walk this graph and a
> relational DB doesn't really fit for this. I've done some testing and
> if I store about 100,000 recipes in memory, it's only a few hundred
> megs of RAM. This is nothing for a web server, and even if I need
> more, this facility could be moved over to a dedicated server that the
> main website just queues up requests on.
>
> Regarding Mono, I'm not sure it's a wreck. It's come a long way and
> several sites use it in production. However, I'm keeping my code
> runnable on both .NET/Windows and Mono/Apache because I haven't yet
> reached any definitive conclusions on what it will be run on. My code
> is 100% managed, there are no "native DLLs" as you mention. I've
> actually ported my site over to Mono as a proof of concept and it took
> one evening, not 6 mon. I don't really think your rant on MS/.NET is
> really warranted here. To each is own, if you're a Java guy then
> that's fantastic. I'm not much into it and prefer C#, especially
> since I have 10 years of experience with it and zero with Java. I'm
> well aware of the requirements of .NET, Mono, Apache, etc. Thanks for
> your feedback.
>
> Mike
>
> On Thu, Jun 17, 2010 at 5:57 AM, Martin Gainty <mgainty(at)hotmail(dot)com> wrote:
> > keeping anything in RAM means your data will be lost forever when the
> > session is lost..(then again if the data is garbage to begin with then
> > throwing away garbage is no problem)
> > if your data is NOT garbage then you're going to want to persist the data
> > ..look at oracle/mysql and yes even SQL-server if you have to use ODBC
> > instead of JDBC
> >
> > Mono is a wreck..i've written to the mormon i****s at novell multiple times
> > to try to get a build that works and yet to hear
> > any <semi>competent/coherent response from any of them
> > be prepared to dedicate yourself to a minimum of 6 months of effort.. just
> > to get mono working
> >
> > C# only works on MS .NOTYET frameworks..Microsofts proprietary container
> > called the GAC accepts MSIL assemblies created by a .NOTYET language such as
> > C#/VB.Yet
> > but wait a minute you're only half way there..to make the assembly run on
> > anything other than .NET framework you'll need to compile into a standalone
> > native dll..another step in the process
> >
> > apache is opensource and C# is not.. so if your objective is to
> > shoehorn your .NOTYET native dlls into apache you will need to craft a
> > mod_DOTNOTYET module..this in itself is not trivial as you'll have to cast
> > away any MS/DOTNOTYET specific datatypes/methods/namespaces/MS_garbage and
> > put everything into
> > primitive datatype string format..implementing simple methods
> > without using complex collections/ or complex-structures and namespaces AND
> > XSDs that apache can resolve
> >
> > finally deploying to linux,solaris,aix,hpux or bsd which I believe is your
> > final goal will be out of reach until you have successfully:
> > 1)untangled the hopelessly entangled and non-operational mono environment
> > into a working building environment to provide an operational .NET framework
> > on the nix box
> > 2)shoehorn your native dlls to into a mod_DOTNETYET module configuration
> > to be accpeted by Apache..BTW this is not trivial..if apache sees any
> > .NOTYET specific structs
> > it will gpf the server
> >
> > FUNDING: perhaps writing recipes to feed the contractors working for BP will
> > make available millions of dollars you will need to fund this effort?
> >
> > FYI: accomplishing this in either an native Apache or J2EE environment could
> > be accomplished in 1/4 time and budget that your proposed architecture will
> > use
> >
> > *your call*
> > Martin
> > ______________________________________________
> > Verzicht und Vertraulichkeitanmerkung
> >
> > Diese Nachricht ist vertraulich. Sollten Sie nicht der vorgesehene
> > Empfaenger sein, so bitten wir hoeflich um eine Mitteilung. Jede unbefugte
> > Weiterleitung oder Fertigung einer Kopie ist unzulaessig. Diese Nachricht
> > dient lediglich dem Austausch von Informationen und entfaltet keine
> > rechtliche Bindungswirkung. Aufgrund der leichten Manipulierbarkeit von
> > E-Mails koennen wir keine Haftung fuer den Inhalt uebernehmen.
> >
> >
> >> Date: Thu, 17 Jun 2010 04:49:14 -0700
> >> Subject: [GENERAL] [Blatant Alias Abuse] Anyone want to help out with a
> >> coding problem?
> >> From: mike(at)kitchenpc(dot)com
> >> To: pgsql-general(at)postgresql(dot)org
> >>
> >> Hi all – I apologize for the misuse of this alias, but I figured I
> >> have the audience that might be interested in helping me out with a
> >> rather difficult coding problem. In fact, if I can find someone who’s
> >> looking for some part-time work and is interested in a bit of extra
> >> cash, then it’ll be worth it.
> >>
> >> First off, a friend and I are starting a little dot-com here in
> >> Seattle that focuses on recipes and meal planning. We’re building on
> >> a typical LAMP stack (Linux, Apache, Mono, Postgres – why what did you
> >> think I meant?) so we need someone with those skills as well as pretty
> >> serious computer science skills (probably Masters of PhD).
> >>
> >> Here’s the problem. Imagine you have a set of one or more recipes.
> >> Each recipe requires one or more ingredients along with an amount of
> >> that ingredient. You also have a given user, who has an available set
> >> of ingredients and amounts in their inventory. The job is to find the
> >> most efficient set of n recipes you can make with the given
> >> ingredients, resulting in the fewest number of leftover amounts.
> >> Sounds like your typical NP-Complete “multiple-knapsack” problem,
> >> right? I’ll make it a bit more complicated now. This user also has a
> >> set of “ratings” associated with zero or more recipes (0 stars, user
> >> hates the recipe, 5 stars, they love it). One of the parameters of
> >> the function is to take a sliding scale (between 1 and 10) that
> >> indicates how much their ratings will play into the recipes the
> >> function chooses. A scale of zero will tell the algorithm to ignore
> >> their ratings and pick the most efficient set. A value of ten will
> >> try to use their available ingredients if possible, but worry more
> >> about picking recipes they’re probable to like. A default setting of
> >> 5 would pick some sort of even balance.
> >>
> >> Here’s the data you have to work with:
> >>
> >> - All recipes will be in RAM, no database access required. The
> >> recipes contain only a guid, a list of required ingredients and
> >> amounts, and a public average rating.
> >> - There might be 100,000 recipes for all you know, so a brute-force
> >> “try every combination” approach is out of the question. Scalability
> >> is key.
> >> - I’d prefer an algorithm that results in more accurate results the
> >> longer it runs, as the available system resources and system load
> >> could dictate how long to run the algorithm before telling it to stop.
> >> - The engine is given a user profile (their inventory, all their
> >> ratings, and how many recipes they want to cook)
> >>
> >> Here’s my requirements for a solution:
> >>
> >> - Scalable of course. Needs to be fast with lots of recipes, lots of
> >> ratings, and able to work with multiple users at once. RAM is cheap.
> >> - Algorithm functions as both a “suggestions” engine (think of the
> >> Netflix algorithm for movie recommendations) and a “what can I make?”
> >> algorithm, and can trend towards one side or the other.
> >> - All code needs to be written in C#. I have a basic outline and all
> >> data structures prepared, I just need to fill in the main function.
> >> - Code needs to have unit tests, proving it works.
> >>
> >> If this sounds like something you’d want to spend a weekend or two on,
> >> lemme know. I’m willing to pay a grand or so. I’m also willing to
> >> donate that grand to the PostgreSQL USA organization. Please reply to
> >> me privately (mike at kitchenpc dot com) so we don’t clutter up this
> >> list with an off-topic thread. Thanks!!
> >>
> >> Mike
> >>
> >> --
> >> Sent via pgsql-general mailing list (pgsql-general(at)postgresql(dot)org)
> >> To make changes to your subscription:
> >> http://www.postgresql.org/mailpref/pgsql-general
> >
> > ________________________________
> > The New Busy think 9 to 5 is a cute idea. Combine multiple calendars with
> > Hotmail. Get busy.

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