I tarred and g-zipped my directory and am in the process of electronically submitting it as we speak! It is such a relief to have it behind me.

It wasn’t a particularly difficult task to complete , but it did pose some quite interesting problems and allowed me to develop a relatively complex python program from scratch that incorporated everything we have covered so far in CR11 as well as introducing databases and SQL.

My project solution involved writing a program that allowed a user to upload their own music collection and then perform a variety of tasks including searches, sorting and editing the data. As I say, nothing too fancy but a worthwhile exercise nonetheless. It also managed to inspire the hidden software developer inside me and I think I will be looking to run some further development in the near future.

I have been trying to install and run MySQL and Apache so I can put together my CR11 database coursework. MySQL was no real effort, just sudo apt-get it and wa-hey away you go – pretty self explanatory and a rather robust piece of software, not that I am overly qualified to make that sort of statement, lol.

Apache on the other hand has really done my nut in. Firstly, it took all day to install and run properly after hours of fiddling with apr’s. Secondly, I don’t seem to be able to link Apache with the files I am using to write the program, either tells me I don’t have permission or that it can’t find the files! Any help on this apsect much appreciated. At the moment I am tempted to give up and head into DEC-10 to do my coursework, but after shelling out on a machine that’s supposed to do it at home I don’t really want to take that step.

I have been quite good this year, got most of my coursework out of the way before going home for Christmas so I could take a good week off for the festivities and then got stuck into full time revision on the 2nd January. It means I have had a solid week of 9 – 5 preparing for the two exams that matter and the one that I am actually looking forward to. I have a philosophy exam and a history and philosophy of science exam on Wednesday and Thursday respectively and then my CR11 mock on the following Wednesday.

I think I’m pretty much ready, whcih is the first time I have said that since my GCSE’s (which weren’t exactly taxing..). To be fair, though, only the two philosophy exams actually matter and I don’t need to pass either save for pride and bragging rights.

This time of year always makes me reflect on the sacrifices we make for exams. I have a couple of friends who should be celebrating their birthdays in the coming weeks and I am fairly sure they haven’t managed it effectively for the past ten years! I have been spending little or no time with Liz and even have pared down the amount of time I am spending on the phone or the internet with her.

An interesting time of year, one where you realise just how much assessment we go through these days. I say bring back the days of three years work and a single session of finals!

I used to watch it when it was on television in the mid to late nineties, then re-watched it all back to back a couple of years ago and am now in the process of re-watching them all again. I am not sure whether it is a case of me getting old and cynical, or whether I am just not invested enough into this marathon (I am tending to watch the episodes whilst coding) but I don’t seem to be getting as involved in the programme as I used to. I used to have a real affinity with the show. he first time I sat and watched them back to back I couldn’t stop watching, now it’s a case of an hour here and an hour there.

Ah well. It is still good telly!

This is very much a double edged sword. It is boring being stuck in, especially as we have a joiner in replacing our doors which means I can’t do too much wandering or watch tv as it is too loud. I also miss a lecture or two, though that isn’t too important as it is last week of term so there isn’t much exciting happeneing in them. The upside is that I have achieved an awful lot of coding in the time I have been in. I am now totally up-to-date in all my coding and even managed to forge ahead slighlty with next term’s coursework. At this rate I will have nothing top do over the holidays!

Unfortunately, the hard drive that failed was my windows install drive and I don’t want to install windows on my second hard drive. So until the new disk arrives I am stuck using my linux box for everything. Now I like linux – it is easy to use and definitely the most intuitive system I have come across (I use Ubuntu 7.04 (for desktop) at the moment) but it does have several drawbacks. First the chess game AI is far too difficult. I am a good chess player and struggle to beat the computer on Easy and Medium. The other fault is its incompatibility with modern games. It is a bind to install them and then it’s a lottery as to whether they will even run. This wouldn’t normally be a problem for me as I tend to only use my linux machine for programming and other work related things. However, in the current situation it is annoying – especially as our internet keeps going down!

Anyway, my new disk should be here today so hopefully I will be back up and running by tonight.

I really have not achieved as much as I would have liked today though. I have tidied out my car and am on my way to give it a good old clean on the outside. That is about it, I had hoped to get some general tidying and sorting done today too, but the hoover still has no bag, so I can’t finish anything off.

I hope the next week is as nice as I have a few little bits and bats planned.

I have also decided that I need to start learning to use linux properly as it cannot be as bad as I remember it. Plus, with me starting some computing modules in September which are all programming modules I will have to use it so might as well acclimatise.