software

C++ Modules

So, as a followup to the C++ post, here's another super-interesting piece of information.

So, as a followup to the C++ post, here's another super-interesting piece of information, proving that someone over there has their eye on the ball: C++ Modules.

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Modern object-oriented programming languages

What the world needs is a modern, object-oriented, garbage-collected, type-safe programming language that performs well, and is usable anywhere.

So, I've been thinking lately (probably because of the embedded development I've been doing) that what the world needs is a modern, object-oriented, garbage-collected, type-safe programming language that performs well, and is usable anywhere. I've been developing full-time in C# for my employer for a long time (since the language has been publicly available, in fact), and I've become accustomed to having an extremely powerful library, along with highly convenient language features available to me. I did some hobbying in C long ago, but never very much, because the memory management just didn't feel "clean" to me. Having to manage everything as hunks of memory and passing around "void *" everywhere just doesn't strike me as type-safe.

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Here's a Kickstarter project I'd like to see

There's project after project after project on Kickstarter aiming to be the next Arduino.

On Kickstarter, the "please-donate-to-me-because-I-have-an-idea" website, one popular and recurring theme is to provide the "next Arduino" platform. In nearly all cases, this involves an ARM Cortex-M* microcontroller on a small breakout board. ARM breakout boards, however, are a dime a dozen. Any fool (yours truly first in line) can whip one up from a datasheet and a little Google-time. There are enough frighteningly powerful Cortex microcontrollers out there that it's time someone did something about it.

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Master of Orion 2 ship images by color

All the Master of Orion 2 ship images, arranged by ship color and class.

Another month, another post, amirite?

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On mobile phone operating systems

It finally came time to retire the Touch Pro 2.

It finally came time to retire the Touch Pro 2, which, I believe, is one of the last ever released Windows Mobile devices. I’d only ever used Windows Mobile 5/6 devices before, and only ever devices with a physical keyboard, so it was a natural choice at the time. It was underpowered even then (devices with 700+ MHz processors were already available, or maybe even 1 GHz), but it had the WM6 and the keyboard that I wanted, so I grabbed it.

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Fluent programming interfaces

I've got a strong opinion on fluent APIs (yeah, nothing else, though).

I've got a strong opinion on fluent APIs (yeah, nothing else, though). My opinion is that fluent APIs are for the weak-minded. I've always believed this, but today I had an epiphany: fluent APIs are for reformed VB programmers who miss the "using" statement!

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Yet another zombie game

Yeah. We need another zombie game, seriously.

Yeah. We need another zombie game, seriously.

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The "right" way to hash a password for storing in the database

So, you're storing a password in that database, huh?

So, given that password security is in the news quite a bit lately with all sorts of high-profile hacking incidents, I figured I'd write down a little code here that I've been considering.

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My contribution to the ClientBase and IDisposable discussion

It's well known that there can be some unexpected behavior when one uses ClientBase<T> as IDisposable.

It's well known that there can be some unexpected behavior when one uses ClientBase as IDisposable:

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SOAP vs REST

There is apparently a large debate of philosophies raging; none of it makes much sense to me.

There is apparently a large debate of philosophies raging: SOAP vs REST. None of it makes much sense to me.

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