Open Source Development Rocks
It’s been a month since I started working for Learning Earnings, and it’s been a pretty good month. Using the LAMP stack of tools feels really nice after spending a couple of years with Microsoft technologies. The technology I’m using isn’t the latest, but solid design and good coding practices can make most environments tolerable. Some of the technologies I’m using are:
- PHP
- CodeIgniter
- MySQL
- Linux
- Yeah, PHP isn’t the new, cool kid on the block, but it’s dynamic and it does the job. If everything goes as planned, I’ll be porting to RoR once our version 2 release is done.
- On the surface, CodeIgniter looked like it would be similar to RoR (Active Record, MVC, etc), but it’s a pale, pale version of RoR. It’s missing most of the ActiveRecord goodness, and the MVC framework rewards discipline and attention to detail.
- MySQL is the second best part of the LAMP stack. The performance is nice, and it works well with my chosen IDE (emacs, what else?).
- I can’t put into words the comfort I feel using Linux for day-to-day development. The tool set is full featured, using the mouse is entirely optional, and I feel like I could recover from just about any disastrophy.
This environment isn’t perfect by any means. I’ve had a few problems with NetworkManager and lockups, which rock my world to the core. The combination of LAMP, a great startup environment, and working at home has me feeling pretty special, though. It’s nice to be able to walk upstairs, gently wake your son at 10am, cook him some breakfast, and go back to work.
I’ll be posting snippets of code when I can. Hopefully I can help others using the same set of tools.
As far a the polyphasic goes, I’ve been experimenting fast and loose with my schedule to try and accommodate my day to day and job responsibilities. I’m still on the plan, and am moving back toward a more classic Uberman schedule. It’s working, and working pretty well. Some days, when there’s lots of work to do, my laptop never gets cold.