Peter Arrenbrecht's Blog

I finally managed to install FreeBSD 6.1 in Microsoft Virtual PC 2004 with NATted networking behind a firewall. Here's how: Download the boot ISO image and mount it in the VM. Reset the VM. Run the FreeBSD setup until you have to choose the type of installation. Select "Standard". When asked to slice the disk, type A for "Auto", then Q for "Quit". When asked about the boot manager, select "Standard". Do not select the boot manager. When asked to partition the slice, again type A for "Auto", then Q for "Quit". Select the packages you want. When prompted for the media type, select "FTP Passive". When prompted for the download server, select the "Primary" server ( not the "Main Site"). When prompted for network configuration, skip IPv6, but do use DHCP. In the DHCP results dialog, correct the name server entry. It must be 192.168.131.254. (See this article for details.) Proceed with the inst...

RSpec Site : "RSpec provides a framework for writing what we call executable specifications of program behaviour. Since that’s rather wordy, we usually just call them specs. Some other people call these things examples." If I take a look at the examples on the RSpec site, I cannot help but wonder if just doing this (which they term "behaviour-driven development"), misses out on an important aspect of API documentation and the thought processes that should go into an API design. The missing element is explanation . In my experience, unless I force myself to explain my decisions to an audience (even a hypothetical one), I come up with too complex designs, inconsistent naming, and just generally too much hassle for the users of the API. Sometimes, complexity is warranted. But then, I believe it is important to justify it to your users. Show them why it's there. The RSpec approach is, as I see it, simply a very concise way to write your tests twice: once in natural...

Jay Fields Thoughts: Use erb to insert dynamic text : "Tonight, I was writing up some new material and wanted to mix some examples with the text. I could have just pasted the code into the material; however, I wanted the material to update automatically if I updated the code. When working with Martin on his next book I got to experience the value in this practice first hand and it wasn't something I wanted to work without at this point." Whoohoo! Famous company for that source-citing approach ! :)