RSS Feeds: Computer Programming Out of Necessity, Not Desire
I've mentioned about a thousand times that I'm not a computer programmer. I've learned enough assembly language programming, BASIC language programming and PHP scripting to do most of my own computer programming, but it has never been by choice. Lately, it seems, I've been doing a lot of programming and what I've learned is that I really don't like it.
My Business
I haven't written anything anywhere for days, other than responding to comments and email. I've been hard at rewriting the PHP code for my online business. Although I never intended it to be a business, that's what it turned out to be and it's eating away at all of my free time.
As a business designed to help people get relevant backlinks instead of generic backlinks, the code needs to run correctly at all times and be able to handle thousands of people connecting at the same time. What thousands? Well, that's part of the reason the rewrite is necessary. By instituting database record paging and other memory and database query optimizations, the server can handle many more people at the same time.
I'll be switching to the new code in a couple of days, after testing for bugs in the code. Along with the switch, there will be a change in the payment method. I'm not at liberty to say anything more about that right now, but I'll announce it when it's final.
PHP, JavaScript, Ajax, and Other Headaches
All of the programming languages, functions, methods and other assorted nonsense have done nothing more over the years but give me a headache. I've been working with PHP for years and took the time to learn how to make JavaScript and PHP play nicely together, considering one is a server-side language while the other is a client-side language.
Ajax (or AJAX or whatever) is a combination of whatever you want to call it, but it boils down to being able to use JavaScript as a push and pull language instead of just a display language. Google and other companies use it extensively for website optimization routines. I had to teach myself how to use it and it wasn't pretty.
When it comes to computer programming, I've become somewhat a "jack of all trades". I know enough about a whole lot of things that would classify me as dangerous. I've had to learn about MySQL, email headers, popups, error-checking routines, escaping and unescaping quotes, and all manner of things in between them along with the right languages to use.
The final thing I want to say is that I really hate programming. I'm doing it out of necessity — I can't afford to pay the exorbitant fees that real programmers charge. The desire to learn it has never entered the picture. I like to do one thing when it comes to the Internet and it's what I'm doing right now: Writing. I don't care if anyone reads what I write, but I like it nonetheless.
Someday soon, I hope that I can ditch computer programming completely and dedicate my time to writing. For me, that would be the perfect pastime in my life as I head into my senior years.
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PHP is somewhat of a scripting and tagging support language. It's not really a computer programming language the way C and C++ or Java are.
Yes, server-side scripting involves a lot of hackery because we have to protect against "unclean" input which can potentially cause ruin and destruction. That means PHP or any server side code has to by design include more about checks and balances than a desktop or client-side application.
And I agree with you about AJAX. It seems a very hackish and cut-and-paste approach to something that the underlying technology should handle by a better design. Unfortunately the underlying technologies are more or less mature and won't be disturbed for a long time. Until some other 'stateful' protocol replaces HTTP for standard document retrieval over the web, we're going to see more hackery and uglier code.
My last blog: Simple BBCode support added to comments
By the way, I think the next major overhaul has to be a completely secure and stateful protocol for web applications, as opposed to web documents.
We're basically using a document retrieval protocol (HTTP) to serve complex interactive content and so the hackery at a higher level is much more…
My last blog: Simple BBCode support added to comments
Well hope its a money maker for you, guess a guys got to put beans of the Table.
As a retired Marine who also lived in Olongapo I will miss your post about Olongapo, But good luck with it.
This blog isn't going anywhere, Joe.
hey RT,
I hear you, brother. The older I get, the less I want to learn. I just want stuff to work. I really don't care why it works, or how it works, I just want it to work. I learn enough html to get by, but haven't tackled php and hope to avoid that… hope all is well and your summer isn't too hot! ~ Steve, the crotchety old trade show displays guru
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