The mixed content model, defined succinctly in the XML standards, is pleasant enough for human communication, but leaves a lot to be desired. For example, mapping a mixed content model to a relational database is a hard problem.

The problem is made worse when the document is HTML. HTML doesn't …

When you start fresh (as I sometimes do), you create a Django project into which you create your first application. You use django-admin.py to spin up a project directory, and from in side there, use manage.py to create an application boilerplate.

The Django folks are very clear on …

Things I learned at PyCon 2007 .

1. In the Open Source community, men outnumber women 571 : 22. I guess that's why I'm married to a sysadmin instead of a programmer.
2. While I already knew that programming was literature, I never really connected it with Rhetoric until hearing R0ml's keynote. If programming …

Binstock does a quick compare and contrast between Ruby and NetRexx, showing how an active community promoted Ruby, and NetRexx's lack of a community left it languishing. I think that this analysis is only partly true, and misses part of the value of open source.

Specifically, IBM's proprietary NetRexx can't …

Here's a novel point of view on open source software.

'In fact, one of the things Google likes about open source software is that it facilitates secrecy. "If we had to go and buy software licenses, or code licenses, based on seats, people would absolutely know what the Google infrastructure …

What is the reward structure for open source?

If a corporate IT team builds software using open source components, CP insists, they've made a fundamental blunder. I forget CP's litany of concerns, but he worries that the software is unproven, untrustworthy, risky, etc., etc.

My argument that "you have the …

I've had this conversation more than once.

Me: "We can download something like POI to read the Excel™ files. Or I can spend months writing something."

Them: "We have a policy against open source software."

Me: "Do you use Apache ?"

Them: "That's different."

Me: "How so? Be specific in enumerating …

My point -- always -- is that I'm not here to convert anyone. I'm just here to respond to the need for open source consulting skills.

As a parallel example, TH explained (at length) that there was NO earthly reason to retire a perfectly good IBM z-series mainframe. The z-series represents cheap …