libertus

A Libertus brand mini-project to re-jig the WordPress security system and add a forum-like feature I’ve wanted from the first day I used it.

Primarily this post and the comments are my work notes. Those interested in my approach to code surgery, or code surgery in general, are encouraged to observe but comments shall be held until the project is completed. I’m sure my rather unconventional use of neuro-linguistic programming to reinforce design metaphors will draw some discussion.

To anyone who sees their own code here, behold the true meaning of the phrase open source and sieze an opportunity to reap some of the benefits you so richly deserve for your gift of generousity. Thank you, whoever you are. Before taking any criticism personally, consider why I’m putting such considerable effort into this.

Continue reading ‘Liberating WordPress’ »

What the f**k is the Department of Trade and Industry doing with £35,018,993,000 in “non-operating appropriations in aid”? That’s as much as the entire NHS costs to run.

Please read the Appropriation (No. 3) Act 2005. Find out how much your government spends, on what and why.

[Libertus' notes: this has been in draft form since 23rd November 2005 and I'm not inclined to delete it. It is in response to this comment on theyworkforyou.com and therefore predates but is related to my post and ensuing discussion entitled "Violent Pornography on the Internet" by a week.]

Victor,

It is naivety in the extreme to consider the Internet Untouchable by the rules of society
The Internet is not God

You have so totally nailed the internet. The game is up. You’re on to it. Everything on the internet comes from people, not God. It is absolutely controlled by our rules, not His, thank goodness. Therefore, it is free to observe the rules of society as expressed by the individuals that comprise society. We create the internet. Well, at least those of us who can afford computer and connection.

Continue reading ‘The Internet Is Not God’ »

Does anyone who knows me think that a “Faculty of Arts, Computing, Engineering and Sciences” would be a bad place for me to live if I were intent on using my talents to do works of good? If so, please sound off. Hell, sound off anyway. It’s good for the soul.

I’ve seen a few. I’ve even used a few. But as programming languages go, Perl gets my vote as the “language most likely to be used by Satan and his many minions” and “language least comprehensible unless smoking crack“. Finally, Microsoft C++ gets knocked off the top spot.

So I’m building this prototype, right? I just want to prove a design, not write a product. It is a website so it calls for little more than some simple text processing. I need something practical, to extract data and text from a XML file and report out a few HTML pages. Nothing fancy.

I have tried to work with Perl, really I have, but must now accept the obvious and refuse to use it. It is too dangerous. It is unreadable, unwriteable and unmaintainable – attributes which can only be considered virtues by masochistic morons.
Continue reading ‘use Perl and die(“horribly”);’ »

What is the outcome of sorting a circular list?

Inspired by the lists of Jax and Tim, and under the influence of a drug or two, here’s mine. Movies and books aren’t all that important to me.
Continue reading ‘Seven Things’ »

As I wish to become involved in the political arena known as web standards and their anarchic demon-child, the semantic web, it is time for me to say my piece, state my position and share my intentions.
Continue reading ‘The Wild, Wacky World of World Wide Web Standards’ »