If you're an OS X Lion user and have found that Google Chrome popup windows send your Desktop/Spaces into conniptions when switching between Chrome windows (I always have Chrome windows in multiple Spaces and the popup wreaks havoc with window switching, while remaining invisible), here's how to fix it. Continue reading

Back in the day (1994), we had to get our R.E.M. information from the listserv (that's email for you kids) run out of Lynchburg College in Virginia. I've carried this manila folder containing the R.E.M. FAQ and 3/4" of lyrics around from place to place while finishing college, working in Europe, getting engaged, married, moving 3 times, adopting 3 kids,... Continue reading

Thanks to Joshua Frederick (github user [jfred](https://github.com/jfred)), we now have an [actual Python implementation]() of the statsd server, so if you don't want to install node.js (though why wouldn't you? :-) ) you can run it all in python. from pystatsd import Client, Server # client usage sc = Client('example.org',8125) sc.timing('python_test.time',500) sc.increment('python_test.inc_int') sc.decrement('python_test.decr_int') # server usage srvr = Server(pct_threshold=90, graphite_port=2003,... Continue reading

After a couple hours effort, I just released node-statsd, you guessed it - a StatsD client for node.js. Continue reading

Apparently I'm having too much fun -- I've posted a perl client for Etsy's StatsD on Github. Continue reading

Yesterday I got pystatsd pushed up to pypi, so you can install it now with pip. Continue reading

Short version: pystatsd is fire-and-forget site metrics from python, using Etsy's StatsD and Graphite. The brilliant devops folks at [Etsy](http://etsy.com) released (and [posted about](http://codeascraft.etsy.com/2011/02/15/measure-anything-measure-everything/)) an awesome little node.js-based stats server called [statsd](https://github.com/etsy/statsd/). Statsd sits in front of the [Graphite metrics server](http://graphite.wikidot.com/), providing a simple API for applications to send stats *over UDP*. UDP is "old tech" but is fire-and-forget --... Continue reading

I posted a quick update on the Wallrazer blog about some recent work: the Related Items plugin for MT, released under the perl license, much thanks to Endevver. Continue reading

When I last posted, I described how I was using a Github-backed wiki as my notes directory in [Notational Velocity](http://notational.net) (and the fork I use, nvalt). That post got some interest, so I decided to try and make the process a bit easier by creating a project for it on GitHub: Veloci-Wiki. Continue reading

Warning: Serious nerditry to follow. I use [Notational Velocity](http://notational.net/) as my note-taking app. It's a super-easy app that you can drive with the keyboard and syncs with [SimpleNote](http://simple-note.appspot.com), so I can also access my notes on my iPhone. Specifically, I use [nvalt](http://brettterpstra.com/code/notational-velocity-alt/), a fork of NV which adds some nice Markdown-specific features, including a preview. I got to thinking about... Continue reading

No. I want to cancel the account. In fact, I'm pretty offended that I had to chat with you at all. Continue reading

There's been some talk lately in social software circles about how to take back ownership of your data: ie, how to make sure that the content and data you create and share cannot be lost or destroyed by a particular service shutting it's doors. Continue reading

When I started [Gary Hustwit's documentary on the Helvetica typeface](http://www.helveticafilm.com/), I was all "damn you can reverse Helvetica Bold out of any photo and it will look awesome". By the end I was ready to throw up every time I saw it on screen. Continue reading

Some mornings I wake up dreading the moment my son will get up. He wakes up hard and fast, and it totally breaks The System. Continue reading

For 2011, I'm going indie. Introducing Wallrazer. Continue reading