Well, the problem is that exception specifications are just a tool to handle the problem of exponential growth of the exception handling code in a more systematic manner, but it doesn’t solve the problem itself. It can even be said it makes it worse as now you have to write code for the new exception types, new exception handling code *and* new exception specifications.

‘Doing it right’ can mean a lot of different things, but I think the most common theme these days is simplicity. Taking a poor user experience, over-zealous feature set or ​complex interface and dumbing it down is often a safe bet. We need simplicity.

Agreed. Jack Dorsey certainly knows it. He did it right with Twitter, and is doing it right with Square. In my opinion, both share two common characteristics: focus and simplicity.

The alleged super moon was the perfect excuse for me to take the dust off my camera. I wasn’t able to capture much detail on the moon’s surface, but the surrounding clouds provided a nice framework. The closest point to Earth will be around 4 am. I’ll try to grab some photos by then, if I’m still awake. The set is available on flickr.

It happened in 1982 that I needed a ride to the AAAI conference, which was to be held in Pittsburgh. Glenn Burke had planned to drive and offered me a ride assuming it was ok with me that he stayed an extra day to attend a Common Lisp design meeting. “Oh,” I asked, “Is that something I could go to?” He got me info on the items being voted on and told me to study up. I showed up well-informed and was allowed to vote. That’s how I became involved in the design of Common Lisp.

public function register() {
    // get config for external apps
    $this->opo_config = Configuration::load();
    $vs_external_app_config_path = $this->opo_config->get('external_applications');
    $this->opo_external_app_config = Configuration::load($vs_external_app_config_path);
    $this->ops_imagemagick_path = $this->opo_external_app_config->get('imagemagick_path'
    $this->ops_CoreImage_path = $this->opo_external_app_config->get('coreimagetool_app')
    if (caMediaPluginCoreImageInstalled($this->ops_CoreImage_path)) {
        return null;    // don't use if CoreImage executable are available
    }

    if (caMediaPluginImagickInstalled()) {
        return null;    // don't use if Imagick is available
    } 

    if (!caMediaPluginImageMagickInstalled($this->ops_imagemagick_path)) {
        return null;    // don't use if Imagemagick executables are unavailable
    }
    $this->info["INSTANCE"] = $this;
    return $this->info;
}

The ops_imagemagick_path was properly set, so the problem should be somewhere in the caMediaPluginImageMagickInstalled method. I assumed that because the configuration page didn’t show the ImageMagick plugin as installed. It wasn’t a problem of being installed but failing somewhere else. Taking a look at the caMediaPluginImageMagickInstalled method (in /app/helpers/accessHelpers.php):

function caMediaPluginImageMagickInstalled($ps_imagemagick_path) {
    global $_MEDIAHELPER_PLUGIN_CACHE_IMAGEMAGICK;
    if (isset($_MEDIAHELPER_PLUGIN_CACHE_IMAGEMAGICK[$ps_imagemagick_path])) {
        return $_MEDIAHELPER_PLUGIN_CACHE_IMAGEMAGICK[$ps_imagemagick_path];
    } else {
        $_MEDIAHELPER_PLUGIN_CACHE_IMAGEMAGICK = array();
    }
    if (!$ps_imagemagick_path || (preg_match("/[^\/A-Za-z0-9\.:]+/", $ps_imagemagick_pat|| !file_exists($ps_imagemagick_path) || !is_dir($ps_imagemagick_path)) { return false;
    exec($ps_imagemagick_path.'/identify 2> /dev/null', $va_output, $vn_return);
    if (($vn_return >= 0) && ($vn_return < 127)) {
        return $_MEDIAHELPER_PLUGIN_CACHE_IMAGEMAGICK[$ps_imagemagick_path] = true;
    }
    return $_MEDIAHELPER_PLUGIN_CACHE_IMAGEMAGICK[$ps_imagemagick_path] = false;
}

CollectiveAccess checks if ImageMagick is installed firstly by verifying if the path exists and secondly by verifying if it can execute the identify binary. That’s where I found the problem. The exec call in this method was returning a result code of 133. I tried to execute the same instruction in a separate script using the php interpreter and it returned a result code of 0. A quick search for the problem showed up with this blog post and this bug report (you need to be registered to see it), so I was lead to think that it was actually a problem with MAMP itself. I’m not entirely sure, because there might be an apache configuration somehow disallowing the exec calls. I checked for PHP’s safe mode and it was disabled (both on PHP configuration and apache’s vhosts). I’m going to try a previous MAMP version to see if my assumption is correct.

Boards of Canada – Music Has the Right to Children (1998). My favorite Boards of Canada album and one of my favorite albums of all time, this is full of wonderful moments from start to finish. Some sequences of it still give me chills, such as the Kaini Industries + Bocuma + Roygbiv combination. A mandatory album for those who are into ambient/idm music.

Beefcake – Coincidentia Oppositorum (2000). I only heard about Beefcake after listening to Kattoo (which is Volker Kahl – 1/2 of Beefcake). Their music, and this album in particular, pushes the boundary of industrial idm into the neoclassic realm. It is also very diverse but consistent altogether, something I highly appreciate in an album.

Zomby – Dedication (2011). Some sort of weird dubstep with a dark touch, something I wouldn’t expect from 4AD. I eventually get bored after repeated listenings, but like to get back to it every now and then. A curious album, to say the least.

Moderat – Moderat (2009). A collaboration between Modeselektor and Apparat resulted in this album. It is bassy, with some unusual sounds reminiscent of Apparat’s music, but not as beat-oriented as most of Modeselektor’s work. It is kind of cheesy, has a stronger start than finish, but I like it nonetheless.

Burial – Untrue (2007). I started listening to dubstep through Burial. Burial made my original idea of what dubstep was, before I thought that wobble bass was a mandatory ingredient. This album is incredibly consistent. Burial manages to keep a perfect craft from start to finish, mixing dark ambient sounds and garage beats with vocal samples worked with exceptional skill.

Prefuse 73 – One Word Extinguisher (2003). One of those mandatory albums from Prefuse 73 (along with Vocal Studies + Uprock Narratives), “One Word Extinguisher” is one of those “instrumental hip-hop meets idm” efforts. The songs are short and constantly morphing and even if you’re not much into the hip-hop field (as I am not) it should prove an interesting listen.

Grouper – A I A : Dream Loss (2011). Grouper continues where she left us after Dragging a Dead Dear up a Hill with the A I A dual release (Dream Loss and Alien Observer). The two albums are similar in taste. I tend to prefer Dream Loss because of the heavier use of distortions. Expect dark ambient, lo-fi, drone mixed with dreamy soundscapes.

M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming (2011). One of my personal favorites from 2011, this is building up as my favorite M83 album as well (surpassing Saturdays = Youth). It’s dream pop at its best, with a taste of ambient and shoegaze. It even has a contribution from Zola Jesus on the “Intro” track, whose voice I find fitting perfectly in the mood M83 usually sets up for his songs.

Hecq – Avenger (2011). Panzer dubstep is the best description I can get for this album (taken from a rating at rym). The mood on Hecq’s albums has always been dark. This time he brings that to the dubstep field, with some huge basslines and a contribution from Matta. A great listen with the headphones on.

Mouse on Mars – Autoditacker (1997). I’m a huge fan of Mouse on Mars. They mix jungle, glitch, idm and ambient with a funky vibe. “Autoditacker” is a perfect example of that, and it features “Tux & Damask”, the first song I ever listened from them.