This morning I mentioned a little web service that I would like to use. This afternoon I decided that I might as well develop it. I am (naively / arrogantly) thinking that I will be able to complete a launch-able version of the application in a single day. (Actually, I don’t have a full day. I have to do it all tonight.)
While I am at it, I might as well live-blog the development process / progress.
- 7:10pm EST I am in my hotel room. I have created a rails project and started generating the models. I have added a DNS entry for summarizr.tekzen.net. The music is on and the juices are flowing.
- 7:23pm EST Apache virtual host setup and a landing page (complete with cheesy logo).
- 7:50pm EST Database tables are created in development environment. The shell of the app is running locally.
- 8:40pm EST The signup process views are mocked up. I am gonna go grab some food before I start working on the signup controller.
- 9:49pm EST Back at it. I am kinda tired and doubting that I have the energy / stamina to get a working version tonight.
- 10:50pm EST Almost done with the sign up process. My wife keeps interrupting me via IM. (grrr)
- 11:26pm EST Debugging control flow in the signup process
- 11:38pm EST I figured it out. There is a bloody spot on the wall where I was banging my head. On an unrelated note, there is a loud party in the hotel room across the hall from me. This one woman has a REALLY annoying laugh. I wonder how serious Hampton Inn is about that 100% Satisfaction Guarentee. I think we are going to find out tomorrow.
- 12:19am EST I took some time to add a little style to summarizr. It is not going to be a work of art anytime soon, but it looks like I at least tried a little. Maybe it is time for a screenshot soon.
- 12:44am EST Here is a screenshot of part of the signup process:
- 12:57am EST This is a decision point. I have to catch a flight at 7:30am. Do I go to sleep or keep working? I think I am close enough that I should keep working.
- 1:59am EST I am working on deploying an early version. It is not ready for general consumption, but there is enough to start testing the Apache -> mod_proxy -> MongrelRails -> summarizr configuration.
- 2:07am EST There is a Rails application running at sumarizr.tekzen.net. summarizr lives! (not really, but I am not far off).
- 2:44am EST Working on the background process that posts the sumaries to the users’ blogs. This is the part that my experience with statzen comes in real handy. It took all of 10 minutes to create the summaries. Tying them to XMLRPC now.
- 2:55am EST For the sake historical reference (i.e. for me later) I have posted another screenshot:
- 3:15am EST I am going to have to leave the hotel in about an hour to avoid rush hour driving from New Jersey to LaGuardia. I guess I will be able to work on summarizr in the airport and on the plane.
- 3:43am EST Ok, I am going to go ahead and pack it up and head to the airport. My brain is not firing fast enough for me to turn on the background crond job tonight. I still have some work to do on the signup form too (validation and feedback). Still, I think I am pretty close. If I stay awake all the way to Nashville I may very well have something that people can actually use in the morning. If not then I will find time to finish it this weekend. It is fun to go from idea to working proof of concept in less than 24 hours.
- 5:55am EST Trying to get some coding done at LaGuardia, but I am getting sleepy and starting to break things.
- 6:40am EST Having some dependency problems. Hopping offline. Good morning!
