/dev/null

OpenWorld: It's a Wrap!

Oracle made some announcements this week that have the industry buzzing. We shipped Coherence 3.4, we announced the WebLogic Application Grid, and we added an option for running our Coherence grid software in cloud environments such as Amazon EC2.

Behind the scenes, the big news for us was the coupling of Coherence with the jRockit Real-Time Java Virtual Machine (JVM) in the WebLogic Application Grid (and also the WebLogic Suite). Using Coherence with jRockit provides the first real-time data grid with deterministic latency. In several demonstrations that I've seen, we achieved latencies that never even reached ten milliseconds, even when the JVM was doing a "full GC".

Well, I've been away from Boston for most of the past month, so it'll be good to get home. I am tired; I had back-to-back meetings for most of the week. It was great to see the excitement around the combined products, and to speak with so many of our customers. Until next time ..

Posted at 01:15AM Sep 26, 2008 by Cameron Purdy in Technology  |  Comments[2]

Update: New York CHUG rescheduled

The New York City Coherence SIG was scheduled for 9 October, but it has been moved to 16 October due to a conflict with a holiday. Remember to reserve a spot early so that we can make sure that we have reserved enough space.

Posted at 09:00PM Sep 08, 2008 by Cameron Purdy in Technology  | 

DataSynapse Align '08

I'm in Washington D.C. tonight and tomorrow for the DataSynapse Align 2008 conference.

Posted at 03:30PM Sep 08, 2008 by Cameron Purdy in Technology  | 

Cross Language: State of the Art in 2008

I've gotten a lot of questions about how we support multiple languages over time without serious forking issues. So far, we have three full implementations of the Coherence Extend client: pure Java, .NET (pure C#), and pure C++. Each of these implementations contain a few hundred thousand lines of code, so it was important to us to have a plan up-front to keep them in sync. There are three key elements in our technical planning that have made this work:

public void serialize(PofWriter out, Object o)

        throws IOException
    {
    PortableObject portable;
    try

        {
        portable = (PortableObject) o;
        }

    catch (ClassCastException e)
        {
        String sClass = null;

        try
            {
            sClass = out.getPofContext().getClassName(m_nTypeId);

            }
        catch (Exception eIgnore) {}

        String sActual = null;

        try
            {
            sActual = o.getClass().getName();

            }
        catch (Exception eIgnore) {}

        throw new IOException(

                "An exception occurred writing a PortableObject"
                + " user type to a POF stream: type-id=" + m_nTypeId
                + (sClass == null ? "" : ", class-name=" + sClass)

                + (sActual == null ? "" : ", actual class-name=" + sActual)

                + ", exception=" + e);
        }

    // set the version identifier

    boolean   fEvolvable = portable instanceof Evolvable;
    Evolvable evolvable  = null;

    if (fEvolvable)
                {
        evolvable = (Evolvable) portable;

        out.setVersionId(Math.max(evolvable.getDataVersion(),
                evolvable.getImplVersion()));

        }

    // write out the object's properties
    portable.writeExternal(out);

    // write out any future properties
    Binary binRemainder = null;
        if (fEvolvable)

                {
                binRemainder = evolvable.getFutureData();
                }

        out.writeRemainder(binRemainder);
}

Here's the C# code:

public virtual void Serialize(IPofWriter writer, object o)

{
    IPortableObject portable;
    try
    {
        portable = (IPortableObject) o;

    }
    catch (InvalidCastException e)
    {
        string typeName = null;

        try
        {
            typeName = writer.PofContext.GetTypeName(m_typeId);

        }
        catch (Exception)
        {}

        string actual = o.GetType().FullName;

        throw new IOException(
                "An exception occurred writing an IPortableObject"
                + " user type to a POF stream: type-id=" + m_typeId

                + (typeName == null ? "" : ", class-name=" + typeName)

                + (actual == null ? "" : ", actual class-name=" + actual)

                + ", exception=\n" + e);
    }

    // set the version identifier

    bool       isEvolvable = portable is IEvolvable;
    IEvolvable evolvable   = null;

    if (isEvolvable)
    {
        evolvable = (IEvolvable) portable;

        writer.VersionId =
                Math.Max(evolvable.DataVersion, evolvable.ImplVersion);

    }

    // write out the object's properties
    portable.WriteExternal(writer);

    // write out any future properties
    Binary remainder = null;
    if (isEvolvable)

    {
        remainder = evolvable.FutureData;
    }
    writer.WriteRemainder(remainder);

}

And finally, here's the C++ code:

void PortableObjectSerializer::serialize(PofWriter::Handle hOut, Object::View v) const

    {
    PortableObject::View vPortable;
    try
        {

        vPortable = cast<PortableObject::View>(v);
        }

    catch (Exception::View e)
        {
        String::View vsClass;

        try
            {
            vsClass = hOut->getPofContext()->getClassName(m_nTypeId);

            }
        catch (...) {}

        String::View vsActual;

        try
            {
            vsActual = Class::getClassName(v);

            }
        catch (...) {}

        COH_THROW_STREAM (IOException,
                "An exception occurred writing a PortableObject"

                << " user type to a POF stream: type-id=" << m_nTypeId
                << ", class-name="
                << (NULL == vsClass ? "N/A" : vsClass)

                << ", actual class-name="
                << (NULL == vsActual ? "N/A" : vsActual)

                << ", exception=" << e);
        }

    // set the version identifier
    Evolvable::View vEvolvable = cast<Evolvable::View>(vPortable, false);

    bool            fEvolvable = NULL != vEvolvable;
    if (fEvolvable)

        {
        hOut->setVersionId(std::max(vEvolvable->getDataVersion(),
                vEvolvable->getImplVersion()));

        }

    // write out the object's properties
    vPortable->writeExternal(hOut);

    // write out any future properties
    Binary::View vBin;
    if (fEvolvable)

        {
        vBin = vEvolvable->getFutureData();
        }

    hOut->writeRemainder(vBin);
    }

Notice anything? It's almost identical code across all three languages. The initial code quality is extremely high, and the cost of porting fixes and new functionality from one language to another is minimal.

By the way, if you want to format your Java or C++ code into HTML for posting, check out this handy online formatting tool. (Unfortunately, the style sheet on my blog overrides the formatting.)

Posted at 05:30PM Sep 03, 2008 by Cameron Purdy in Technology  |  Comments[1]

Still Going

It appears that I haven't blogged in a while. Yes, well there is an explanation: Blogging is about two things: ego and inertia. It's about ego, because people who blog are delusional (or idiotic) enough to believe that anyone else on the planet will benefit from reading what they have to say, and it's about inertia, because once you are in the habit of doing it, you can often keep doing it. Unfortunately, once you get off the treadmill, it can be hard to get back into the habit. (I will also consider accepting that I am just vainly arguing that my ego isn't large enough.)

At any rate, I haven't been twiddling my thumbs. Yes, I have been stuck on hundreds of long conference calls. Yes, my inbox is slightly larger than the Wal-Mart data warehouse. Yes, I do go to meetings to plan schedules for conference calls to decide on what the agenda should be for meetings. But none of that is really important, is it?

And here's why: Behind the scenes at an undisclosed location, a team of sequestered engineers has been diligently working to deliver the next generation of data grid software, and the release candidate (Coherence 3.4 RC-2) is now available for download. With 32- and 64-bit cross-platform C++ support, 32- and 64-bit .NET support for C#, VB, ASP.NET and all of the other .NET languages, and with Java support for Java SE and EE (JDK 1.4, 1.5, 1.6 and beyond -- including our own JRockit Real-Time JVM), we are now able to deliver a consistent API across virtually every language and platform that our customers are deploying on, all the way up to the IBM Z Series and all the way down to commodity blades -- and everything in-between. With over 300 improvements in the Java and .NET products, and over 200,000 new lines of code in total across the various language platforms, this is the largest Coherence update ever.

Here are a few of the upcoming related events:

So it's been a busy year. And a productive year. But our best is yet to come.

Peace.

Posted at 06:30PM Aug 31, 2008 by Cameron Purdy in Technology  |  Comments[1]

Targeted Advertising

There are evil people in this world. You know the type that I'm talking about. I'm talking about people that you'd never let your kids around. People that you'd never buy a house in the same town if you knew that they lived there. People whom you watch closely out of the corner of your eye when you see them in a restaurant, wary of where they are in relation to your children at all times.

Yes, I'm talking about people who do targeted Internet advertising. People who somehow figure out stuff about you that cookies were never supposed to tell them. People who know what illicit web sites (such as Fox News and the Drudge Report) that you (yeah, you) visit when you think that you're not being watched.

Have you ever wondered just how much they know about you? Have you ever wondered if these websites leak your age, your gender, or ever more personal details about you to their advertisers? Well, wonder no more:

Yup. Age. Gender. Even the receding hair-line.

Is nothing sacred anymore?

Posted at 12:30PM Jun 04, 2008 by Cameron Purdy in Technology  |  Comments[2]

Careful Subtlety

Sometimes I wonder how authors can wrap up a thought, an idea, an emotion, a taste, a scent, a state of mind, a picture or a scene, and bundle it into those specific words and in that specific order that allows us to unpack it even hundreds of years later, and to feel and see and smell what the author felt and saw and smelt .. and sometimes even enjoy a chuckle with the author.

This is one of my favorite examples, from T.S. Eliot. Every time I read it, I am sitting there in the restaurant with him (in his chair!), but feeling not only his part, but also that of the waiter. It is called Hysteria:

Careful subtlety. Cute. The euphemistic understatement.

Posted at 10:30PM Apr 30, 2008 by Cameron Purdy in Personal  |  Comments[5]

Coherence for C++

Brian Oliver already spilled the [Java]beans, or more appropriately let the C++ out of the bag, so there's not much more to say, other than that as of last night, the product download is available to our beta partners for select private preview. This is a cross-platform, 32- and 64-bit, multi-threaded and thread-safe, pure C++ implementation of Coherence, with support already completed for most of the Portable Object Format (POF).

Here's a few quick stats on this little project:

The last statistic is incredible. Literally dozens of sub-projects, built by eight different engineers, totaling well over one hundred thousand lines of code, came together with only four integration issues! That means that there were only four hiccups between grabbing the completed sub-projects and having a built and running product!

Here's some of the ways that the project achieved this:

Still, to have only four integration issues for a project of this size is almost unbelievable!

Posted at 01:45PM Apr 25, 2008 by Cameron Purdy in Technology  |  Comments[7]

GridToday article on Data Grids

From an interview posted today on GridToday with me on the topic of Data Grids, Coherence, etc.:

Warning: It's a long interview, but I never was one to say a few words .. ;-)

Posted at 10:15AM Apr 07, 2008 by Cameron Purdy in Technology  | 

Dell to buy Apple

Momentum Continues for Merger of Dell and Apple

Institutions, Customers, Reseller Group See Benefits in Combination

Round Rock, Texas, 31 March, 2008

Momentum and support for Dell Inc. (NYSE:DELL) merger with Apple continued to grow today as several institutional investors, a large industry association for resellers and customers indicated their support of the merger.

Today's announcements included:

Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) listens to customers and delivers innovative technology and services they trust and value. Uniquely enabled by its direct business model, Dell is a leading global systems and services company and No. 34 on the Fortune 500. For more information, visit www.dell.com or call 800-858-2025.

Permission to use quotations was neither sought nor obtained.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This document contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. If any of these risks or uncertainties materializes or any of these assumptions proves incorrect, the results of Dell and its consolidated subsidiaries could differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including predictions regarding the outcome and certification of the vote on the merger or the closing of the merger; statements regarding future improvement of Dell generally or specifically its profitability, earnings, revenues, synergies, accretion or other financial items; statements about the plans, strategies, and objectives of management for future operations, including the execution of integration and restructuring plans; any statements concerning proposed new products, services, developments or industry rankings; statements regarding future economic conditions or performance; statements of belief; and statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing.

The risks, uncertainties and assumptions referred to above include the actual certified results of the vote on the proposal to issue shares of Dell common stock in connection with the merger; the ability of Dell to retain and motivate key employees; the timely development, production and acceptance of products and services and their feature sets; the challenge of managing asset levels, including inventory; the flow of products into third-party distribution channels; the difficulty of keeping expense growth at modest levels while increasing revenues; the challenges of integration and restructuring associated with the merger or other planned acquisitions and the challenges of achieving anticipated synergies; the possibility that the merger or other planned acquisitions may not close or that Dell, Apple or other parties to planned acquisitions may be required to modify some aspects of the acquisition transactions in order to obtain regulatory approvals; the assumption of maintaining revenues on a combined company basis following the close of the merger or other planned acquisitions; and other risks that are described from time to time in Dell's Securities and Exchange Commission reports, including but not limited to Dell's annual report on Form 10-K, as amended on January 30, 2008, for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2007 and Dell's registration statement on Form S-4 filed on February 5, 2008.

Dell assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements.

Posted at 10:50AM Apr 01, 2008 by Cameron Purdy in Technology  |  Comments[2]

Dylan Thomas

Dylan Thomas on the spoken word:

Posted at 06:30PM Feb 20, 2008 by Cameron Purdy in Personal  | 

Sun wanted me to post it

OK, it's not a "cat blogger day" button, but it'll do:

I'm speaking at JavaOne this year on .. oh yeah, everyone can probably guess what I'd be speaking on. It'll be fresh though, I promise.

Posted at 07:30PM Feb 18, 2008 by Cameron Purdy in Technology  |  Comments[1]

Azimuth

While digging through some more old files, I found this one, one of my favorites, titled simply Azimuth.

As a small explanation: When I was a child watching a sunset while standing on the shore of a great lake with my father, he told me that the last color of the sunset is green, just before it slips behind the horizon.

Reading it out loud, one of the things I always notice is how the last line feels like it is missing a syllable or two, even though it matches the previous quartets. I always wonder what is missing, and what the subject is. Should it have said "or we sink into the sea," or perhaps "or let it sink into the sea." I suppose that is the riddle.

Posted at 09:30AM Feb 18, 2008 by Cameron Purdy in Personal  |  Comments[1]

Rilke on Poetry

I was sorting through a decade of accreted files that had been bequeathed from one computer notebook to another as some form of ritualistic baton-passing as each notebook (or hard drive) had in turn given up its ghost -- or at least had lost favor in my perpetual quest for the latest and greatest technology.

At any rate, I found my stash. No, not that kind of stash. I found a stash of Rilke. This one piece is called "For the Sake of a Single Poem", and is from a collection called "From The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge", by Rainer Maria Rilke:

I am not always sure what to think when I read that, for Rilke wrote many thousands of lines of poetry, and much of his poetry is exquisite; he is certainly one of my favorite twentieth century poets. Perhaps he did not need to take his own advice, or perhaps he simply lived many lifetimes within his life. Either way, the imagery in this piece is simply stunning. That was his gift. Always.

Posted at 10:00AM Feb 16, 2008 by Cameron Purdy in Personal  | 

Code Reviews

We had C++ code reviews going on a good portion of the week, and so when someone sent me this comic, it gave me a good chuckle:

Too true. Classic.

(Via OS news via Hal.)

Posted at 07:00PM Feb 09, 2008 by Cameron Purdy in Technology  |  Comments[2]