Easter egg

Hi all

Today i want speak about "Easter egg".
In Information Technology, "Easter eggs are secret responses that occur in response to an undocumented set of commands." how is correct defined in Wikipedia.

Basically an "Easter egg" is  a programmer's signature, a way to be recognized.

Here some internet examples :

You Tube : Try to write "do the harlem shake" in the search bar and find it.
http://theoatmeal.com/ : Try to see source html code
http://www.entercomputers.com/ : Visit this website and type 'penguin' on the hompage. Note animated penguin. Then wait for something else to happen.
http://www.miniusa.com : Type ‘reverse’ in the search field and then hold down Shift and click on the gear lever.

There are many internet sites about, for example here.

Stay tuned.

cron4j - Java cron scheduler like unix/linux cron utility

Hi all

Today i want to speak about an open source java library called "cron4j".
It's an Italian open source project, that allows scheduled tasks using a cron-like syntax in java.

There is a good manual here that explains how to implement it with examples.

Here is a little explanation of unix/linux cron utility.

Stay tuned

Regular Expression

Hi all

Today i want speak about "Regular Expression".

As well described on Wikipedia : "In computing, a regular expression is a specific pattern that provides concise and flexible means to "match" (specify and recognize) strings of text, such as particular characters, words, or patterns of characters."

A good reference site for "Regular Expression" is http://www.regular-expressions.info/, there are presents examples, references, books, etc ....


Behind my desk I posted this Quick Guide really useful, above posted :

To test my regular expression i use a good web site : http://tools.netshiftmedia.com/regexlibrary/#, is a javascript regular expression validator that permits insert two test strings.

Regular expression are been inserted in Oracle Database from 10th version with four functions :

• REGEXP_LIKE
• REGEXP_INSTR
• REGEXP_REPLACE
• REGEXP_SUBSTR

Here you can find more information about.

It's all.

Stay tuned.

Oracle OCI C - Wrapper OCILIB

Hi all

Today i want report a great open source project.
I've used and improved it for several years in many personal and professional processes.

For me is the best Oracle OCI C wrapper, easy to use and with a very good documentation.

I test it on several environment : HP/UX PaRisc, Itanium, Linux, Windows XP,7 and with differents ORACLE DB versions : 9,10,11.

I recommend it, you can find it in this link.

Stay tuned

Open Source Blogging Platform

Hi all

Today i want speak about an Open Source Blogging Platform named Bloglooks used in my friend blog http://blog.casaricci.it/.

It is a very very light and minimal Platform built on the PHP framework Yii.

It  use as backend any database supported by Yii .
For style is used Bootstrap.

Main functions :

* Multilingual (Also on articles and pages)
* Manual change language (Browser's default language)
* User privileges (User, editor, admin)
* Comments (Only by registered users; possibility of approvation by editor or admin)
* Integration with Google+ for pictures
* Markdown syntax
* RSS and Atom feeds

Stay tuned.

iStella - Italian Social Search Engine

Hi all

A good news for Italian Web world, a new "Italian Social Search  Engine" has been created by Tiscali, an italian web provider.
Renato Soru, Tiscali owner say about iStella "We want to create a valid alternative to Google!!!".

Istella Layout is similar to Microsoft BING how you can see above :

Images used in iStella Layout are italian landscapes.

Here you can read a little italian tutorial about.

Basically why would you choose iStella and not Google?

• iStella don't catalogs you
• iStella do not tracks you.

I hope that iStella  will really be a valid alternative to Google, unlike others unlucky italian projects such as Volunia.

Stay tuned.

Wireless

Hi all

A good joke to start this day.



"It has wifi" !!!!  hahahahaha

Stay tuned

Mennea is dead

The best all time italian runners is dead.
His 200mt records was effective for 17 long years.
In the facts he was the last big white runner.

Below a beautiful tribute done for athletic children in Rome for his obsequies.



I don't knew him, but in every interviews he appears like a modest and simple person.

Bye great sportman,

Stay tuned.

WhatsApp Alternatives and Similar Software

Hi All

Recently WhatsApp messaging mobile application for smartphone declare that will be introduce a little annual payment for his service.
This news sparked a search for a valid alternative free.
From "La Repubblica" article  i want underline some solutions :

• Facebook Messenger 
• Viber
• Yuilop
• Kik
• Skype
• Line

Today i want report a valid alternative for ANDROID smartphone (for now), KONTALK.
It is an open source project with a great potential. It's present on Android Market.

The network infrastructure and protocol have been designed from scratch to be immune from any attempt to centralize the network. All servers inside the network will have the same power and capabilities over each other - the network will be able to maintain itself and make itself safe.

I invite you to test it on your smartphone devices.

Stay tuned.

Oracle Function to get a specific field from a String contains fields characters delimited

Hi All

Today a simple function to extract a field from a String contains characters delimited fields.
I want use regexp_substr function but there are some problems for null fields to extract, so i develop this simple function.

CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION
  get_field (iString IN VARCHAR2, iSeparator IN VARCHAR2, field_num IN NUMBER)
RETURN VARCHAR2
IS
   oField VARCHAR2(1024);
   position_field NUMBER;
   position_field_start NUMBER;
   position_field_end NUMBER;
BEGIN

  IF field_num = 1 THEN
     position_field :=  INSTR(iString,iSeparator);
     IF position_field > 0 THEN
        SELECT SUBSTR(iString,1,INSTR(iString,iSeparator)-1) INTO oField FROM DUAL;
     ELSE
        oField := iString;
     END IF;
  ELSE
      position_field_start :=  INSTR(iString,iSeparator,1,field_num-1);
      position_field_end :=  INSTR(iString,iSeparator,1,field_num);

      IF position_field_start > 0 THEN
      
            IF position_field_end = 0 THEN
               position_field_end := length(iString)+1;
            END IF;
           SELECT SUBSTR(iString,position_field_start+1,position_field_end-position_field_start-1) INTO oField FROM DUAL;
      ELSE
         oField := null;
      END IF; 
  END IF;

  RETURN (oField);
END;

For example you have this string '10;12;34;233;12' delimited by ';' character and you wont get third field.
You can call this oracle function in this way :

SELECT GET_FIELD('10;12;34;233;12',';',3) FROM DUAL;

Results will be : '34'.

I hope can help someone with same problem.

Stay tuned