166 posts tagged with python
Django has support for Generic Foreign Keys, which let you reference one model instance from another, without knowing up-front what that model type is. The classic use for something like this is for a commenting system; you need generic foreign keys – or something like them – because you wouldn't want a commenting system that only worked with a single model. continue reading…
I recently administered a programming test to a number of applicants for a Python developer job at 2degreesnetwork.com. Since we now have a new developer (hi Gustavo!), I figured I would post the test and see what kind of response I get to them.
There are two parts to the test, neither are hugely difficult, but there is enough scope in the solutions to understand how the candidate approaches a problem.
In the first part of the test I asked the candidate to look at the following code and implement the thousands_with_commas function, which should take an integer and return a string representation of that integer with commas separating groups of three digits: continue reading…
I have been busy working on locidesktop.com lately. One popular feature request from the beta testing was to use website favicons, so that links become more readily identifiable – which I have implemented after several late nights, and abusing my quad core.
A few of the 3D Favicons used in locidesktop.com
I built a pipeline that downloads favicons, extracts PNGs which are then processed in to a 3D scene and rendered for missing resolutions (.ICO files can contain multiple resolutions). I've tweaked the way that the 3D icons are produced, and they are significantly better than my first attempt – although some do come out better than others. continue reading…
The company I work for, 2Degrees, is looking for a front-end developer to join our team.
Are you a CSS monkey?
We need a CSS monkey with a good working knowledge of browser quirks and the ability to get even IE6 looking good (although you don't have to like it). It would help if you don't run away screaming from Javascript and can play well with the code monkeys.
More details are below. Email the address at the bottom of the job description, and mention this blog!
Would you like to do something genuinely useful with your client side development skills - UI, XHTML, CSS (JavaScript, AJAX)
2degrees is an exciting, fast-paced, well-funded Web2.0 environmental networking business based in Oxford. continue reading…
The feedback I recieved from Reddit about locidesktop.com (my hobby project) was encouraging.
If you would like to join the beta program for locidesktop, please leave a comment below…
One of the comments pointed out that although there is a large choice of icons available, there isn't always a clear recognizable image for each site, and it would be nice if locidesktop would use ‘favicons’. I had considered using favicons previously, but rejected the idea because they are just 16x16 pixels in size, and I wanted to use large images for icons. continue reading…
My latests hobby-project has been pushed live, in invite-only beta form. Previously known as Links Desktop, I have now dubbed it Loci Desktop, after the Loci Method.
Auto-complete in Loci Desktop
One feature of Loci Desktop is that it will auto-complete URLs when you add new icons to your ‘desktop’. Auto-complete is one of those features that users expect these days. They want the app to figure out what they want with as few key-presses as possible – and quite rightly so, typing is such a chore!
The auto-complete system for Loci Desktop, in its initial state, was straight-forward to implement. The javascript and front-end was the most time-consuming part of the job, but the back-end Python code was trivial. continue reading…
In past blogs I've hinted on the fact that I'm working on a Javascript application in my spare time. It's not quite done yet, and wont be live for a few more weeks, but I do have something that I can show off.
This project is best explained in the form of a screencast. This is the first screencast I have ever made and I'm not sure if I have done it right, or if my humble server will cope with serving FLV files. If the server doesn't manage to keep up, I'll probably Youtube it.
Update: If for any reason the above player doesn't work, you can view the screencast on Youtube. continue reading…
An ETag is a feature of HTTP that allows for a web server to know if content has changed since the last time the browser visited the page. The client sends the ETag from the cached page in a header. If the ETag in the header matches the current ETag then the server lets the browser know that the cached is up-to-date by sending back a 304 Not Modified response.
The most natural way to build an ETag is to generate it from the HTML returned by the view, which I believe is how the default view caching works in Django. The downside of this is that the page is generated even if the client has a cached copy, and all that is saved is the cost of sending the page to the client. continue reading…
Here's an interesting bit of Python code I hacked together – it's a script that takes an image and warps it so that it is tileable (making it suitable for a repeating backgound or a texture in a game).
A Mandlebrot fractal
If you use it on a photograph, it will come out looking like a fair-ground mirror. But it works well when applied to a pattern, or something more abstract, such as the fractal image on the left.
The code is public domain – use it for whatever the heck you want!
Update: Here's another, more interesting example, The original is here.
My employer is looking for a new Python developer to work here in Oxford, UK. The company I work for runs 2degreesnetwork.com, which is collaboration service for sustainable business. Basically, it's a social networking type of site for businesses to collaborate on climate change and related issues. I'm not officially allowed to say this, but the closest analogy is ‘Facebook for Businesses’.
This is the office. Ignore the man in the far corner, he is just a hobo that wandered in.
The site is built with Django, so obviously Django experience would be a bonus, but experience with any MVC framework would be valuable. We're looking for someone who isn't necessarily a specialist and who doesn't mind getting to grips with new technology and dabbling in the front-end from time to time. continue reading…