Robot Turtles - Game Review

Being a geek dad...I couldn't pass the opportunity to buy this game for my daughter -;)

Robot Turtles it's an awesome board game that aims to teach the fundamentals of  programming to little kids.

The game itself is simple...we have a board and place to place our turtle (the game is up to 4 players), we need to place a gem that the turtle needs to reach and here is the fun comes in...

We have cards that indicates the movements that the turtle needs to perform...move forward, move to the left or move to the right.

The kid needs to stack the cards in order to make the turtle move around the board and finally reach the gem in order to win the game.

That's the most basic and simple setup...more complex involves crates, ice blocks and even ice towers...the ice ones can be blasted with a special laser beam card, while the crate can be moved provided that there's enough space left so the crate can be set on a empty slot...

Once you get some movements that can be repeated...like...

Move forward 4 times, then turn left, move forward 4 times again...

The "Move forward 4 times" can be replace by a function card so in would end like...

Function Card, then turn left, Function card...

We also have some rock towers, that can't be blasted away or move, so the kids needs to go around it....

If something goes wrong...the kid can use a "bug" card to undo the last play and rebuild it...which in the end means...repeat the action with a new set of instructions...

The game itself is really nice...and once the kids get comfortable with the mechanics of the game, we can setup really complex scenarios where they need to think how to get the gem in the shortest time using the less possible cards...

I would say...what could be better to teach our young one the joy of programming by playing a nice board game at the same time?

If you got the chance...go ahead and but it...it's really lots of fun -:D

Greetings,

Blag.
Development Culture.

10 years of Pack Publishing!

My good friends at Packt Publishing are turning 10 years old and they are celebrating it with an awesome promotion!

All ebooks and videos for just $10 dollars each...hurry up! This wonderful offer end on July 5th...so go ahead and grab as many as you can -:D

10 years of Packt - $10 all Ebooks and Videos

Greetings,

Blag.

Development Culture.

Cinder Creative Coding Cookbook - Book Review

Ok...sometimes I have a lot of time and I'm a really avid reader...also...for this particular book I haven't tried all the examples one by one...but that's just because I wanted to share my review with the community...

So...I just finished reading Cinder Creative Coding Cookbook...and I must say...the book is simply awesome!

I love Cinder...I can't denied that...but after reading this book...I love it even more...

First things first...this book is about useful recipes...so it's full of examples with documented source code and easy to follow explanations...but...it's not for newbies...I would say...get comfortable with Cinder...then read this book...and then fall in love with Cinder...

The chapter about Image Processing is simply superb...with Cinder build-in functions, OpenCV and Cairo integration just won my heart...with the recipes...you can even build your own...let's say...rustic face recognition app...

The chapter about Particle Systems is another gem that deserve to be mentioned...

The chapters about 2D and 3D graphics is really well documented and full of fun experiments...

And to end with a golden touch...Microsoft Kinect and QR Code integration...are just amazing...

This book is 352 pages! So you can expect thousand of recipes with the most diverse and cool outcomes...

The authors really made my day with this one -:)

And BTW...something that I think is worth mentioning...is that the book is focused on both Windows and Mac users at the same time...so no one is left behind...Ok...maybe Linux users...but...Cinder doesn't exist on Linux...so no harm done...

Greetings,

Blag.
Development Culture.

Buy one...get one free...Packt Publishing 2000 titles!

My good friends at Packt Publish just released an awesome campaign, celebrating their 2000 titles!

From March 18 to March 26, 2014 you will be able to have unlimited purchases and also the offer is added automatically at checkout...

Not to be missed! Get some books and start learning!

Greetings,

Blag.
Development Culture.

Packt Publishing Book Bonanza!

My friends at Packt Publishing had release a cool campaign!

From December 19th, 2013 to January 3rd, 2014...all books and videos are just $5...without a limit!

Cool, huh? Just follow this link http://bit.ly/1jdCr2W and fill your library -;)

Greetings,

Blag.
Developer Empowerment and Culture.

A small tribute to Innovation

I believe myself to be an innovator...a great developer...someone that goes beyond to make the impossible...but...there's always someone else making things that to me...seem impossible...

This is a small tribute to those people who had motivate me and always will...in no particular order...some of my all time heroes...

Ivan Femia - abap2xlsx - Generate your professional Excel spreadsheet from ABAP

I remember, a couple of years ago that I need to developer a really complex ALV report...that seems impossible to build...so my first thought was to use OLE and build it as an Excel file...I had done that before, but it was slow and buggy...somehow...like send from heaven...abap2xlsx came down to me and hit me in the face...it was totally awesome! How this guy Ivan was? How could he build something like this? It was just what I needed! I quickly install it, make a short report and show it to the functional...she love it as well...and I start working on the real report...after some hard work (and I'm proud to say that I even made my small contribution to the project) the report was finished and really shining...the customer love it and asked for more...really awesome...

Gregor Wolf - Community Project ZGEOCODE

It's really hard and even maybe a blasphemy to name Mr. Wolf and show only one blog...Gregor has contribute (and he's still doing it) to so many community projects...that it's think it's fair to make this analogy..."Gregor Wolf is to the community, what the flight tables are to every ERP installation". He's just an amazing guy with the biggest heart...and ZGEOCODE is just an example of what he's capable of...pure magic...

Juergen Schmerder - New from SAP Research: Blue Ruby - a Ruby VM in ABAP

Juergen doesn't blog as much as I would like him to do...but he do...you gotta hold on your chair...Blue Ruby was to me...a revelation...almost made me cry when I read about it...I couldn't believe that something like that could happen in the ABAP world...and while it didn't lasted too long...Blue Ruby will be always in my heart...

Thomas Jung - New ABAP Editor Backport!

Talk about Thomas, is talk about raw programming energy...this guy is so good, you can't believe he's a regular human person...when he wrote about porting the new ABAP Editor to older releases was like being blind and open your eyes for the first time...or waking up from the Matrix...whatever you like...Thomas has been the king of ABAP, BSP, WebDynpro and now SAP HANA...talking about SAP and not mention Thomas should be a crime...because this guy has contribute so much, that I could never speak talking about him...just amazing!

Piers Harding - Scripting - Whats your fancy - Perl, Python or Ruby?

Piers is and always will be my totally and complete hero...I mean...he created connectors RFC connector for Perl, Ruby and Python...how crazy is that?! You know why I learned Ruby and Python? Because of Piers! Sure I did...it was because his RFC connectors that I said to myself..."Dude...you like Scripting Languages...you like PHP...but this guy is offering a whole new world with Ruby and Python...go get them!"...but the lovely story doesn't end there...you know that I have dedicated myself to promote the integration of SAP HANA and R in many blogs...and because my current title, I haven't done any ABAP in more than a year...well...Piers created an RFC connector for R too! I couldn't believe it when I saw it...and one of my biggest achievements and something that will make proud forever, is that I worked very closed to him to create the Windows version of the R RFC connector...it was one of my "Wayne's World" moments...

Daniel McWeeney and Ed Herrmann - SAPlink One Week, One New Version -- UPDATE

I remember...that a long time ago...in my first years in the ABAP world...my team needed to make a backup of an SAP system...so we had to copy and paste tables and programs in notepads to reproduce them on a newer system (Looking back...I could say...WTF?!)...anyway...at that time I decided to create a couple of applications to automated the process...ABAP applications that would read all the Z tables and programs and create notepad files that could be easily ported into a new system...some years later...SAPLink saw the light...it was an amazing program...not a couple...but a single program that did what my program did...only...100 times better...in single XML file you could have a complete application (The main program, includes, tables, structures, etc)...these guys, that sadly are not involved with the community any more (We miss you guys), create the tool that every abaper in the world was looking for...a simple application that in my humble opinion...changed the world of ABAP consulting...

To finish this blog, I just would like to say..."Never stop dreaming...never stop creating...never stop being innovative...because your passion, it's what makes our world go round"...

Greetings,

Blag.

SAP HANA vs. PostgreSQL - Small test

Someone left a comment on my blog SAP HANA vs. MySQL - Small test saying:

i think that if you retry this test using PostgreSQL you could have another surprises ;)


Of course, I'm always up for the challenge, so I installed PostgreSQL and did the same thing...

94ms for 1K records? Of course I was surprised...as in SAP HANA we had...

1.18 seconds...that's 0.094 seconds...almost 94% faster than SAP HANA...I started to think about and realized of course, that there was a significant difference between these two tests...first, PostgreSQL is doing the upload in background, while SAP HANA was writing all the "Statement 'insert...'" messages...so...remember that I told you that there was a faster method to upload data in SAP HANA? By just uploading a .CSV file?

Well...to make things interesting, I generate a new file with 3K records...here are the results...

It took PostgreSQL only 281 ms to load the 3K records...pretty fast, huh? 0.281 seconds...

Let's see how SAP HANA behaved...

Nice...it only took 116 ms to load...0.116 seconds...

Meaning that in this new test, SAP HANA was almost 58% faster...

Nice test for sure...and SAP HANA show why it's the fastest and coolest In-Memory Database out there...

Greetings,

Blag.

SAP HANA vs. MySQL - Small test

So...today I wanted to do a little measure between SAP HANA and MySQL execution of Insert statements.

For this, I create a small Python script to prevent myself from copy & paste trauma.

import os
import sys


def Generate_File(pNumber):
    iNumber = 0
    pathname = os.path.dirname(sys.argv[0])
    pathname = os.path.abspath(pathname) + "\HANA_File.txt"
    myfile = open(pathname, "a")
    while iNumber < pNumber:
        iNumber += 1
        myfile.write("insert into HANA_File values (" + str(iNumber) + 
        ",'Test Line');\n")
    myfile.close()
    print 'The file ' + pathname + ' was written successfully'

Generate_File(1000)

When run, this small program will generate 1000 records.

And the table structure for both SAP HANA and MySQL would as simple as:

Id --> Integer
Text --> Varchar(10)

Let's start with MySQL...

MySQL doesn't give us the total amount of time spend, but we can assume about 3 minutes...

Let's move to SAP HANA...

SAP HANA gives us the total amount of time spend, which was 1:18.484 minutes

So we can deduct that SAP HANA was 60% faster than MySQL...and for sure, that's not the best way to load records on SAP HANA...but even like this, you can see how fast SAP HANA really is...

Greetings,

Blag.

So...what I do at SAP Labs?

I'm sure this a question a lot of people is asking...what I do at SAP Labs? Well...first things first...I don't do ABAP anymore...that's right...I only use it when I have to, but it's the same thing with other technologies I have to play with.

My team is called "Technology Innovation and Developer Experience"...

One of my roles inside my team, is to help building both internal and external tools, so I can actually choose my weapon and start developing...so far I have used Python, Flex, PHP, WebDynpro ABAP and R.

Another of my roles is to blog about new SAP technologies, meaning that I have to blog about SAP HANA, SUP, Gateway, JPASS, SAPUI5, etc.

But...not everything is coding for me...not at all...my other roles include InnoJam management and support, blogging and support at SAP events (Run Better, DKOM, TechEd, Sapphire) and a couple of secret ones that I can't share -:)

So basically, my job is all about Research and Development and engaging developer with the coolest and latest SAP technologies -;)

Greetings,

Blag.

Christmas Sale!

Again...up to 30% of discount in my books (printed version) in...

Blag's books in Lulu.com

Available until the first week of January...hurry up and take the deal -;)

Greetings,

Blag.

Chrstimas Sale!

Starting today and for all December...get a 25% discount in all my books!

Blag en Lulu.com

Go get this awesome sale!

Greetings,

Blag.

With a little help from my friends...

I think it's good karma, to once in a while write a post sending thanks to all the people that for better or for worse have helped me to become the professional I am today...of course...I can put them all...but a small list is better than nothing -:)

Not in particular order...just...thank you so much for being my friends! And please, don't stop bugging me when it comes to help me out -;)

* Marilyn Pratt
* Jim Spath
* Nigel James
* Leonardo de Araujo
* Craig Cmehil
* Jon Reed
* Dennis Howlett
* Abesh Bhattacharjee
* Sue Keohan
* Mark Finnern
* Aslan Noghre-kar

Greetings,

Blag.

System Optimizer - Clean your PC

Being a developer and a blogger means that I install a lot of stuff in my computer, some are good stuff, some aren't and sometimes when I uninstall some of those not so good software, some things still get stuck in my laptop, causing the system to get slow or instable...which is of course not good at all...

I been testing a great product called System Optimizer by a company called Digeus Software.

Of course I have tried a lot of cleaners and system fixers before, but System Optimizer provide me a full set of tools that really improves my system in a fast and smooth way...which is something that really makes me happy -;)

Of course, you might like to see some screenshots...






Divided in categories, the software offers a tool for every performance and security task we might need to perform. While you might achieve the same by using separate tools, with this you have everything in one place.

As you can see...so many options are offered, so now you don't have an excuse to use a slow computer anymore -;) Mine is running better than ever -:D

Greetings,

Blag.

When in Montreal...

By now, you must know this (I already told everyone LOL)...I'm currently living in Montreal, Canada. It's been a week and 3 days so far for me...but it seems like ages, since my wife and daughter are not with me at this moment...anyway, I'm going back to Lima, Peru to pick them up and get back here to sunny (Ok...sunny by now) Montreal.

I had already gone to work, took the subway, go to do shopping, make my own meals, clean my apartment, do my laundry...so I can say, I feel pretty much comfortable in here -;)

What I like about Montreal? Well...it's a warm city (I'm taking about the people, I gotta live the winter yet), multi-cultural, fully gastronomic and peaceful.

I should post more of my Canadian adventures soon...so stay tuned -;)

Greetings,

Blag.

Blagbert - The Graphic Novel available now!

Are you a Blagbert fan? Then you can't miss this great opportunity to buy Blagbert - The Graphic Novel


Greetings,
Blag.

Turning your BlackBerry into a Kindle for the poor

So...you're too cheap to buy an Amazon Kindle and even more cheaper to buy an Apple IPad?

Well...that's not my case -:) It's just that as you may know or going to discover...I'm moving to Montreal, Canada with my family. My Peruvian CrackBerry which is locked will turn into a useless cellphone...so I had two simple options...sold it here or just dump it into the trash...Gladly I found out a third and more elegant solution...

I installed quite time ago this great software called Mobipocket Reader which allows you to read files in a variety of formats...if you, like me, stand to read in the small BlackBerry screen, then this software is for you.

So, with the Mobipocket Reader installed (and of course a big selection of nice books), we just need to start deleting all the things we are not going to use anymore...like games, GMail client (Actually all Google Stuff) and so on...why? Simple...I'm not going to have a carrier in Canada...I'm not going to have an Internet provider...why I would like to keep all those applications that are nothing without the web?

Delete everything and just keep the essentials...this way you're going to have a more useful and quick device to read books and took pictures -;)

Almost forgot...I'm going to have a brand new IPhone waiting for me to be hacked W00T!

Greetings,

Blag.

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah 2009!

We're almost at the end of the year...so I just wanted to tell you...

MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY HANUKKAH AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

May this new year 2010 bring us happiness and professional success...may all our dreams and goals came true! -:D

Greetings,

Blag.

My favorite BlackBerry apps...and games...

I own a BlackBerry Pearl 8100 with OS 4.5.0.108 and had download this wonderful app's and games -:)

Zum-Zum


Great, fun and difficult game.

Jetris


A Tetris clone...everybody loves Tetris -;)

Quick Stop Watch


Simple and useful stop watch application.

The Weather Network


It's raining Mike...it's raining...

Medieval Kings Chess 2
(Go to Mobile.BlackBerry.com then Games and finally Free Games.)


Totally awesome game! I suck at Chess...and still love this game -;)

Pacman


Great clone of an all time classic game.

Opera Mini



Best Berry browser...

Google Mobile App


A must have! Includes GMail, GMaps, News, Reader, Calendar, Docs, Photos, Notebook.

Google Sync


Sync your google stuff with you Berry...stay always update -;)

Mobipocker Reader


I just can't live without this! Read PDF books on your Berry! -:D

Got any other free great App or Game? Please let me know -:)

Greetings,

Blag.

g.ho.st? Sure my choice!

On my previous post...I ranted about GlideOS. So after that post I got a reply message on Twitter from @muzwell --> Murray Spork. Currently working on bringing cloud computing to the enterprise. Telling me about another Web 2.0 Operating System...g.ho.st.


So, of course I decided to give g.ho.st. a try...
After I create my account, I got this nice screen telling me about the benefits of my membership...


That was nice...But I also got a Personalization window...Which was cool as well...


Now, the Desktop really looks nice...Like a real OS even working with Widgets...Like the clock on the right...


Like @muzwell told me g.ho.st is already integrated with Zoho, so writing a document is a pleasant task...


Maybe that could be enough for you...But...You can even play games! It's crazy -:)


And for people like me...Twitter addicts...You also got a nice but gotta say...simple...Twitter client.


Like some people say...The wonder never ends...We also got direct access to great services like Wikipedia, Google Maps and Google Search...


Oh...I almost forgot it...You got a fancy Go bar too...


My final words...g.ho.st it's sure my choice!

Greetings,

Blag.

Glide OS? Not my choice...

Since I read on a PC World Magazine about Web 2.0 Operating Systems...I get really interested and wanted to try them out.
My first and only attempt so far had been with Glide OS.

Ok, let's see...This OS has been build with Flex which is really cool, because everyone knows how much I love Flex...

First, we got a nice login screen...


The desktop looks cool too, with a lot of direct access to nice applications.


I tried Present which is an application to create Presentations.


Sadly, I found a nasty bug...Put a small square, and I was supposed to double click it in order to write some text...Well...That never happened...


Then...I give Write a chance...As you may had noticed...It's an application to write documents...


Finally, I tried the Calculator application...And I said finally because I simply logoff from this OS.


Wanna know why I logoff? Easy...As a Programmer's point of view...I think this is an amazing project...Very hard to accomplish...But as a Customer I think it totally fails to fulfill my needs...Why? Easy, take a look a this...


Zoho Writer. Free and way much better. In every aspect.


SlideRocket. Free and way much better. In every aspect.

Ok, you might think...One thing is to build an application, and another thing is too build a complete OS...Let's remember that Zoho.com offers a lot of services, not only a Word like application.

I think that the makers of Glide OS could had spend more time working of the UI of their applications, because I can't find the words Alpha or Beta anywhere.

Definitely...Not my choice...

Greetings,

Blag.