I have a free weekend and my ankle is busted so I can't do any running around. I was thinking of spending the inside time in learning something new/building something for fun, just looking for some suggestions....<p>I'm extremely familiar with php/mysql and asp/sql server so a change of pace would be nice.<p>Thanks!
Try building a program on Google App Engine. I personally like python, but you could go with any JVM-targeted language. The particularly new part for you is the datastore:<p><a href="http://code.google.com/appengine/docs/python/datastore/" rel="nofollow">http://code.google.com/appengine/docs/python/datastore/</a><p>No joins (except for "self joins"), entity groups, sharded counters, and the mindset that computations should be on write instead of on query. At the end, you can work through this article that shows how to implement a YC-style decaying vote score purely on writing of entities (records):<p><a href="http://code.google.com/appengine/articles/overheard.html" rel="nofollow">http://code.google.com/appengine/articles/overheard.html</a>
Take a look at multitouch systems.<p>The rise of a new hardware platform is a rare occasion compared to the many fresh software products coming out on a regular basis.
If you want a total change of pace, check out J. It's one of the two main successors to APL, meaning the primitives are arrays and you write programs by composing very general operators. I recommend it for two reasons: 1. it will open your mind and perhaps blow it altogether; 2. the software comes with a bunch of tutorials that are well-done and fun to work through. <a href="http://www.jsoftware.com/start.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.jsoftware.com/start.htm</a><p>p.s. Don't expect it to be like what you'd normally call a programming language.
<a href="http://www.overthewire.org/wargames/vortex/" rel="nofollow">http://www.overthewire.org/wargames/vortex/</a><p>It's a race against time and terror!<p>Hurry, CommieBob, <i>Before there's still time!!</i>
You can virtually attend the Hacking At Random festival.
<a href="https://wiki.har2009.org/page/Streaming" rel="nofollow">https://wiki.har2009.org/page/Streaming</a>
<a href="https://har2009.org/program/" rel="nofollow">https://har2009.org/program/</a><p>Educational and fun.
Read HN all day looking at all the interesting ideas people are posting! C'mon you know this is what you're going to do anyway. Just kidding. But, hopefully we don't see you back here till Monday w/ some more wisdom and knowledge to drop on us all.<p>Just to add to the mix. How about TED Lectures, youtube around for old Feynman or Steve Jobs videos, check out OpenCourseWare or any of those online learning sites and make a dent in an interesting course. Catch up w/ friends on the phone.<p>I also second the jQuery, Python, Django, Google App Engine, and Processing crews.<p>Hope your ankle gets better soon!
hndir.com built in codeigniter - will let you build some stuff on top of it if interested. the project really has potential, I'm just too tied up with graffitiGeo.com atm
I'm doing the Python challenge because my Python's getting rusty. So far it's been pretty enjoyable.<p>Edit: Don't waste your time. I stopped because you end up spending most of your time figuring out little well-concealed clues that have nothing to do with programming at all (after you get past the easier ones. I'd had enough at 6).
Take a look at this MetaFilter thread about simple, useful skills that can be learned quickly:<p><a href="http://ask.metafilter.com/125874/Simple-useful-skills" rel="nofollow">http://ask.metafilter.com/125874/Simple-useful-skills</a>