All in Technology
Every once in awhile, someone shares something helpful or cool. Groovebook is one of those things. We take A LOT of pictures and were regularly spending $50 to print them at our local Sam's Club. Sam's has a great photo department (we created our birth announcements there and will be ordering our Christmas cards from there as well), but the spending was getting out of control. So, when I heard about Groovebook, I immediately checked it out and was really surprised.
Welcome to the second part of my 2 part series on writing a Python Application to handle OpenTable Affiliate Referral Links. If you missed my first article, it has a writeup of my favorite new development environment: Python 3.x + PyCharm Pro + Docker, so be sure to check it out.
Teri recently applied and was accepted as an OpenTable Affiliate, so that we can provide the convenience of online OpenTable reservations to our readers. What we received is a useful branding press kit, some branding requirements, and the credentials and URIs for accessing a RESTful API. I love the opportunities to work on my Python skills, as well as learn new things, but I'm a bit baffled why OpenTable doesn't offer a simple WYSIWYG widget builder for affiliates that are restuarant gurus not programmers. Obviously, the RESTful API is awesome for programmers and the Warmest Robot, but the Warmest Human thought it was a bit much to ask of a non-technical user. With a widget builder, OpenTable Affiliates could build a referral link that meets branding requirements without having to ask an INTP for help. I've decided to help others on the net by posting my method and code in series of articles.
I wanted to post a short update about some other interesting discoveries that I've made since I have revisited Debian as my open source operating system of choice. In my previous article, I referred to Debian as Debian Linux. While Debian is one of the oldest and most mature distributions, it would have been more apt (excuse the pun) on my part to refer to it as a universal operating system, which is how they now brand the project.
Linux has become a necessary tool for me as both a systems engineer and developer. Linux is an ideal development platform in many respects, as it includes tools, shells, and apps that are much more suited for out-of-the-box software development than a stock install of most mainstream commercial operating systems like Windows and macOS. This is why I felt it was time to write an article about my recent switch from Linux Mint to Debian.
Preparing for baby can be quite overwhelming. There are so many products marketed towards new parents and it can be hard to know what is necessary. One of the things we knew that we would absolutely need was a baby monitor. John is most definitely the technical expert in this house, so we decided he would research different options.I ended up getting a head start on things and discovered a lot of great options.
Teri and I recently had a very disappointing experience with T-Mobile. We both were 10+ year customers with grandfathered plans that were well below September 2017 new customer prices. Our problems began when we attempted to consolidate our separate phone plans to a 2-line family plan. I was told by customer service that it would be 20 dollars per month more than my Grandfathered rate of $65/month, so about $85/mo total, to add Teri to my existing plan. No problem, right?
It has been 9 years since I’ve attended VMworld. A lot has changed in the company’s portfolio. The conference is massive and has taken over the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.
After using Blogger for a number of years, I am sad to leave it behind to transition warmestrobot.com to a newer platform powered by Squarespace.
It has come to my attention after receiving some SSL certificate renewal reminders from Let's Encrypt that my previous article Let's Encrypt & Synology DSM 6.X needed a follow-up post.
Since the Nintendo Classic Mini was announced on November 2016, I have wanted one to revisit my childhood memories.
Synology DiskStations have become an indispensable tool in my work-life balance. The ability to emulate many cloud-like tools such as Dropbox, Evernote, Google Music, and Netflix, has been an invaluable tool in my tech arsenal. It has increased my flexibility and privacy, while lowering my dependency on cloud infrastructure.
I am in the process of currently writing new Python code to query the Dell Kace K1000 System Manager to populate various reports and integration points. In my department, we currently use K1000 not only as a system management solution, but also as a system of record (SOR) for various unique pieces of data that we use for inventory management, billing, and tracking organizational data.
I have been functioning as an IT engineer, architect, and manager for over a decade in Nevada.
It has been both interesting and challenging. Often times insufficient budgets, high expectations, and a lack of formal business process and structure (ie: governance) presents extreme difficulty in meeting and continuously delivering quality services.
