Scripting News

Apache question

Fri, 08 Jun 2007 22:43:23 GMT

The server that runs this site is running Windows 2000 and Apache for Windows. My CMS is the OPML editor. I use a desktop tool to communicate with the editor on the server via XML-RPC.

When I save the document locally, it sends a copy to the server, where it renders it in HTML and writes a file in a folder that Apache serves from.

There are two applications running on the server, one writes into the folder and the other serves from the folder. The first is the OPML Editor, the second is Apache. (There actually are other apps on the server, but I don't think they're part of the problem I'm describing.)

This usually works fine, but one in 20 times (or so) there's trouble. When the editor tries to write the file, it gets an error, saying the file can't be accessed. When you try to access the file in a web browser (the home page of this site) you get an access error. (I'll link in a screen shot next time it happens.)

The only way to clear the error is to quit the OPML Editor, restart Apache, and relaunch the OPML Editor. Then it all starts working, until it happens again.

My current theory is that the OPML Editor is trying to write the file while Apache is reading it, and somehow this puts both programs into an untenable condition (the latter part is really confusing).

So I guess the question is this -- is there any way for an app running on the same machine to lock a file, like a semaphore, to basically wait until Apache isn't using the file, causing Apache to stand by until the semaphore clears. There must be some way to avoid this, other than the manual workaround I've found.

I'm an amateur and proud of it

Fri, 08 Jun 2007 22:28:57 GMT

There's a headline making the rounds of professional pubs, from CNN to South Africa, saying that bloggers are "infuriated" at being called amateurs. I'm listed as one of these alleged fury-filled people.

Now tell me this, if I was so upset about it, why would I use the word so often to describe bloggers, including myself?

Eric Auchard of Reuters (normailly, a reasonable guy) is the author. I know, I know, you don't write the headlines, some evil editor somewhere puts them over your words. And you know what, I don't care.

I'm 6 foot 2

Fri, 08 Jun 2007 22:40:08 GMT

The bloggers in Milano thought I was a short guy.

Not so. In school I was usually the tallest, or tied for tallest, in the class.

But I'm a couple inches shorter than Arrington, so if you see me in a picture with him, I Iook shorter.

But I've never heard that anyone thought I was short. Kind of funny. Nothing wrong with being short, of course, but I'm tall.

So in case you've never met me, I'm two inches taller than 6 feet. What is that in meters? I don't know.

Good morning!

My motor skills are really sucking, but I got 14 hours sleep, so I'm not drooping-over tired any more. I really wilted at the Powell St BART station, switching to the Pittsburgh Bay Point line. It hit me. I had only slept 3 hours in the last 48. That's some kind of record. Where did all the hours go? I'll figure it out later.

In the middle of all the jetlag inspired deleria, I had a thought. Where is the TechCrunch of the auto industry? The Engadget of oil? What about the defense industry? Kitchen appliances? Furniture? Sweaters? Skiing? A constant theme here, when we see the pros blame blogs and Craig for their problems -- "Why didn't you do it first?" Time to ask the question again. These blogs have become professional pubs, and they're raking in big bucks. Okay so you didn't invent the model, but why not compete? Isn't this something you supposedly do well, even better, than us poor amateurs?

Buon giorno, Paolo

Fri, 08 Jun 2007 13:33:05 GMT

Paolo, my main Italian host, tells me that his schedule gets all whacked out when I'm in Europe. He expects to see the first new post on Scripting News in the mid-late afternoon. But when I'm in Europe, the first post comes in the morning. Not quite jetlag -- bloglag? I guess things are all sorted out and back to normal for my buddy Paolo, cause it's approx 4PM there now as I boot up, pre-coffee, eyes still fuzzy. Buon giorno!