Comments for Wim's blog http://blog.grandtrunk.net Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:58:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on Historical currency converter web service by Sandeep http://blog.grandtrunk.net/2010/02/historical-currency-converter-web-service/comment-page-1/#comment-23502 Sandeep Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:58:31 +0000 http://blog.grandtrunk.net/?p=94#comment-23502 Hi, Thanks for the this service. I am using it to try out some sample code. Hi,

Thanks for the this service. I am using it to try out some sample code.

]]> Comment on Historical currency converter web service by currency converter http://blog.grandtrunk.net/2010/02/historical-currency-converter-web-service/comment-page-1/#comment-9813 currency converter Tue, 19 Apr 2011 04:19:50 +0000 http://blog.grandtrunk.net/?p=94#comment-9813 I have been using this iGoogle gadget from a long time. Google AppEngine is really good, and using Python is amazing feeling. Thanks for the post explaining your experience with that. I have been using this iGoogle gadget from a long time. Google AppEngine is really good, and using Python is amazing feeling. Thanks for the post explaining your experience with that.

]]> Comment on Historical currency converter web service by Wim http://blog.grandtrunk.net/2010/02/historical-currency-converter-web-service/comment-page-1/#comment-4426 Wim Sat, 25 Dec 2010 18:04:41 +0000 http://blog.grandtrunk.net/?p=94#comment-4426 There is now also an iGoogle gadget of the Historical Currency Convertor, see http://www.google.com/ig/directory?url=currencies.apps.grandtrunk.net/gadget There is now also an iGoogle gadget of the Historical Currency Convertor, see http://www.google.com/ig/directory?url=currencies.apps.grandtrunk.net/gadget

]]> Comment on Practical Compressor Test by nctritech http://blog.grandtrunk.net/2004/07/practical-compressor-test/comment-page-1/#comment-4310 nctritech Tue, 21 Dec 2010 17:39:32 +0000 http://blog.grandtrunk.net/2009/12/practical-compressor-test/#comment-4310 I noticed that this article is quite old, but I have some comments that would probably be very helpful to any future benchmarks. You should have combined more varied file formats, particularly executables, before drawing the conclusions here. In my own independent tests when checking each of these algorithms for suitability in creating software packages for our Tritech Service System distribution of Linux, I compressed the entire in-RAM filesystem tree for the OS into a .tar archive, then compressed that .tar with a variety of formats and compression levels, and used an automated script to count the raw over-the-network decompression times involved from an unloaded server's tmpfs exported and mounted over CIFS; here's the general sort of command I used: time lzop -dc /mnt/cifs/fs_lzop-1.tar.lzo > /dev/null Because I am compressing a combination of binary files, text files, image files/pixmaps, and small media files such as .wav files, I'm generating a somewhat more realistic average this way. Having done this from a tmpfs instance on a TOTALLY unused server and un unused network is extremely important, since this eliminates the chance that disk issues or network usage will taint the tests. What I found is that lzop -1 is by far the best way to get anything shuffled over any LAN and immediately decompressed very quickly, even if the decompressor was an old Pentium II, and regardless of 10/100/1000 Mbit negotiated link speed. However, for minimizing space consumption, or for very slow links, xz wins hands down despite taking about 11x-12x the time of lzop for decompression, specifically xz -e -2. bzip2 is useless. lzma is pointless since xz is very slightly better and is exactly the same on time. Various gzip levels make a wonderful compromise between the two. In the end, it comes down to the purpose. If you're shooting data across a LAN, lzop is almost guaranteed to drastically increase the performance of that LAN transfer; however, if you're sending a 110MB filesystem tree over the Internet to some guy with 1.5Mbit DSL, you're better off accepting a 10s decompression penalty if it means a 20MB (about 2 minutes of transfer time at 1.5Mbit) download savings. I noticed that this article is quite old, but I have some comments that would probably be very helpful to any future benchmarks.

You should have combined more varied file formats, particularly executables, before drawing the conclusions here. In my own independent tests when checking each of these algorithms for suitability in creating software packages for our Tritech Service System distribution of Linux, I compressed the entire in-RAM filesystem tree for the OS into a .tar archive, then compressed that .tar with a variety of formats and compression levels, and used an automated script to count the raw over-the-network decompression times involved from an unloaded server’s tmpfs exported and mounted over CIFS; here’s the general sort of command I used:

time lzop -dc /mnt/cifs/fs_lzop-1.tar.lzo > /dev/null

Because I am compressing a combination of binary files, text files, image files/pixmaps, and small media files such as .wav files, I’m generating a somewhat more realistic average this way. Having done this from a tmpfs instance on a TOTALLY unused server and un unused network is extremely important, since this eliminates the chance that disk issues or network usage will taint the tests.

What I found is that lzop -1 is by far the best way to get anything shuffled over any LAN and immediately decompressed very quickly, even if the decompressor was an old Pentium II, and regardless of 10/100/1000 Mbit negotiated link speed. However, for minimizing space consumption, or for very slow links, xz wins hands down despite taking about 11x-12x the time of lzop for decompression, specifically xz -e -2. bzip2 is useless. lzma is pointless since xz is very slightly better and is exactly the same on time. Various gzip levels make a wonderful compromise between the two. In the end, it comes down to the purpose. If you’re shooting data across a LAN, lzop is almost guaranteed to drastically increase the performance of that LAN transfer; however, if you’re sending a 110MB filesystem tree over the Internet to some guy with 1.5Mbit DSL, you’re better off accepting a 10s decompression penalty if it means a 20MB (about 2 minutes of transfer time at 1.5Mbit) download savings.

]]> Comment on Practical Compressor Test by Wim http://blog.grandtrunk.net/2004/07/practical-compressor-test/comment-page-1/#comment-3986 Wim Sun, 12 Dec 2010 09:15:44 +0000 http://blog.grandtrunk.net/2009/12/practical-compressor-test/#comment-3986 It's a free theme call MistyLook (with some of my own CSS tweaks...) It’s a free theme call MistyLook (with some of my own CSS tweaks…)

]]> Comment on Practical Compressor Test by Georgetta Rosazza http://blog.grandtrunk.net/2004/07/practical-compressor-test/comment-page-1/#comment-3714 Georgetta Rosazza Mon, 06 Dec 2010 00:19:26 +0000 http://blog.grandtrunk.net/2009/12/practical-compressor-test/#comment-3714 I appreciate this wordpress theme, i hope you don't mind me asking but is it a free design or did you buy it? Thanks! I appreciate this wordpress theme, i hope you don’t mind me asking but is it a free design or did you buy it? Thanks!

]]> Comment on Historical currency converter web service by Megan http://blog.grandtrunk.net/2010/02/historical-currency-converter-web-service/comment-page-1/#comment-3661 Megan Sat, 04 Dec 2010 01:37:35 +0000 http://blog.grandtrunk.net/?p=94#comment-3661 Many thanks for this service. I needed to fill in blanks in my memory and in a book-in-progress. Searched and searched, grew frustrated, and then...voila. Precisely the thing, and extremely helpful. Many thanks for this service. I needed to fill in blanks in my memory and in a book-in-progress. Searched and searched, grew frustrated, and then…voila. Precisely the thing, and extremely helpful.

]]> Comment on Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 wide-angle lens by M. D. Vaden of Oregn http://blog.grandtrunk.net/2009/01/tokina-11-16mm-f2-8-wide-angle-lens/comment-page-1/#comment-3092 M. D. Vaden of Oregn Sun, 14 Nov 2010 10:21:49 +0000 http://blog.grandtrunk.net/?p=31#comment-3092 Almost got that lens last week, but picked up the 12-24mm instead. Even the 12mm is plenty from what I can see. May get your lens next year. Nice studio shots. Looks warm and comfortable. MDV / Oregon Almost got that lens last week, but picked up the 12-24mm instead. Even the 12mm is plenty from what I can see. May get your lens next year.

Nice studio shots. Looks warm and comfortable.

MDV / Oregon

]]> Comment on Historical currency converter web service by Alex http://blog.grandtrunk.net/2010/02/historical-currency-converter-web-service/comment-page-1/#comment-586 Alex Tue, 03 Aug 2010 19:21:45 +0000 http://blog.grandtrunk.net/?p=94#comment-586 Big thanks to Wim for permission to use his webservice in our iPhone App - XChange Pro and XChange Pro Light We have free and paid version - depends on number of currencies. The app available worldwide: link to US store is here: itms://itunes.apple.com/us/app/xchange-pro-historic-currency/id378032772?mt=8 Big thanks to Wim for permission to use his webservice in our iPhone App – XChange Pro and XChange Pro Light
We have free and paid version – depends on number of currencies.
The app available worldwide: link to US store is here:
itms://itunes.apple.com/us/app/xchange-pro-historic-currency/id378032772?mt=8

]]> Comment on Historical currency converter web service by Wim http://blog.grandtrunk.net/2010/02/historical-currency-converter-web-service/comment-page-1/#comment-7 Wim Wed, 07 Apr 2010 18:25:06 +0000 http://blog.grandtrunk.net/?p=94#comment-7 The ECB's rates are updated daily, those I get from the Fed (LKR, TWD and VEF) only get updated every Tuesday with rates from the previous week. Other rates: sure, if you can suggest a good data source I'll add it! The ECB’s rates are updated daily, those I get from the Fed (LKR, TWD and VEF) only get updated every Tuesday with rates from the previous week.
Other rates: sure, if you can suggest a good data source I’ll add it!

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