Eric Hartwell's InfoWeb - Tech Notes

Various odds and ends I'm working on...

HowTo: Install MediaWiki on a GoDaddy Value Plan

I like to think of GoDaddy as the McBurgers of hosting and domains - they're huge, they're everywhere, they're relatively cheap, and they're utterly consistent. Just don't ask for anything that's not on the menu. Fortunately, MediaWiki fits with just a little trim...

HowTo: Create a Boot-From-CD Browser Kiosk with Firefox and SLAX Linux

I needed to turn an old PC into a cheap, dedicated, browser appliance. The cleanest choice is a Linux/Firefox boot-from-CD; the hardware demands are minimal, and it is impossible for users to make any permanent changes. After a little research, I decided to go with SLAX, a small and beautiful Linux operating system which fits on and runs directly from a CD-ROM disc. With the addition of Firefox 1.5, a Firefox kiosk mode extension module, and a little fiddling with xinitrc, I was able to create a small, clean kiosk boot CD that works on practically any PC without changing the hard disk at all.

HowTo: Use MediaWiki for Managing Apollo Transcripts
HowTo: Create a MediaWiki Extension for XML/XSL Data

As part of the research for my Apollo 17 project, I needed to prepare a definitive timeline/transcript of the mission. A proper reference needs sources identified, interpretations explained, and a revision history with audit trail. I stated to write a .NET web application with its own database, when I realized I already have a web application that does all that - MediaWiki.

This series of tech notes documents my progress in extending MediaWiki to manage a large, multipage transcript, with the contents stored as XML text.

HowTo: Build a Web Site with FrontPage, Community Server, and MediaWiki

This series of tech notes documents my progress in building a unified web portal using Community Server, MediaWiki, and static web pages - using FrontPage shared borders, style sheets, a bit of JavaScript, a bit of PHP, a bit of brute force, and even more duct tape.

Apollo 17 - The Blue Marble

"The Blue Marble" is one of the most widely distributed photographic images in existence. NASA officially credits the image to the entire Apollo 17 crew - "The identity of the photographer is unverifiable."

But is it really? A lot of detective work makes a strong case to identify Jack Schmitt as the photographer.

Essays, Articles, and Assorted InfoNuggets

HowTo
HowTo: Build a Web Site with FrontPage, Community Server, and MediaWiki
HowTo: Build Your Own Wiki on a Stick
HowTo: Create a Boot-From-CD Browser Kiosk with Firefox and SLAX Linux
HowTo: Create a Boot-From-CD Browser Kiosk with Firefox and SLAX Linux
HowTo: Create a MediaWiki Extension for Apollo Transcripts
HowTo: Create a MediaWiki Extension for XML/XSL Data
HowTo: Create a MediaWiki Pretty Printer Extension
HowTo: Customize Community Server Navigation
HowTo: Install MediaWiki on a GoDaddy Value Plan
HowTo: Install MediaWiki on IIS Shared Hosting
HowTo: Integrate FrontPage Webs With Community Server
HowTo: Integrate MediaWiki with Community Server and FrontPage Webs
HowTo: Use MediaWiki for Managing Apollo Transcripts

Other Tech Notes
"Patch it until it's robust"
Convergence in Academic Jargon Generation and Parsing
MediaWiki Extension Parser Debugging
MediaWiki Programming Side Trips: Potholes, Detours, and Dead Ends
On Error Resume Next
Saturn's Moons: Cassini Images
Seattle DOS was a better rewrite of CP/M for 16 bits than CP/M-86
The Legendary Pacifist's Guide to Halo 2
Windows XP Restore Checklist

Current Projects, Documents
2006 Wall Calendars
Apollo 17 - The Blue Marble
Please Don't Screen Me Out (PowerPoint)

Published Articles
Outlook Mail Backup + HTML embedded images (Planet Source Code)
Tracy's Rock (Wikipedia)
HTML Tidy patches [1239422] Cleanup: explicit casts, native booleans (C++), minor fix

Exoware Tech Notes (Client's "MyApp" project 1998-2000):
Enhanced Flat ComboBox Control
Direct Communication with the HTML View
Implementing the ADO Plan Database
Issuing Commands to the HTML View
Setting HTML View Text Directly From a String
Using the CodeGuru HTML View Automation Classes
Using the Custom ComboBox Control
Using the HTML View Automation Classes

Toolkit