David Green

Getting Started with MongoDB presentation (C#, MVC4)

David Green — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 19:23:45 GMT

Originally posted on: http://geekswithblogs.net/dgreen/archive/2013/03/24/getting-started-with-mongodb-presentation-c-asp.net.aspx

Another NoSQL presentation, this time on MongoDB. This was my first run at it….hopefully will present again at Carolina Codecamp, Codestock, and MADExpo…Inshallah! As with each attempt, hopefully the style and content will get refined, we’ll see!

“...The emphasis will be primarily on the development-side as we explore how to stand up a simple data store and perform basic CRUD type operations as well as a few advanced topics. To that end, in tonight's exercise we will create a blog from scratch in ASP.NET MVC4 using MongoDB as our back end. Additionally time will be spent covering some basic NoSQL theory as it relates to MongoDB and addressing typical use-case scenarios for where best to use MongoDB.”

I've always felt that if I'm ever going to teach, there always has to be some kind of tactile learning element, esp. with software development...hence the creating a simple-blog-from-scratch example. Ironically, it took me about three times as long fighting the MVC4 framework than it did actually putting together any of the MongoDB code.

Note: You would need to become a member of TriNug (if you aren’t already) to access the .pptx slides, but the code sample is available via the link aforementioned in the comments section.

Intro to NoSQL with RavenDB

dgreen — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 14:22:47 GMT

Originally posted on: http://geekswithblogs.net/dgreen/archive/2012/10/07/intro-to-nosql-with-ravendb.aspx

I did a talk on RavenDB back on 9/19/2012. Here was my abstract:

"RavenDB is a document database which is gaining popularity in the 'NoSQL' movement. This session will introduce you to some non-relational concepts and describe how they compare/contrast with the relational solutions you're already familiar with. We'll go through the basics of RavenDB and show how easy it is to use from .NET”

My next goal is to figure out how to post the slidedeck here (and maybe the code samples if I'm feeling ambitious). Then, the slides can be downloaded for only three easy payments of $39.99. However for this one time special offer they are currently being given away absolutely FREE with a signup to http://meetup.trinug.org

Footnote: I probably shouldn't have to say this, but my last comment about charging for my slidedeck was a joke. I have an odd sense of humor for those who don't already know me :)

First Impressions of a MacBook (from a PC guy)

dgreen — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 16:50:07 GMT

Originally posted on: http://geekswithblogs.net/dgreen/archive/2012/09/29/first-impressions-of-a-macbook-from-a-pc-guy.aspx

Disclaimer: I've been a PC guy my entire working career. I'd probably characterize myself as a power user. Never afraid to bust out the console line. But working with a Mac is totally foreign to me. So for those Mac guys who are curious, this is how your world appears from the outside to a computer literate person :)

My Macbook Air has arrived! And it's a thing of beauty:

First, the specs: 13" MacBook Air, 2.0GHz Core i7 processor. Upgraded to 8GB of RAM for an additional $100, SSD flash storage = 256GB. The plan is ultimately to use this baby for some iOS development but also some decent lifting in Windows with Visual Studio. Done a lot of reading and between VMWare Fusion, Parallels and Bootcamp...I'm going to go with VMWare Fusion for $49.99

And now my impressions (please re-read disclaimer before proceeding!):

I open the box and am trying to understand exactly how the magsafe connector works (and how to disconnect it). Why does it have two socket outlet plugs? Who knows. I feel like Hansel in Zoolander. The files are "in" the computer.

Stuck in my external hard drive (usb). So how do I get to the files? To the Googles!
Argh...it can't read my external NTFS drive. Fat32 can't support field over 4GB…problematic since some of my existing VMWare image files are much larger than 4GB. Didn't see this coming.

Three year old loves iPhoto. Super easy to use. Don't even know what I'm doing but I've already (accidentally) discovered the image filtering options. Fun stuff.
First thing I downloaded ever => Chrome. I need something to ground me, something familiar. My token, if you will (sorry, gratuitous Inception joke).

Ok, I get it… Finder == windows explorer. But where is my hierarchical structure? I miss the tree :(
On that note, yeah…how do I see what "path" my files reside in? I'm afraid to know the answer. You know what scares more though…this notion of a smart folder. Feel like the godfather - just get the job done, I don't care how you handle it, I don't want to know...just get it done.
What the hell is AirDrop?
Mail…just worked. Still in shock that they have a free client for yahoo mail (please no yahoo jokes).
mail -> deleting a message takes 5 seconds. Have they heard of async?
"Command" key instead of "Control" ok, then what the $%&^! is the control key for then
"aliases" == shortcuts I think
I don't see the file system. And I'm scared. All these things I'm downloading…these .dmg files (bad name) where are they going? Can't seem to delete when they're done
Ugh...realized need to buy a mini-to-vga adaptor if I want to use my external monitor ($13 on ebay, $39 in apple store).
Windows docking is trickiest for me…this notion of detached windows with a menu bar at the top. I don't like this paradigm, it's confusing. But maybe because I've been using Windows for too long.
Evernote, Dropbox desktop clients seem almost identical…few quirks here and there I need to get used to.
iTunes is still a bit gross. In a weird way it's actually worse on a Mac if thats possible. This is not the MacBook's fault…this is a software design issue.

Overall: UI will take some getting used to. Can't decide if this represents the future and I'm stuck in the past…or this is the past and I've been spoiled by the future (which would be Windows…don't be hating I happen to be very productive in Win7)

So there you go - my 90 minute first impression of the MacBook universe.