And here I am. So, Node.js. First, the lawyer crap: Node.js is a trademark of Joyent. I guess I have to say that, but seriously? Probably, just to protect the project from ne’er-do-wells out here on teh ‘tubes. It’s a sanely licensed project that provides good attribution to the bundled dependencies. I expect nothing less than good open source citizenship from the smart folks at Joyent.
Anyway, Node.js is a hunk of code and libraries that runs on the server-side of the HTML/XHTML transactional pipeline, and allows mind-bendingly simple code to do neat things. Is it secure? I dunno. Is it fast? I haven’t tested that. Is it cool enough for me to download, build, install, and run a web-based file server implemented in about 19 lines of code? Abso-freakin-lutely! If you like web frameworks and such stuff, you owe it to yourself to look into Node.js. You can learn more from an O’Reilly post, What is Node.js?
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Now,DTrace. Why do I *REALLY* want to run Solaris and related operating systems? Two mega-features: ZFS and DTrace. ZFS rocks. DTrace rocks on steroids, all across the universe. (There’s also Zones, and Crossbow, and … there’s so much cool stuff to learn in the OS that used be be Sun’s.) But DTrace definitely takes the cake. And I say that without knowing how to use but the smallest part, yet. DTrace will instrument and help you debug systems, code, and network traffic (that hits your system). DTrace provides the ability to see into places that truss and strace only dream of after dropping massive quantities of hallucinogens. DTrace makes the best chocolate chip cookies on the planet. Okay, not the last bit, but it would if someone taught it how to cook.
I support some interestingly complicated (if small-ish in scale) Solaris-based applications and databases. DTrace gives me the right toolbox to properly support the developers and DBAs. What can DTrace do? Simple examples abound, just search for DTrace one liners on your search engine of choice. When you want to learn more than web surfing and a few articles online will teach you, do what I did and pick up your own copy of DTrace by Brendan Gregg and Jim Mauro. I’m slowly working my way through the book, using my install of OpenIndiana as my test platform.
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The coffee, a Nicaragua Mozonte, it is roasted. And that reminds me, I’m down to three pounds on hand. That’s not much, time to visit Sweet Maria’s. Ciao!
