Comments for Stephen Skory http://stephenskory.com Sat, 20 Jun 2009 19:02:06 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 Comment on Pareidolia by hermanoe http://stephenskory.com/2009/06/20/pareidolia/comment-page-1#comment-7461 hermanoe Sat, 20 Jun 2009 19:02:06 +0000 http://stephenskory.com/?p=572#comment-7461 If the Virgin Mary can appear on Wonderbread, why can't Che show up on a prenatal horsecart? Don't question, just believe! If the Virgin Mary can appear on Wonderbread, why can’t Che show up on a prenatal horsecart? Don’t question, just believe!

]]> Comment on Using Amazon S3 with Gallery2 by Stephen Skory http://stephenskory.com/s3-with-gallery2/comment-page-1#comment-6771 Stephen Skory Thu, 28 May 2009 20:28:11 +0000 http://stephenskory.com/?page_id=191#comment-6771 Bill, In Gallery2, the thumbnails are functionally treated the same as all the other re-sized copies of the image. So yes, they are on S3. If you're moving a whole directory to S3, and the directory structure is more straightforward than the image referencing scheme for Gallery2, you may not even need a cgi script to redirect requests. You may be able to use only .htaccess URL rewrites. I am not familiar with MediaWIki, so I don't know how much guidance I can give there. I wish you luck! Bill,

In Gallery2, the thumbnails are functionally treated the same as all the other re-sized copies of the image. So yes, they are on S3.

If you’re moving a whole directory to S3, and the directory structure is more straightforward than the image referencing scheme for Gallery2, you may not even need a cgi script to redirect requests. You may be able to use only .htaccess URL rewrites.

I am not familiar with MediaWIki, so I don’t know how much guidance I can give there. I wish you luck!

]]> Comment on Using Amazon S3 with Gallery2 by Bill Flanagan http://stephenskory.com/s3-with-gallery2/comment-page-1#comment-6764 Bill Flanagan Thu, 28 May 2009 15:02:07 +0000 http://stephenskory.com/?page_id=191#comment-6764 Steve, I think your work is great. We do use access control for images; this is the right way for us to use S3. I'm rewriting your solution it to work with MediaWiki (MW). I'm also looking to see what other people already may have done. Your code and instructions are great. Like Gallery2, MW creates thumbnails for every image. We have this configured to be done when the image is originally stored. People can specify the size of the thumbnails in their image tags. A thumbnail in that sense is just a page-specific scaling of the image and can get pretty large. Thumbnails are rebuilt if none is available for a page when it's rendered. By using your model, are Gallery's thumbnails also being stored on s3? If not, did you mess around with them to see if it made a difference? I'm not so cheap that I'm trying to move the diskspace for the thumbnails to s3 because of cost. I'm more interested in getting as much storage out of the local box so that I can also migrate my php apps to ec2. I'm experimenting with this on a local set of boxes today to see how it works. In MW, the storage of thumbnails is done in the same base directory as the fat image files. I want to see if I can just remote the whole directory. We have a few dozen separate MW instances to relocate. It will be a lot cleaner to have the same model with s3 in the mix. Thanks again for your work and thanks, in advance, for any comments. Steve,

I think your work is great. We do use access control for images; this is the right way for us to use S3.

I’m rewriting your solution it to work with MediaWiki (MW). I’m also looking to see what other people already may have done. Your code and instructions are great.

Like Gallery2, MW creates thumbnails for every image. We have this configured to be done when the image is originally stored. People can specify the size of the thumbnails in their image tags. A thumbnail in that sense is just a page-specific scaling of the image and can get pretty large. Thumbnails are rebuilt if none is available for a page when it’s rendered.

By using your model, are Gallery’s thumbnails also being stored on s3? If not, did you mess around with them to see if it made a difference?

I’m not so cheap that I’m trying to move the diskspace for the thumbnails to s3 because of cost. I’m more interested in getting as much storage out of the local box so that I can also migrate my php apps to ec2.

I’m experimenting with this on a local set of boxes today to see how it works. In MW, the storage of thumbnails is done in the same base directory as the fat image files. I want to see if I can just remote the whole directory. We have a few dozen separate MW instances to relocate. It will be a lot cleaner to have the same model with s3 in the mix.

Thanks again for your work and thanks, in advance, for any comments.

]]> Comment on Shift/Tilt Photography by chris http://stephenskory.com/2007/02/14/shifttilt-photography/comment-page-1#comment-6716 chris Wed, 27 May 2009 10:52:18 +0000 http://stephenskory.com/2007/02/14/shifttilt-photography/#comment-6716 Hi Stephen well mentioning it to some people you know doesn't say so much, heck most people I know have no idea how slides are different to negatives, "do you need a special camera". I feel it just goes to show that most people don't put much effort into learning much about anything. The complete lack of sites out there showing much about the effects of lens movement makes me want to put something together. Presently (missing my TS-E lenses) I'm trying to get something put together to allow 35mm lenses to be adapted to micro 4/3rds cameras to give tilt (and some shift might be nice too). read my blog here: http://cjeastwd.blogspot.com/2009/05/lens-tilt-on-panasonic-g1.html Hi Stephen

well mentioning it to some people you know doesn’t say so much, heck most people I know have no idea how slides are different to negatives, “do you need a special camera”. I feel it just goes to show that most people don’t put much effort into learning much about anything.

The complete lack of sites out there showing much about the effects of lens movement makes me want to put something together.

Presently (missing my TS-E lenses) I’m trying to get something put together to allow 35mm lenses to be adapted to micro 4/3rds cameras to give tilt (and some shift might be nice too).

read my blog here:
http://cjeastwd.blogspot.com/2009/05/lens-tilt-on-panasonic-g1.html

]]> Comment on Inconsistent by Beth http://stephenskory.com/2009/05/17/inconsistent/comment-page-1#comment-6394 Beth Mon, 18 May 2009 02:53:31 +0000 http://stephenskory.com/?p=557#comment-6394 I think there is a consistency with driving a Hummer and parking in a red zone. I think there is a consistency with driving a Hummer and parking in a red zone.

]]> Comment on Inconsistent by Mike T http://stephenskory.com/2009/05/17/inconsistent/comment-page-1#comment-6384 Mike T Sun, 17 May 2009 20:24:56 +0000 http://stephenskory.com/?p=557#comment-6384 and parked next to a virtuous little Prius..... and parked next to a virtuous little Prius…..

]]> Comment on Using Amazon S3 with Gallery2 by Genia Bezman http://stephenskory.com/s3-with-gallery2/comment-page-1#comment-5821 Genia Bezman Wed, 29 Apr 2009 09:18:12 +0000 http://stephenskory.com/?page_id=191#comment-5821 Hi. Further testing shows this method works extremely well (and really really really fast). The fact that images are sent through amazon's server (since your server just redirects the user to the temporary URL) makes things much faster. If your server is getting hammered, you won't be serving lengthy requests (images might be big, after all). Currently my implementation is very hacking (ashamed to show it, strange variables everywhere and strange files lying around), but the concept seems to work really well. I really wish I could make this into a gallery2 module, but it seems that one of the functions I'd need to modify is not modifiable through the module system, which is a problem. (Doesn't seem Gallery.class can be changed in custom modules). If anyone has ideas, please tell me. Mike, if you are interested in what I'm doing, feel free to contact me through email (genia4@gmail.com). I'm also available ton google talk (same address). I can explain in more detail what I did (and provide code snippets). Hi.
Further testing shows this method works extremely well (and really really really fast).

The fact that images are sent through amazon’s server (since your server just redirects the user to the temporary URL) makes things much faster. If your server is getting hammered, you won’t be serving lengthy requests (images might be big, after all).

Currently my implementation is very hacking (ashamed to show it, strange variables everywhere and strange files lying around), but the concept seems to work really well.

I really wish I could make this into a gallery2 module, but it seems that one of the functions I’d need to modify is not modifiable through the module system, which is a problem. (Doesn’t seem Gallery.class can be changed in custom modules).

If anyone has ideas, please tell me.

Mike, if you are interested in what I’m doing, feel free to contact me through email (genia4@gmail.com). I’m also available ton google talk (same address). I can explain in more detail what I did (and provide code snippets).

]]> Comment on Using Amazon S3 with Gallery2 by Mike Miller http://stephenskory.com/s3-with-gallery2/comment-page-1#comment-5820 Mike Miller Wed, 29 Apr 2009 08:44:52 +0000 http://stephenskory.com/?page_id=191#comment-5820 Genia, That sounds really interesting. Right now, I'm using s3, but mounted via S3FS (my derivatives are local, but the full sizes are on s3), since I want the image firewall. If there was some way to access amazon directly while preserving some security, that would be great (my security needs are more along the lines of not leaking URLs through referer headers and less for actual "security", so a temporary URL that expired after a few minutes would be plenty). Looking forward... Genia,

That sounds really interesting. Right now, I’m using s3, but mounted via S3FS (my derivatives are local, but the full sizes are on s3), since I want the image firewall. If there was some way to access amazon directly while preserving some security, that would be great (my security needs are more along the lines of not leaking URLs through referer headers and less for actual “security”, so a temporary URL that expired after a few minutes would be plenty).

Looking forward…

]]> Comment on Using Amazon S3 with Gallery2 by Genia Bezman http://stephenskory.com/s3-with-gallery2/comment-page-1#comment-5819 Genia Bezman Wed, 29 Apr 2009 07:53:43 +0000 http://stephenskory.com/?page_id=191#comment-5819 Good news! This method works (both with s3fs and with jungledisk). I'm currently experimenting with creating time-limited URLs for accessing the files (which would make private items actually private). Amazon S3 supports this (don't remember what they call it, it's just a URL that expires after a set amount of time, signed using a digest generated based on your amazon public and private keys) and I found a PHP class that gives a nice interface for creating such URLs (http://undesigned.org.za/2007/10/22/amazon-s3-php-class) As soon as I have something completely working, I'll publish the code and give a URL to a demo site. This method should lighten the load on the server considerably, since the rewrite.py file and all the associated hackery needs not be called anymore - requests go straight to amazon's servers. If anyone else is interested in this solution, please tell me :) Good news!
This method works (both with s3fs and with jungledisk). I’m currently experimenting with creating time-limited URLs for accessing the files (which would make private items actually private). Amazon S3 supports this (don’t remember what they call it, it’s just a URL that expires after a set amount of time, signed using a digest generated based on your amazon public and private keys) and I found a PHP class that gives a nice interface for creating such URLs (http://undesigned.org.za/2007/10/22/amazon-s3-php-class)

As soon as I have something completely working, I’ll publish the code and give a URL to a demo site.

This method should lighten the load on the server considerably, since the rewrite.py file and all the associated hackery needs not be called anymore – requests go straight to amazon’s servers.

If anyone else is interested in this solution, please tell me :)

]]> Comment on Using Amazon S3 with Gallery2 by Stephen Skory http://stephenskory.com/s3-with-gallery2/comment-page-1#comment-5811 Stephen Skory Sat, 25 Apr 2009 14:26:19 +0000 http://stephenskory.com/?page_id=191#comment-5811 HI Genia, I'm open to any ideas to make this thing better, of course. Good luck! HI Genia,

I’m open to any ideas to make this thing better, of course. Good luck!

]]> Comment on Using Amazon S3 with Gallery2 by Genia Bezman http://stephenskory.com/s3-with-gallery2/comment-page-1#comment-5810 Genia Bezman Sat, 25 Apr 2009 13:36:56 +0000 http://stephenskory.com/?page_id=191#comment-5810 Hi. I've checked out gallery's source code and saw that images are outputted to the browser in only two locations. One is gallery2/modules/core/DownloadItem.inc in the function sendFile (which is the usual template used to output images) The other is gallery2/modules/core/classes/Gallery.class in the function fastDownload. The idea I had is to replace the image-outputting code (which sends HTTP headers, reads file from disk while writing it to the browser) with a simple Location header to the amazon URL of the image. this way you get all the checks that Gallery2 does for you, but the end result is the image being transferred from S3. This is of course only theory for now, but I'll try it later today and see if it works out. If (that's a huge if) it indeed does work, then there is no longer any need to send HEAD requests to amazon to check if the file is in place (or to query the database for the matter), since by the time you read the DownloadItem page, you're already outputting something from disk. So get rid of the disk, tell the browser to get it elsewhere :) Should work for everything, including derivative files (they a created before DownloadItem's eendFile method). Thanks for the great post (and the nicely drawn diagram on the other detailed page)! Hi.
I’ve checked out gallery’s source code and saw that images are outputted to the browser in only two locations.
One is gallery2/modules/core/DownloadItem.inc in the function sendFile (which is the usual template used to output images)
The other is gallery2/modules/core/classes/Gallery.class in the function fastDownload.
The idea I had is to replace the image-outputting code (which sends HTTP headers, reads file from disk while writing it to the browser) with a simple Location header to the amazon URL of the image. this way you get all the checks that Gallery2 does for you, but the end result is the image being transferred from S3.
This is of course only theory for now, but I’ll try it later today and see if it works out.
If (that’s a huge if) it indeed does work, then there is no longer any need to send HEAD requests to amazon to check if the file is in place (or to query the database for the matter), since by the time you read the DownloadItem page, you’re already outputting something from disk. So get rid of the disk, tell the browser to get it elsewhere :)
Should work for everything, including derivative files (they a created before DownloadItem’s eendFile method).

Thanks for the great post (and the nicely drawn diagram on the other detailed page)!

]]> Comment on March Madness Updates by Stephen Skory http://stephenskory.com/2009/03/22/march-madness-updates/comment-page-1#comment-5481 Stephen Skory Mon, 23 Mar 2009 02:48:35 +0000 http://stephenskory.com/?p=526#comment-5481 You would love to visit the boat, Mike, they let you touch everything unlike most museums. I don't remember what they did with the liquid N2. You would love to visit the boat, Mike, they let you touch everything unlike most museums.

I don’t remember what they did with the liquid N2.

]]> Comment on March Madness Updates by Mike T http://stephenskory.com/2009/03/22/march-madness-updates/comment-page-1#comment-5479 Mike T Mon, 23 Mar 2009 02:12:02 +0000 http://stephenskory.com/?p=526#comment-5479 "Ron, Mary and Melissa in the Kitchen". Correction: "Ron, Mary and Melissa in the Galley". No kitchens on boats. I've never seen so many radio knobs all in one place! What did they do with large quantities of liquid N2? “Ron, Mary and Melissa in the Kitchen”. Correction: “Ron, Mary and Melissa in the Galley”. No kitchens on boats.

I’ve never seen so many radio knobs all in one place!

What did they do with large quantities of liquid N2?

]]> Comment on Brodozers by Stephen Skory http://stephenskory.com/2009/02/22/brodozers/comment-page-1#comment-5070 Stephen Skory Mon, 23 Feb 2009 17:50:02 +0000 http://stephenskory.com/?p=505#comment-5070 It's still a stupid thing to put on the side of your brodozer. My favorite one is the yellow one, it even has a baby seat on the passenger side. That's some family values I agree with! It’s still a stupid thing to put on the side of your brodozer.

My favorite one is the yellow one, it even has a baby seat on the passenger side. That’s some family values I agree with!

]]> Comment on Brodozers by LLLL http://stephenskory.com/2009/02/22/brodozers/comment-page-1#comment-5069 LLLL Mon, 23 Feb 2009 17:38:57 +0000 http://stephenskory.com/?p=505#comment-5069 I had to look it up - it's a clothing line from that blink 182 guy. I had to look it up – it’s a clothing line from that blink 182 guy.

]]> Comment on Brodozers by kidnebraska http://stephenskory.com/2009/02/22/brodozers/comment-page-1#comment-5068 kidnebraska Mon, 23 Feb 2009 17:35:59 +0000 http://stephenskory.com/?p=505#comment-5068 "famous stars and straps"? what the hell is that supposed to mean? “famous stars and straps”? what the hell is that supposed to mean?

]]> Comment on Brodozers by Stephen Skory http://stephenskory.com/2009/02/22/brodozers/comment-page-1#comment-5067 Stephen Skory Mon, 23 Feb 2009 17:18:29 +0000 http://stephenskory.com/?p=505#comment-5067 I'm convinced that if Lance Armstrong hadn't extraordinary genetics he would be the owner of a brodozer, or maybe a Pontiac Trans Am. Either way, he would have more in common with the drivers of the vehicles above than with anyone I try to associate with. I’m convinced that if Lance Armstrong hadn’t extraordinary genetics he would be the owner of a brodozer, or maybe a Pontiac Trans Am. Either way, he would have more in common with the drivers of the vehicles above than with anyone I try to associate with.

]]> Comment on Brodozers by LLLL http://stephenskory.com/2009/02/22/brodozers/comment-page-1#comment-5066 LLLL Mon, 23 Feb 2009 17:02:41 +0000 http://stephenskory.com/?p=505#comment-5066 Before I learned what a brodozer was I thought this was going to be a post about Armstrong and Leipheimer. Like this picture or something: http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2009/feb09/california09/index.php?id=/photos/2009/features/TOC_levi_leipheimer_feb09/bettiniphoto_0034340_1_full Before I learned what a brodozer was I thought this was going to be a post about Armstrong and Leipheimer.

Like this picture or something:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2009/feb09/california09/index.php?id=/photos/2009/features/TOC_levi_leipheimer_feb09/bettiniphoto_0034340_1_full

]]> Comment on Failed Socks by Kristin http://stephenskory.com/2009/01/20/failed-socks/comment-page-1#comment-4825 Kristin Tue, 20 Jan 2009 18:25:07 +0000 http://stephenskory.com/?p=461#comment-4825 ...but at least they are not needed any longer. Finally! …but at least they are not needed any longer. Finally!

]]> Comment on The New Academy of Sciences by Mike T http://stephenskory.com/2008/12/31/the-new-academy-of-sciences/comment-page-1#comment-4772 Mike T Thu, 01 Jan 2009 03:22:57 +0000 http://stephenskory.com/?p=427#comment-4772 Two things in particular I miss: Life Through Time (an evolution exhibit) and California Wild. No room for them, I suppose. I also kinda miss the old planetarium with its mechanical projector and skyline cutouts. The new all-digital planetarium is ever so much more flexible, but it feels like just another big-screen movie theater. Two things in particular I miss: Life Through Time (an evolution exhibit) and California Wild. No room for them, I suppose. I also kinda miss the old planetarium with its mechanical projector and skyline cutouts. The new all-digital planetarium is ever so much more flexible, but it feels like just another big-screen movie theater.

]]> Comment on Mini-Vacation – Hearst Castle by Stephen Skory http://stephenskory.com/2008/12/21/mini-vacation-hearst-castle/comment-page-1#comment-4746 Stephen Skory Wed, 24 Dec 2008 01:34:10 +0000 http://stephenskory.com/?p=408#comment-4746 The text has been updated to reflect some of TT's suggestions. The text has been updated to reflect some of TT’s suggestions.

]]> Comment on Mini-Vacation – Hearst Castle by Mike T http://stephenskory.com/2008/12/21/mini-vacation-hearst-castle/comment-page-1#comment-4735 Mike T Mon, 22 Dec 2008 05:21:54 +0000 http://stephenskory.com/?p=408#comment-4735 I like the outdoor pool (the Neptune pool, I think). I'd be happy with just that pool and a cabin with a view of the ocean. I like the outdoor pool (the Neptune pool, I think). I’d be happy with just that pool and a cabin with a view of the ocean.

]]> Comment on Mini-Vacation – Santa Barbara by Mike T http://stephenskory.com/2008/12/20/mini-vacation-santa-barbara/comment-page-1#comment-4734 Mike T Mon, 22 Dec 2008 05:19:36 +0000 http://stephenskory.com/?p=403#comment-4734 I get disoriented in Santa Barbara because I expect the ocean to be west, but it's actually due south. I get disoriented in Santa Barbara because I expect the ocean to be west, but it’s actually due south.

]]> Comment on Mini-Vacation – Hearst Castle by tt http://stephenskory.com/2008/12/21/mini-vacation-hearst-castle/comment-page-1#comment-4733 tt Mon, 22 Dec 2008 04:11:25 +0000 http://stephenskory.com/?p=408#comment-4733 STS, Glad to hear you two are enjoying your mini-vacation. But seriously, were you drunk when you wrote the Hearst Castle paragraph!? How could Melissa have let you post something with verb-noun disagreement and non-parallel parallel clauses!? I will give you more grief when I see you in Berkeley soon. STS, Glad to hear you two are enjoying your mini-vacation. But seriously, were you drunk when you wrote the Hearst Castle paragraph!? How could Melissa have let you post something with verb-noun disagreement and non-parallel parallel clauses!?

I will give you more grief when I see you in Berkeley soon.

]]> Comment on Mini-Vacation – Santa Barbara by LLLL http://stephenskory.com/2008/12/20/mini-vacation-santa-barbara/comment-page-1#comment-4732 LLLL Sun, 21 Dec 2008 17:57:31 +0000 http://stephenskory.com/?p=403#comment-4732 That is actually the famous "drunk tree" in the middle of the street which serves to filter out the DUI threat. That is actually the famous “drunk tree” in the middle of the street which serves to filter out the DUI threat.

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