Rafael Lopes' Blog

Install Oracle XE 10g on Ubuntu 10.10

2010-10-10T17:36:00.001-07:00

Today morning I upgraded my notebook's operational system from Ubuntu 10.4, to Ubuntu 10.10. I did this today because I realised it is a good date to do it. Today, 10/10/2010, I upgraded to version Ubuntu 10.10. And I could not give another grade to Ubuntu Maverick: 10!

You should try it too. You can read some reasons to do this: 12 reasons to try Ubuntu 10.10

But this post is to explain something about installing Oracle XE 10g on Ubuntu. I know that there are many links telling you about this, and I am going to share the link I used to install Oracle database, which is almost perfect:
How to install Oracle 10g XE in 64-bit Ubuntu

I say almost perfect because I am not used to Linux, and I am remembering things these days, because since a long time ago I've been using only Windows 7. In the tutorial, they do not explain that the Oracle installer is going to install a 'oracle' user and you must log in using this user to start the listener and create your database.

Now you know! Only the user 'oracle', for security reasons, which I totally agree, has the permissions to create data on the oracle structure

So, after doing all what the link above explains, get used to use the 'oracle' user on the terminal, using the following command to change the user:

sudo -i -u oracle

Than, if you realise that you are not able to connect to the database due to TNS problems. Try to start the listener using the 'lsnrctl' tool. You can use the following command:

lsnrctl start

That's it. Now I am going to configure the users and start my applications! Good luck!

Good links to visit sometime

2010-10-05T17:24:00.000-07:00

These are good links for IT people to visit and get more up-to-date!

- Alistair.Cockburn blog
- Three Rivers Institute Blog
- Tech Crunch
- Mashable
- High Scalability

I finish this post with the Agile manifesto described by Alistair Cockburn: Software development as a Cooperative Game

“Software development is a (series of) cooperative game(s), in which people use markers and props to inform, remind and inspire themselves and each other in getting to the next move in the game. The endpoint of the game is an operating software system; the residue of the game is a set of markers to inform and assist the players of the next game. The next game is the alteration or replacement of the system, or creation of a neighboring system.”

Let's do it, let's do it, let's do it again!?

2010-10-03T13:32:00.000-07:00

I am thinking about this. It is good to be up-to-date and if you are from technology side, you really need to be. Sometimes I don't know what I am and some people says that you need to specialize in something. All my life I played some different roles, and thank God and my hard work (need to recognize my part on this) I got success.
I am reading the PMBOK 4th, because I did not have time to see it yet. Here in Chile, far from people I care and love, I have some time to spend studying, practicing exercises, doing things that normally are difficult to do. So, maybe after this I can try the PMP test again, but this time I am going to take my time and be well prepared! So, like Black Eyed Peas let's do it, let's do it, let's do it again!

Medicine that cure, not that kills

2010-10-03T09:05:00.000-07:00

It is a simple text, but that means everything. It is about life!! I got it from post that a friend add to his Facebook wall.

”Penso pessoalmente que diante de um feto que corre um risco, não há outra solução senão deixá-lo correr esse risco. Porque, se se mata, transforma-se o risco de 50% em 100% e não se poderá salvar em caso nenhum. Um feto é um paciente, e a medicina é feita para curar… Toda a discussão técnica, moral ou jurídica é supérflua: é preciso simplesmente escolher entre a medicina que cura e a medicina que mata”.

Author: Prof. Dr. Jéròme Lejeune

Think about this and I am pretty sure you will do the right choice.

P.S.: Sorry to not translate it to English.

Santiago(Chile) - Is an example

2010-09-12T14:54:00.000-07:00

I really don't know other countries in the South America, but I need to say that Santiago has some characteristics that I would like to see on some cities in Brazil.
When I arrived here I could not understand why there are too many blind people in the streets. I start to think if it is a collateral effect, because people here smoke too much.
But, what I realized is that Santiago is an organized city and the blind people can get out to enjoy the city. They have access to the signs they need to be on Santiago streets. And when you start to see what they need, you see that are simple things, like sign on the buses, places on the metro that they can reach without any difficulty.
Now I am here with my colleagues, working and enjoying Santiago. Hope you have the opportunity to come here and enjoy too. This is a picture of me and my colleague David:

Which organization is yours?

2010-02-03T14:11:00.000-08:00

I got this picture from a very good article written by Dermot McCauley - Director, Corporate Development, Singularity. You can read the role article here.

I do want my organisation to be Agile. So do you?

Scrum certified - New design

2010-02-03T13:51:00.000-08:00

Look at the new design for the Scrum certifications produced by Scrum Alliance.

If you don't know, people who did not the test to get Scrum Master certified, had their certification expiration date postponed for one year and as soon as it expires, they will need to do the test in order to keep their certification.

Cool site with finance concepts..

2010-02-03T13:42:00.000-08:00

There are a lot of sites and other articles that provide us with knowledge in the finance area, but there's one that I find fantastic - Investopdia.

If you access its dictionary youu will be able to find cool explanations about what you want.

Believe or not, I did not receive anything to talk about this site. I just want you to know where to find the best answers when talking about finance.

[]`s

CSM

2009-04-15T10:13:00.000-07:00

Now, process is complete.
I received my Scrum Master Certificate.

Health is important...

2009-04-13T11:08:00.000-07:00

People from technology are not used to practice any kind of sports. There are too many diseases that will force you to retire and to do what you like to do if you just stay there sit in front of your computer 24 hours/day.

I can tell you that people that stay only its 8 hours of work in front of a computer develop many diseases that impact to their lives forever. There is a testimonial from a man that tried to commit suicide but he could not pull the trigger because he developed a disease that attacks his fingers. So, you can see that is very important for you to achieve a higher level of life quality.

I practice swimming three times a week and running four times a week. Also, play basketball when I can. Here you can see a picture of me running. I suggest you that invite your colleagues and try to do some sport. In the beginning, if you go alone, you will go back to what you are today, a sedentary person!

Scrum Roles

2009-03-16T11:48:00.000-07:00

Hi all.

Scrum is already part of our lifes. It has become very popular and many IT companys has being using it in their projects. Scrum is a term that came from the Rugby games. It is a way of restarting the game in some cases, for example, when there's a knock on or a forward pass. Every time this happens, the team get closer and plans what is going to do, as you can see in the picture above.

I was thinking of write something about Scrum roles that are executed during projects, but I realised that I could just post a presentation from Boris Gloger.

Enjoy it! Any comments or doubt I would be glad in answer it.

The Scrum Roles presented by the Scrumlies 2009

View more presentations from Boris Gloger.

Help in finance!!

2009-03-06T10:41:00.000-08:00

Hi all!

Nowadays I've been being prepared to be interviewd by some of our possible customers so I needed to update my financial market knowledge.

This post is just to tell you about Investopedia. This is the site where I can found 99% of things about financial markets. Basic and advanced concepts. There are some good tutorials too. Be free to explore it!

Regards.

Now Scrum Master Certified

2009-02-13T17:46:00.000-08:00

I learned to be happy with great things that happens to me, and try to learn even more with things that could let me down.

My last post tells you that I did a PMP test. All right!! I got the result, and I am not a PMP, yet! I am going to prepare myself again and try to get certified on April.

Last Thursday I went to Recife with 3 colleagues from Instituto Atlantico to have a Scrum Master Certification course. Even that Boris Gloger told us that a Scrum Master is just a role, not a title, our humanity let us believe that we achieved a good certification and get proud of ourselves. I think that's OK, isn't it?

I will try to create a new post talking about things that I learned in the course, and blog it here.

Here is a photo with my colleagues Scrum Masters!

From PMP Test to Scrum Master Certification

2009-02-11T02:40:00.000-08:00

Hello all.

Last Saturday I did a PMP exam. Unfortunantely it was not a computer based exam, so I have to wait from 15 to 45 days in order to receive the final result. I am happy because I was able to do all the 200 quastions in exactly 3 hours and 56 minutes. I was worried about the exam time, it is too short!! The exam was very good and easier than the Super PMP exam in the Rita's fast track program.

Now that I am expecting my PMP certification result, I am focusing a little about Scrum. Here in Brazil there aren't many projects using SCRUM, but it is becoming very popular. Now that we are providing more services to other countries, they expect us to know Scrum.

Today I am going to Recife to have a Scrum Master Certification course with Boris Gloger. For the ones that doesn't know, you need only to do this course to become a Certified ScrumMaster. Of course that I am studying, because a really want and need to learn how to manage agile projects using Scrum (this is the advice I give to you.. study!!!).

According to Danube's web site, starting April 1, 2009, you will need to pass a multiple-choice test, in addition to taking a CSM class, to become a Certified ScrumMaster.

So, for those that have fear to take some exame, hurry up to become a Certified ScrumMaster (that's not my case, I was invited by my company to do the course. I believe that you also were accept this, weren't you?).

That's it!

PMP... my new challenge

2008-12-01T12:35:00.000-08:00

My new challenge is to become a PMP certified. I and my colleagues are studying to achieve this certification that will be important for our institution and for us. We have only 2 months to get ready for the test, and I believe that I am one of the guys that have less experience than the others. That's the reason why this is a big challenge for me.
For the ones that are trying to get the certification, I suggest to you to read the PMBOK and the Rita's book at least three times each. And try to solve as many questions as you can. Doing this you'll be able to pass, and I am very sure that I am going to achieve this new goal on my professional life.

JME is now part of my professional life too..

2008-04-28T09:59:00.000-07:00

Well, now I can say that I have a little experience using JME - Java Micro Edition platform.

I started to work in a project that develops some games for mobile/cell phones using Java.

It is interesting that I needed to learn a new way of programming, trying to forget many on how to program for JEE.

This happens because most of the time you have a size limit for the application, so you can't put the largest pictures and

a big amount of Java classes into you JAR file.(Java archive)

Of course that I am not the expert on JME, but my experience related to Development and Java helped me to learn fast about this

technology, and maybe I can get the JME certification from Sun Microsystems.

I started to develop using a framework from a very big company, but that has the same structure of the pure JME.

As I have too many things to learn about other IT subjects, I will try to sleep less and study more and try to post some real thing to improve our knowledge.

Calypso.. not the Brazilian music band..

2008-04-28T09:42:00.000-07:00

Now in Brazil is raining a lot, but the sun is beginning to shine again.
In my profession we have to think fast and always be prepared for changes.
We always have too much information to gather and learn, and if you are not prepared, then you can get lost if you try to study everything at the same time.
The enterprise that I work for is trying to make some business in the financial sector. Because of this, me and some other guys are studying a little bit about financial markets and trying to learn a huge and complete financial framework called Calypso.
Calypso was developed by an IT company also called Calypso(http://www.calypso.com/). Here in Brazil we have a music band called Calypso, so some of the guys make some jokes, asking if we are learning to dance the music style of that band.
My brother is working with this framework in Utrecht. He was the first that we sent to Europe to work for one of our new customers. We expect to send more people, including me, so let's study!
Thank God Calypso was developed using Java so I don't need to be worried about the coding part. The good thing about Calypso is that you can extend its functionalities and implement others new.

Well, this post is only for you to know that Calypso exists. I don't pretend to write anything about Calypso here again, unless someone asked me.

Have a nice day, and study a lot, because the world needs intelligent people.

Calling Ruby script from Java code using javax.script package and JRuby

2008-03-27T09:40:00.000-07:00

Thi is my first post, so it will be very simple.

I am facing a new work challenge where I was promoted to be a technical leader of a development team. The project has begun, but we are just developing some POCs to call some Ruby scripts from a Java code and use the results to perform some functionalities.
My knowledge about Ruby is nothing, but I am studying, and as I did not start to develop some code using Java 6, I decided to implement something using the javax.script classes to see if it really works (just kidding).
Why do I use JRuby? I am using JRuby because I wanted to receive a Java collection from the Ruby script and I wanted to call a method that receives parameters, so I did as you can see in the code below.

I created a method, in this case, in a Servlet that uses the ScriptEngineManager to call a method (def) in the test.rb script. The class path must contains the Ruby script path to find the script and execute the "getTreeSet" method (def).

Follows the Ruby script using JRuby:

def getTreeSet(name)
require 'java'
include_class 'java.util.TreeSet'
set = TreeSet.new
set.add "name"
return set
end

And now the Java code:

protected void doGet(HttpServletRequest req, HttpServletResponse resp) throws ServletException, IOException {

TreeSet set = null;

ScriptEngineManager scriptEngineManager = new ScriptEngineManager();
ScriptEngine scriptEngine = scriptEngineManager.getEngineByExtension("rb");
InputStream is = ClassLoader.getSystemResourceAsStream("teste.rb");
Reader reader = new InputStreamReader(is);
try {
scriptEngine.eval(reader);
Invocable invocableEngine = (Invocable)scriptEngine;
if (invocableEngine != null) {
set = (TreeSet)invocableEngine.invokeFunction("getTreeSet", "Calling Ruby using javax.script is cool!");
}

request.setAttribute("result", set );

RequestDispatcher view = request.getRequestDispatcher("/result.jsp");
view.forward(request, response);

} catch (ScriptException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
} catch (NoSuchMethodException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}

That's it. Unfortunately I didn't know if I can use Java 6 yet in the project development. :-(

Want to know more about Java and Ruby? Access: Sun Ruby Developer Center