Smart CVS: Protocol Error

I’m writing this in case it helps someone out there who is having the same error as me.

When in work, for around a year now I’ve been experiencing the following error when attempting to connect to the CVS repository using Smart CVS:

protocol error: directory ‘/dwh/’ not within root ‘/home/cvsroot/’

To fix this I tried several different things:

-> Compared my settings to my colleagues and made sure they were identical (to rule out it was my setup)
-> Tried various different usernames, all of which worked on other setups (to rule out my user profile being the issue)
-> Tried various different versions of Smart CVS (figured a new install would help)

All to no avail. In the end I had to dump Smart CVS and manage CVS from the command line (which was good practice I guess).

I’ve not had to use CVS for a little while now, but today I found out I would be, and possibly quite extensively (until now, the only time we’ve used it is when performing implementations. We’ve never used it to enable us to all work on the same piece of code at one time). So I thought I’d have another crack at fixing it.

Its amazing what a three month break from an issue can do to help you resolve it (although it’s a bit excessive. Usually a trip to the toilet does the trick).

To begin with I experienced the same issues. So I went through the same procedures as mentioned earlier. Tried a different username. No joy. Tried a different version of Smart CVS. No joy. Finally, I checked my configuration. This time I noticed a very subtle difference between my colleague’s setup and mine.

The Fix

It’s cause was a trailing slash! When I setup my Repository Profile, I included a slash (/) at the end of my ‘Repository Path’. I did this out of habit (arguably good practice too) but I never realised it was going to cause a problem.

Once I removed this, all was well again.

Hope this helps someone.

Update (30/11/08): Thomas Singer (from Syntevo, the developers of Smart CVS) has posted a comment stating that they are now going to look into this and act on it for the next release.

I have to say, I’m really impressed with the fact that Syntevo are not only inviting feedback, but also proactively looking for it. Something older, larger firms can probably learn from.

TheyWorkForYou: Making me want to vote

Until now, British politics hasn’t bothered me in the slightest. I follow it in the news (simply because I watch more news than is healthy) but I’ve never had the urge to vote. That’s unlike the American election where if I had the chance, I’d have happily voted for the Democrats.

My not wanting to vote has been down to the fact that neither party (Sorry Libs) interest me in anyway (I neither like or dislike them – unlike in American where I really do dislike the Republicans and quite like the Democrats). I’m tired of the spin, lies and party-politics. Just one episode of Question Time is enough to do that.

However, thanks to a Tim O’Reilly blog post, I stumbled across the site TheyWorkForYou.com. I’d heard about it before, but despite visiting it I never really read it.

The idea is, you type in your Postcode and amonst other things, it tells you what your MP has voted for and against.

Seeing that my Bridgwater Conservative MP (Ian Liddell-Grainger) is:

 

• very strongly against a hunting ban
• very strongly against a smoking ban
• very strongly for the iraq war (ok, I was too at the time)
• moderately against equal gay rights

 

makes me want to vote the chap out. More here.

Its the first time I’ve been able to see what he’s about. In his defense I’ve never tried to find out. But now I know, I don’t like it.

Congratulations Ian Liddell-Grainger, you’ve had that McCain effect on me and you’ve made me want to vote.

PS. His homepage looks like it was created in 1997. Classy.

Sharing what you watch on TV

The last couple years has seen the way my brain thinks about things slightly differently. This has been down to two reasons:

1. The iPod
2. Google Reader & Friendfeed

The difference is, I now want to rate and share everything.

With the iPod I find that when I’m listening to a track my brain now naturally comes up with a rating (which I then apply via the iPod). This extends beyond the iPod though and happens when I’m listening to the radio. Of course, my brain soon clocks on to the fact that I can’t rate it and moves on.

Google Reader and Friendfeed has caused my brain to naturally want to share things. In Google Reader, I find that if I enjoy an article, I click the Share button and it then appears on my Friendfeed stream. It doesn’t really matter if anyone actually reads it or not. The cost to share is so minimal (one click) that there’s no reason for me not to do it. To an extent its my way of showing my appreciation for the work.

As with the ratings, the need to share items also goes beyond Google Reader.

I read a good letter sent into Teletext and I want to (but cant) share it. Or – and this is kind of the point of this post – I’m watching something good on TV and I want to share that.

It happened the other night. I was watching a Neil Young performance and thought “Jesus this is amazing! Must share so other people know about it and can enjoy it.”. Of course, the option wasn’t there (apart from a few choice text messages). But I really hope that’s where we’re heading in the future.

In an ideal world, the following would have been possible when watching that Neil Young performance:

I’m watching the Neil Young performance and think “Jesus this is amazing!”. I hit the share button on the remote and the following occurs…

It first of all prompts me to ask which group of friends I’d like to notify. I have a group setup for those who I consider to have a similar taste for music as me. I choose it.

My brother is watching the TV and a little icon appears in the corner of his screen. Its to highlight the fact someone in his social graph (haven’t heard that term in a little while – it was all the rage a year ago) has shared something. He presses the ‘view shared items’ button on his remote (or something to that affect) and it points out I’ve shared the Neil Young show.

With this being the future and all, we’re watching video on demand rather than Sky. So he can either tune in from the start right there and then, or perhaps flag it as one to watch/stream later – maybe after he’s finished what he’s watching.

A friend, Mark, is visiting family in Cardiff. His mobile chirps and he checks it. A tweet has just come through on Google Talk stating that one of his friends has shared a tv show. He clicks the link which offers him the chance to flag it up for viewing later. He’s not a big Neil Young fan so he passes on it.

A few days later, Dan (another friend) is browsing his Google Reader feeds and notices I’ve shared this show. He clicks the link and starts viewing. He likes what he hears and in turn shares it by clicking his Google Reader share button. As he’s a Friendfeed user this shows up in his Friendfeed stream. And from there? All sorts of folks pay attention, share and discuss it. I see it on my Friendfeed and join the discussion.

I don’t think my brain will be happy until I can share everything I enjoy. The infrastructure is starting to take shape in the form of Google Reader, Friendfeed, Twitter, BBC iPlayer etc, we just need everyone to tap into it.

I’ll save the ‘rating’ part for another day.