My initial plan with this site was to create an application multiple times, in phases, in a number of languages to demonstrate to non-professional developers a typical “professional” approach to producing some software. Then, in the process of developing the same application in a number of different languages to show everyone how the languages differ, where they have their strengths over the other options etc.

However, it’s become painfully clear that that’s a pretty big project. Between work and two small kids, plus keeping my wife happy, I don’t have the time to really do that. However, I still want to do something with this site.

Some time back, I wrote an application called Multiblog. I thought it was a pretty nice peice of software. It provided bloggers who have multiple blogs for one reason or another a single application to cross post an entry over all their blogs. I wrote it because nothing else did it, and I needed it. I had my personal site powered by Geeklog, a Modblog with a lot of Modblog only friends and a LiveJournal with a lot of LiveJournal only friends. I wanted to update them all.

I wrote the application in Delphi, as for windows development, that was my preferred tool for GUI development. The software is shareware, it allows you to use it for 30 days before needing registration. Registration only costs $5.

The problem with this was that even with the best of efforts, software registration keys are broken in a tiny amount of time by the vast cracking industry. Plus, it was a Windows only application. Plus, I no longer have access to the Delphi IDE. Basically, this means that even if I had the tools to maintain Multiblog still, it would be a “charitable” effort, creating software that was stolen far, far more than purchased. Eating my time for no return.

So, solution to two problems:

Write a web-based Multiblog. Available within a browser from anywhere, with all the features (and more) of Multiblog the application. This can be a pay service, and I’ll always have the tools to update it. Because I write web software using light weight programmers text editors.

I can then also document/blog/describe the process and development on this site. Two birds, one stone.

So now, I just need to find the time. I intend to write one article a week. Which will force me to keep pace with the software in order to have things to write about. First stage is a few critical decisions on platform.

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