rbayliss.net

In the last article, I picked some components to build my Ubuntu Development Server.   Now, it's time to put the pieces together.  For the benefit of those who may not have built a computer before, I'm going to run through it step by step. 

Last June, I decided to build a home server with the primary goal of using it as a PHP/MySQL development platform.  I wanted an offline (not on the public internet) location I could host projects while they were built.  I was previously using a localhost Apache installation on my desktop, which worked fine, but it meant I was tied to my desktop anytime I wanted to work on a site.

I just finished up filing my 2009 taxes, and I just have to say I think it's a crock that it cost me extra money to file my taxes... If you've never e-filed before, the federal government mandates that companies offer a free option for e-filing taxes. You go through the process, putting all of your sensitive financial information into this company's online database. At some point in the process, you will casually be asked if you want to transfer all of your federal information to the state form to make things easier.

Using the Google Maps API can be a pain in the ass.  It's great that there's such a powerful, free service out there, but it's a pretty complex API, mostly because of the advanced features it supports.  Working with maps this afternoon, I ran into an issue with ugly white boxes appearing in odd spots in my map like so: