(no subject)

Ever have an idea which pops in your head just when you're trying to go to sleep, and you know it'll be hopeless to try to continue to do so until you act on it in some way?
No, this didn't have anything to do with sex. I'd probably feel greatly relieved if it had, but no such luck. Nope, i'm way to much of a damn geek for that.
What crept into my conscious and wouldn't let go was an idea for an LJ tool. Presently, each user can create a list of interests, and from your profile (or anyone else's, for that matter), clicking one from the list brings up a listing of other users who have indicated the same interest (unless it's such a widely shared one that the system returns that there are too many to list). Unfortunately, there isn't (that I know of, at least) a way to run a search for people who share two or more interests or who have one interest but not another.
So, at midnight last night, instead of actually getting to sleep, I'm thinking about how a list of users with a common interest would get generated, and all I can think of is that each user's profile is stored as a database table, and that clicking on a particular interest simply runs a query and returns the usernames for everyone who's interests include that particular one.
So this, in turn got me thinking- if it's running a query already, why not run another query against the results of the first query, which would make possible the Boolean operators- so that you could search on things like:

Polyamory AND Seattle

Paganism NOT Wicca

Thelema OR Ceremonial Magick.

So anyway, 12:30, i'm scribbling away on what amounts to a one-page spec for a little tool which would allow for such multi-term queries. Mind you, i'm not a programmer- i read code with reasonable aptitude, but don't actually really write it; and in general i hate databases; and here i am spec'ing a client-server tool to run queries against a remote database, and may actually work at doing enough coding to create one.
As i get spare time today, i'll probably pick through the developer section on the LJ site and see if i can glean enough information to have any idea where to proceed from here, or if it'd just be too much of a stretch to bother with.
Damnit, why can't i think about sex at times like this? I'd feel a lot more normal then.

(no subject)

Hey! Who'd'a thunk it? Finally, an announcement has been made regarding our project which everyone realized absolutely needed to be made- we now have a set release date next April, pretty much consistent with the 2-year cycle Office has been on for a while now. So we're now looking at an end of the tunnel which is in sight, rather than something so far off in the future that it's essentially over the virtual horizon.
I still want out, though. Wanna be able to read the damn languages I test in if I have to test.

(no subject)

Well.....Gamasutra has some interesting positions listed as open, some of which are even in the immediate area. Of these, the most appealing ones are with EA Canada in Vancouver, which'd amount to about the same drive as I have now, just in the opposite direction. Applied for a test lead position there, and (most interestingly) an Associate Producer spot, which might be a good fit- they seem to be looking for someone who can assemble and/or create documentation, illustrations from production or pre-production art and so on to augment products in the works. EA Canada's best known (in my book, anyway) for doing their annual NHL game, and it'd totally rock to be able to work on one of those...
Still not going to get my hopes up too much, but slightly optimistic that there might be career-life outside of Office.

Look! I can play Project Manager

Searching the Live Journal community more than one interest at a time

Summary

To enable Live Journal users to quickly and conveniently identify other users with more than one common interest.

Prototype

Prototype added 22 March.

Scenarios

Al is a Live Journal user who has diverse interests. He would like to be able to find other users who share those interests while not having to sort through the lists of members who share each particular one. By allowing him to search two interests at a time, he can quickly and efficiently locate members with multiple shared common interests.

When using the new and improved search feature, he is able to enter Fire-spinning, select a Boolean AND, and Seattle. When he submits this, the query is passed to the database and returns only the members who list both in their individual interests.

Danielle is also a Live Journal community member. She’s often annoyed when searching by interests in the current implementation, because some of her interests are well-formed, but best described by words which can be interpreted in larger terms. Allowing her to search on Paganism NOT Wicca enables her to quickly identify other users who have similar interests but doesn’t burden her with as many undesirable returns.

Design Goals and Justification for the Service or Feature

Currently, it’s an exceedingly tedious process to find other Live Journal community members with common interests, since presently the only search by interests option allows a user to search on a single interest. In the case of more common search queries, the number of users who include a particular interest is so great as to result in a return of “There are <n> people and/or communities listing this as an interest. A list won’t be shown.”

Attempting to pass more than a single item into the current form returns an error as well.

Since the form presently available returns a message saying “Interest not found” when he tries to submit two interests with a Boolean value (AND, OR, NOT, XOR, +, etc.), it is apparent that the current implementation is insufficient.

By improving the existing search feature to allow multiple field entries and common Boolean logic, it will be much simpler and quicker for members of the Live Journal community to find each other, resulting in increased growth and prolonged interest in the service.

Value Proposition

Searching is currently supported in Live Journal.
Unfortunately, since it is currently only possible to search on one interest at a time, it’s a time consuming and tedious process to isolate individuals with common interests or define a particular interest past a “sound bite” blanket description.

Dependencies and Partners

The current database used for returning interests uses SQL. Accordingly, any way of submitting well-formed SQL queries, whether in a client application, or from a web form should allow for the service to be broadened without jeopardizing the integrity of the database.

Melpomene's Daughter, part 6.

“I'm sorry. I was really being a jerk before. It wasn't fair to stereotype you, especially since you've been really nice to me so far I've really enjoyed the day so far, getting to visit the music store and hear you play and sing,” Alexei commented apologetically. “I really could get very attached to you, and quickly.”

“I understand how past trauma could lead you to be a bit brittle, even if your conclusions were completely wrong. If you believe nothing else I say, believe this- I am most definitely not like any girl you've ever met before.”

“So you're accepting my apology?”

“Not exactly. I'm saying that I recognize that there are extenuating circumstances which caused you to incorrectly evaluate the situation- both past experience and low blood sugar, perhaps. I'll also try not to hold it against you,” Nimuë smiled with this. “But it's not the same as accepting an apology. Right now, you're too important for me to hold you accountable for any stupid things you might have said.”

“Too important? I don't understand.”

“I didn't really expect you to, yet, anyway. Here- I'll explain a bit more while we walk, if you're up to it.”

“I think I'd follow you almost anywhere. You're enchanting, beautiful, smarter than I am, and I still haven't figured out what's up with the way you walk. Where are we going, anyway?”

“Pioneer Square. Been there before? You mentioned you've not been many of the tourist-y places around town. We're just about there now, actually, since we had lunch just off the Square proper.”

“A few times. Lots of smoky clubs and crowds of people. Not really my cup of proverbial tea, but there are some nice shops down there too.”

“Proverbial tea? Never had that sort. Always preferred Irish Breakfast or Earl Grey myself,”Nimuë giggled. “And don't worry, I'm not fond of the masses of humanity that frequent the clubs myself- I do much better in far more intimate settings personally. Besides, we've a few hours to go before the crush of the great unwashed start descending on the clubs like the barflies they are. We'll have gotten quite far by then.”

“Well, I'm. . . ,” Alexei stammered, “it's not that I'm not flattered, but. . .”

“No, silly. I'm a little more subtle than making as clumsy a pass as that at you. I just meant that we'd be doing something other than breathing second-hand smoke and getting hit upon by people we'd rather not.”

“That's something I generally don't need to worry about,” Alexei remarked. “When it comes to being hit upon, I can't think of when it's ever happened. I'm not Mr. Social Butterfly- Mr. Wallflower would be a far more apt description. I certainly can see where you'd have your fill of would be suitors, though. Not a pleasant thought, I'm sure. Where are we going, anyway?”

“Ever taken the Seattle Underground tour?”

“Nope. Heard about it, though. Is that where we're headed? Are you sure it's going to be safe to go there?”

“Of course it's safe. People go through there every day. They wouldn't let anyone down there if it weren't. Besides, I'm pretty much a regular- I've been through there so often most of the guides probably don't even see me. Of course, they take groups through all the time, so they probably don't see anyone in particular anymore. It's a fun tour, though, and I manage to get in places most people don't.” Nimuë smiled and giggled again, in her melodic manner, and Alexei couldn't help but smile.

“I'd been rather more concerned about possible repercussions of our recent seismic and volcanic events. To have lasted over a hundred years, it's got to be fairly stable, but far newer buildings have been damaged to the point where the building inspectors have arbitrarily closed them as a danger to public safety.”

“Oh. Don't worry about that. It's quite solid. These are structures which have withstood earthquakes in the area ever since the streets were raised after the fire which burnt up much of the region in 1889.”

“Wow. You know the history of it pretty well, don't you? Did you used to work there, or have you just been there enough?”

“I probably could have supplemented my rather meagre income by working there, but it wouldn't have been the same. There aren't really many people who would appreciate the unique environment there- it's underground but street level, a perpetual twilight even during the brightest noon. The cases where the worlds come together are rare and special, and it takes a special person to appreciate them. I think you'll be one of those few.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because I chose you very carefully. When I was driving in, you spotted me. You checked me out, in a pretty normal male way, but then you did something which marked you as potentially special. You stopped and waited, even without knowing why.”

“Maybe I'd just decided to take a closer look.”

“No, you're about as shy as it comes when approaching women is involved. You all but confirmed that a few blocks ago. Besides, it's a bit more involved that. You've passed a number of little tests to determine if you were suitable. You noticed that there's something a bit unusual about the way I walk; when we were at the music store, you listened attentively and seemed to understand when I talked about the spirit of in instrument. All of those things were signs that you're sensitive to things beyond the visible or tangible. You're also strong enough- when I pushed at your boundaries, you pushed back to an acceptable degree, without caving in or overreacting.”

“Now what?”

“Now, you've got the hardest bit to do. You have to trust me enough to not ask questions for a little while. Try to enjoy the walk and the tour, and maybe even being with me.”

“I'm pretty sure I can do the bit about being with you, and even the walk. I'll try not to ask questions if it's not essential.”

“Good!” Nimuë smiled, and put her around Alexei's waist. “I really like you.” She winked and blew him a kiss.

“You could do that for real, you know. I wouldn't object.”

“In time, if all goes well. You don't happen to be carrying anything made of iron, do you?”

“Iron? What does that have to do with anything? Sorry. I'm not supposed to ask questions. No, I'm not; although you'll have to tell me later why you asked.”

“I really don't think that will be necessary. It'll be clear in time.”

They reached the door of Doc Maynard's Public House. Nimuë smiled again. “We're here!”

“I thought we were going to the Underground Tour,” Alexei said.

“We are. It just happens to leave from here. We've about fifteen minutes before it starts. Shall we have a seat somewhere private and have a go at that kissing bit?”

The story will probably take a break next week as i prepare for my mini-vacation. Perhaps i'll succeed at getting a few more big chunks written, although we're still not even halfway through what's done so far.