Month: June 2005

I have updated my actual-web-on-a-mobile program so that it copes with BBC Sport and various other sites better instead of giving an error.

The end result is that you have a text and links-only version of the web that will work on (some) mobile phones.

The program works by stripping all html except links and rewriting all links to point back at this server so those pages can be stripped once the links are clicked too.

You can search google and get the text of actual websites on your mobile without crashing your mobile’s browser or running out of memory here:

http://bluebones.net/miniweb/

You can enter a URL for stripping down to text and links only here:

http://bluebones.net/miniweb/?cmd=url

While you can use this service through your regular browser the reason this exists is for use with mobiles that understand HTML like the Nokia 7250i. You might be able to think of another use for these low bandwidth pages, please let me know if you do.

I’ve put up a snapshot of the source code but if you want the latest please contact me.

Damn, just spent 30 minutes fixing a problem I first had in ASP over three years ago. The FileSystemObject just stops working and no error is reported. Just hangs forever. Then you need to do an iisreset or similar.

The problem is that Norton Anti-Virus’ “Script Blocking” doesn’t allow any use of the FileSystemObject. Even when it is set to “ask me what to do” when it encounters “scripting” it still just hangs. The simple fix is just to disable script blocking. Now I need to remember this for the next time.

I’ve created an alternative tube map with movie writers, editors, producers, actors and directors instead of the usual tube lines and stations, rather like Simon Patterson’s ‘The Great Bear’ only (I think) better .

When trying to understand minimax with alpha-beta pruning I found loads of Computer Science-type material on the web. But very little in the way of practical examples.

Hopefully my java Tic-Tac-Toe game with perfect AI that uses this technique will be useful to someone looking for a practical example.

If you have any questions, please put them in the comments here and I’ll do my best to answer them.