Hugo's Blog

A few years ago I developed a voting system for use in the residence I was staying at. It evolved a bit over time, but each implementation or partial rewrite was a rushed job (one, maybe two weekends). The goal was to get something robust and reliable and easy to use, a later iteration supporting ranked ballots and Maximum Majority Voting. Making it easy to set up was not something I had had time for. Consequently, you need an experienced Linux geek to do that part.

In the years after I left, I was still in town. So I could go help them set it up when the time comes each year. 2006, 2007... and then the fateful 2008. I recently accepted a job in Europe, so I was packing up. Didn't have the time for the rewrite, as I had since realised it would take quite a bit of effort. But I could still set it up, shortly before I fly. And do the rewrite for 2009.

That's where we learn reliability lessons, lessons that we all already know, but brought into sharp focus the hard way: you need a failover system. A few days after the election, I found out the computer I set it up on had died, and they didn't stand a chance getting it running again on another, so they went back to a paper election. <cringe>

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In the realm of personal updates, I've been quite silent. It's been hectic. This week even more so, following this past weekend's 3-days-of-skiing. (A big group of people from work went on something of a "self-paid company ski trip".) So the things I should have sorted out on Friday or this weekend are plaguing me during a week that's full of other work already. Plus, it's quarter's end, which brings with it a couple of other important work-related things.

Instead of a decent update thus, I'm pointing to photos I had meant to share a long time ago, with a blog post to go with it. No blog post / description / embedded photos I'm afraid, but most (if not all) of these have a description below, providing some narrative to the adventure. (Winter cycling!) Any misc-banter, comments or questions are welcome and will be answered as soon as I can get to it:

Winter Mountain Biking, 25 January

I intend to do the same trip soon, to the top this time, and take more pictures. It's spring now! I will also share more sets of the other weekend trips I was able to go on during the last three months or so.

Two more days to fill in the necessary forms to be able to vote on election day. If any of you haven't joined the Facebook group, here's the most recent letter/message with voting details:

"3 DAYS LEFT!!!!" - Message from the DA — (24 February at 20:44)

Dear Friends,

Time is running out.

There are only three days left to submit your special vote applications to the IEC.

All applications must be submitted by midnight on 27 February 2009.

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