One feature that Python's built-in string replacement facilities does not provide is case-insensitive string replacement. This is a reasonably useful construct (that I use fairly frequently in other languages, such as PHP), which I couldn't find code for after Googling -- so here's some code that does it (licenced under the WTFPL, of course)

import re

def ireplace(self,old,new,count=0):
	''' Behaves like string.replace(), but does so in a case-insensitive
	fashion. '''
	pattern = re.compile(re.escape(old),re.I)
	return re.sub(pattern,new,self,count)

import re

class str_cir(str):
	''' A string with a built-in case-insensitive replacement method '''
	

	def ireplace(self,old,new,count=0):
		''' Behaves like S.replace(), but does so in a case-insensitive
		fashion. '''
		pattern = re.compile(re.escape(old),re.I)
		return re.sub(pattern,new,self,count)

TUCS Tech Talk #1,
originally uploaded by
Christopher Neugebauer.

As I mentioned href="/website/blog/life/20080503-TucsLaunch.html">previously,
TUCS
had its first tech talk on Friday (delivered by myself, on the topic of Introductory Python), this is the first opportunity to show off photos from it. I was rather impressed by the turnout (there are a few people off to the side that can't be seen in the frame).

Today was the AGM for the UTas Internet Developers' Society. Other than the usual blather that occurs in AGMs for these sorts of things, we've approved a change of name to TUCS (or rather the Tasmania University (union) Computing Society). For the moment this name change is purely cosmetic (as we really haven't done that much in the way of Internet Development for as long as I've been at the Uni. The new name (in my opinion) reflects the membership, and the aims of the society a lot better.

One item of Business that I raised was the upcoming Linux.conf.au 2009, which you probably already know by now is being held at the University of Tasmania in Hobart. It's been resolved that the Society establish better ties with the Free Software/Open Source Community (in Tasmania, in Particular with TasLUG) with the intention of better promoting Free/Open Source software amongst the student and staff body in the leadup to the conference; and I ran for the executive (successfully) on that basis.

Here's hoping it's a successful year for the society (which now has a cool name!)

TUCS had its launch event yesterday, which consisted of a Barbecue, membership drive, and tech talk.

The Membership front was fairly successful, given that we managed to sign up somewhere in the order of 7 new members (which is not bad given how late in the semester it is, and that we weren't offering Alcohol at the event :)), hopefully we can get a few more before the end of the semester, as it would be nice to get some people who aren't part of the "usual crowd" to join in.

The main reason for this post was that I delivered the tech talk, on the topic of Introductory Python. Overall, I think it went fairly well, although I mistimed the talk such that I had to completely miss one section of the talk (which is a reminder of my debating days... but let's not get into that). Anyone who wants to comment on my talk (except for the sections where Bruce crashes -- I already know about this) is quite welcome to -- it's available in its entirety at Google Video

The day was quite successful. Here's hoping that TUCS can keep getting stronger!

Friday was our the first meeting of the new UTAS Computing Society Executive, which incidentally, was the first under our new name (TUCS). Since then lots of progress has been made:

• We launched our new Website, www.tucs.org.au.


• We began planning for the launch day for the new society, which is scheduled for Friday, May 2. We're having a barbecue, and performing a membership drive (since we didn't do that at the start of the year, in order to get the new society in order).


• Started a new series of Tech Talks. I'll be giving the first one on introductory Python, and we're planning on making this coincide with the society launch.

All in all, it's a somewhat exciting time to be doing Computing-related stuff at UTas (here's hoping it stays that way!)

After noticing the disparity of prices of Coca-Cola, I decided that it would be a good idea to map out the location of vending machines and their prices.

and here is the link

If you have a vending machine location on campus to point out to me, or if there has been a price shift at any location, let me know by e-mailing cpw at [the domain that this post is hosted at]

The 2008 ACM South Pacific Programming Contest Results have been confirmed: my team's come 3rd overall (as expected). We find out whether or not we've achieved a wild card position in the World Finals in December.

I just posted the following announcement of my proposal for a Python Miniconf to be held at linux.conf.au 2009 to Australian Python mailing lists. I'm posting it here in case anyone has missed it:

Linux.conf.au 2009 is to be held at the University of Tasmania's Sandy
Bay campus in Hobart, Tasmania over the week of January 19-24; and the
call for presentations [1] and mini-confs [2] is now open.

I am currently in the process of producing a proposal for a Python
Miniconf to be held at LCA, so I thought I should detail my plans to a
greater audience for the purpose of feedback/suggestions.

The miniconf would be a single-day conference on the broad topic of
Python programming.  Broadly speaking, the topics I would like to see
presented would range through:
- Recent developments on Python core (presented to a more
Python-oriented audience than may happen at LCA proper)
- Frameworks and libraries (e.g. Django, which I believe is hitting
1.0 this year)
- Techniques of Python programming (e.g. using advanced/new/etc
features of Python effectively)
- Discussions of Python use in the "real world" (e.g. Industry use,
education, etc, etc, etc).
- Anything else Python-related: please make suggestions! [3]

The intention is that there would be 5 "organised" talks of ~45
minutes length (although if there is sufficient interest/free space, I
could split blocks into 2x25 minute talks), with a 50-minute block of
lightning talks to conclude the event, with the possibilty of some
loosely-organised get-together of pythoners after the day's
proceedings have finished.

If you are interested in participating in the Python miniconf (which
requires you to also be interested in attending Linux.conf.au), please
e-mail me [3].  I would particularly like topics of talks that people
would be able to give (vague/general is fine at this early stage in
preparation), so that I can include them in the miniconf proposal (so
the earlier I receive them the better!).

Thanks in advance for any help that you may be able to offer me.

-- Christopher Neugebauer

P.S. if I have missed any user groups/potentially interested parties,
could you please forward this message on -- I've already dealt with
most relevant mailing lists in Australia, but international lists may
also be interested, due to the nature of LCA as an international
conference.

[1] http://marchsouth.org/media/news/6
[2] http://marchsouth.org/media/news/15
[3] for the benefit of google groups users: chrisjrn [ a t ] gmail.com 

Neugebauer Chocolate, originally uploaded by Christopher Neugebauer.

I was in the TUU Shop today, and did a double-take as I saw my surname staring back at me (it's in the top left corner of the wrapper).

Why a Brazilian chocolate company would call themselves "Neugebauer" is beyond me -- but I shalln't complain. The occasional ego trip can be healthy.

(Oh, and the chocolate itself wasn't particularly nice. Oh well :()

I had dinner at my Grandparents' place last night, they live on the waterfront in Lindisfarne, and as the evening was clear and still, I took an opportunity to go and take some photographs. Here are some of my favourites: