Noulakaz

The blog of Avinash, Christina, Anya and Kyan Meetoo.

Education

Pygame with Fedora and Python 3

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I’m having some fun with pygame, a library to create games in Python.

The exact steps to follow to have pygame in Python 3 on Fedora Linux are detailed in the Python Fun blog. In essence:

  • yum install python3 python3-tools python3-devel
  • yum install SDL SDL-devel portmidi portmidi-devel ffmpeg ffmpeg-devel SDL_image-devel SDL_mixer-devel SDL_ttf-devel libjpeg-turbo-devel
  • cd /usr/lib64 && ln -s libportmidi.so libporttime.so

This takes care of all dependencies needed (minus smpeg which does not exist in recent Fedora Linux distributions). Then:

  • Get the pygame source code (e.g. hg clone https://bitbucket.org/pygame/pygame)
  • python3 config.py
  • python3 setup.py build
  • python3 setup.py install

That’s it! Test by running python3 and importing pygame.

Have fun creating games ;-)

Hello Java 8

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Java 8 has been released!

The Oracle build is available online while the OpenJDK variant will be available very soon. I have just downloaded the Oracle JDK on my Fedora Linux laptop and, lo and behold, here is my first encounter with it:

avinash@laptop02 ~ $ java -version
java version “1.8.0”
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0-b132)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 25.0-b70, mixed mode)

avinash@laptop02 ~ $ vi HelloWorld.java

avinash@laptop02 ~ $ javac HelloWorld.java

avinash@laptop02 ~ $ file HelloWorld.*
HelloWorld.class: compiled Java class data, version 52.0
HelloWorld.java: C source, ASCII text

avinash@laptop02 ~ $ java HelloWorld
Hello World

Coming soon: my opinion on the Stream API and, being a lover of functional programming, my take on lambdas.

ManU and Liverpool fans: stop being insulting

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Here is a typical conversation between a Liverpool fan and a Manchester United fan in Mauritius:

ManU fan: Pas simple sa Liverpool là. 5-1 banne Arsenal ek 2-1 gagne baté ar li.

Liverpool fan: Péna problème sa. Nou pas intéressé avec FA Cup. La ligue beaucoup plis important.

ManU fan: Tane sa depi 20 ans. Dépi zot pa ine gagne la ligue.

Liverpool fan: Pas kas la tête. Zou pou couma nous asterla: 20 ans zot pas pou gagne narien.

ManU fan: To pé révé. Nou pou acheté 2-3 top zoueurs l’année prochaine ek nou pou bez toi… comme d’habitude.

Liverpool fan: Avec ki kas? To l’équipe, c’est l’équipe ki ena plis boucou dette au monde. De toute facon, zot péna défense et milieu donc pas zis 2-3 zoueurs zot bizin. Vidic pé al Inter.

ManU fan: To pé révé. To l’équipe pou ramasse ene mari baté ar nou l’année prochaine. Gerrard ine vine dada. Suarez népli pou là. 26 ans mo faire mari ek mo éna l’intention continié.

Liverpool fan: To pé koze n’importe. To bizin réaliste: to l’équipe faible et to entraineur péna l’expérience. Liverpool pé vine mari fort.

ManU fan: Nou va bez zot l’année prochaine. Nou va investi.

Liverpool fan: Ene ferfout. Mo l’équipe pli bon ki to l’équipe.

and, just after that, the fighting begins with insults being thrown, mums being involved and a lot of noise being made.

Sometimes, I ask myself why don’t football fans engage in more intelligent conversation about the evolution of the game, tactics, styles of play, potential signings, training routines, etc. Maybe that’s because a lot of football fans do not really know football very much apart from the latest gossips, results and, of course, their beloved team.

To be complete, I didn’t know a lot about football myself but I read two books and I learned a lot:

Let’s try to stop being insulting to each other. After all, this is just football. Let’s engage in meaningful conversation.