I've started writing an mp3 database, podcatcher, media player, rockbox syncher type thing.  This got me to looking for some python modules on the internet today.  I found one I was interested in called eyeD3.  It looked good so I tried downloading it.

This is where I had the first problem.  Usually, python modules come as precompiled exes for windows machines.  There wasn't one.  No problem, I downloaded the .tar.gz file, used 7-zip to unpack it.

Now, to "install" modules this way, at this point, one usually runs something like "python setup.py install" from within the folder/directory where you unzipped the module.  I tried that and got an error: 

C:\eyeD3-0.6.17>c:\Python25\python.exe setup.py install
c:\Python25\python.exe: can't open file 'setup.py': [Errno 2] No such file or directory

ARG.

Well, I went looking...sure enough, within my eyeD3-0.6.17 directory, there was a setup.py.in file.  Easy...I just renamed it to setup.py.  Reran the command and got this:

C:\eyeD3-0.6.17>c:\Python25\python.exe setup.py install
running install
running build
running build_py
package init file 'src\eyeD3\__init__.py' not found (or not a regular file)
creating build
creating build\lib
creating build\lib\eyeD3
copying src\eyeD3\binfuncs.py -> build\lib\eyeD3
copying src\eyeD3\frames.py -> build\lib\eyeD3
copying src\eyeD3\mp3.py -> build\lib\eyeD3
copying src\eyeD3\tag.py -> build\lib\eyeD3
copying src\eyeD3\utils.py -> build\lib\eyeD3
package init file 'src\eyeD3\__init__.py' not found (or not a regular file)
running install_lib
creating c:\Python25\Lib\site-packages\eyeD3
copying build\lib\eyeD3\binfuncs.py -> c:\Python25\Lib\site-packages\eyeD3
copying build\lib\eyeD3\frames.py -> c:\Python25\Lib\site-packages\eyeD3
copying build\lib\eyeD3\mp3.py -> c:\Python25\Lib\site-packages\eyeD3
copying build\lib\eyeD3\tag.py -> c:\Python25\Lib\site-packages\eyeD3
copying build\lib\eyeD3\utils.py -> c:\Python25\Lib\site-packages\eyeD3
byte-compiling c:\Python25\Lib\site-packages\eyeD3\binfuncs.py to binfuncs.pyc
byte-compiling c:\Python25\Lib\site-packages\eyeD3\frames.py to frames.pyc
byte-compiling c:\Python25\Lib\site-packages\eyeD3\mp3.py to mp3.pyc
byte-compiling c:\Python25\Lib\site-packages\eyeD3\tag.py to tag.pyc
byte-compiling c:\Python25\Lib\site-packages\eyeD3\utils.py to utils.pyc
running install_egg_info
Writing c:\Python25\Lib\site-packages\eyeD3-_PACKAGE_VERSION_-py2.5.egg-info

First glance it looks ok. So, I fire up IDLE and try to import the package.  SHAZZBOT!  It won't work.  I get told there is no such module.  A quick google didn't turn up anything so I started poking around.

Look at the output of the install above one more time.  I missed it too:

package init file 'src\eyeD3\__init__.py' not found (or not a regular file)

So, I went looking around.  Sure enough, the file it was griping about was ALSO named.py.in.  Double Shazzbot.  What kind of package is this?!  Well, I rename the file, rerun the import, and everything appears to work.

I thought I would blog about this just incase someone else has these problems later on.  I didn't find anything on the web that would help me out or point me in the right direction.

Image from tambako the jaguar via flickr

Be first to comment this article | Add as favourites (32) | Quote this article on your site | Views: 236 | E-mail

Be first to comment this article | Add as favourites (35) | Quote this article on your site | Views: 218 | E-mail

By now, I'm sure everyone knows what Nigerian Spam is....but if not, basically someone writes you, says they have a TON of money, they can't move it, they need to move it, and they want your help.  And you'll get to keep some of it!  Wow...what a great deal, right?  Well, thrown into that, they typically say they need some funds from you (either outright or, we'll send you a check, deposit it, forward this much on, keep the rest, etc....).  All in all, it is a pretty common and well known spam tatic.

Today, I woke up and saw a an e-mail in my inbox with "Dragi prijatelju" in the subject.  I wondered what it was, even though I didn't recognize the sender (a DEN Stevenson with an e-mail address of This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ).  The reply to address was This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it   As I scanned it, it was in serbian but what it was became obvious fast.

I was looking at a Nigerian Spam in Serbian (Нигеријска спам на српском).  I couldn't believe it.  If you want to see a screenshot of the e-mail, click the image in this post...it will take you to a larger version.

Here is the entire text of the spam message:

ENGLAND SUBSEA OIL COMPANY (ESOC).
TITLE: PRODUCTION SHARING CONTRACT
CONTRACT ID: PSC/JV/ESOC 01145-06
ENGLAND.

 

Od; Desk ugovora direktor Subsea Oil Company:
Engr. Dennis Stevenson!

 

Dragi prijatelju,
Ja sam navedenih osoba, ugovor direktor Subsea Oil Company. Žao mi je za inconvinences moj mail možda ti uzrok, iako nismo imali bilo prije dopisnik ovaj mail, ali ja namjeravam to učiniti sa sve koji se tako može zabrinuti.

No ja želim da dovedu do your primijetiti moje zanimanje with svoju pomoć na ovom great business priliku, negdje prošle godine, naš Rafinerija je generalno servisirano i mnoge druge ugovore gdje se dodjeljuju u naftnom sektoru after out prekida vatre.

Došlo je pomoć od Svjetske banke, MMF-a i drugih financijskih institucija za zamjenu oštećene opreme i rafinerije u cjelini. U tom je razdoblju mnogo ugovor u kojem nagrađen tolikim međunarodnim izvođačima. Svi originalni izvođači upravo je dobio svoju završnu fazu njihova plaćanja, ostavljajući ukupni iznos od £ 17.5 million GB Pounds plutajući u th kartoteka od Federalnog ministarstva financija neostvareno, to je rezultat preko računa ja je za vrijeme dodjele ugovora. Ovaj Ugovor je ovjeren u redu;

 

Ovaj zbroj £ 17.5 milijuna kuna (sedamnaest i pet milijuna funti GB) ću kao i prenijeti na svoj račun odmah, što želim učiniti, je da mi provied svoje puno ime, adresu i svoj privatni broj telefona. kao cuntract direktor. ja će pripremiti sve dokument s imenom kao zbroj izvođaču radova koji je ovaj posao. A novac će biti prebačen u vaše ime. U svoj račun. za svoje sudjelovanje u ovoj transakciji ja će vam ponuditi 30% od ukupnog novca, 10% izdvaja za međunarodne i lokalne expencess i 60% za mene i moje kolege.

 

Štoviše, ja ću doći u susret s tobom dan-dva dana prije dolaska novca na računu se brinuti o moj udio nakon što ste uzimajući vaše proviziju od 30%. Ako će biti od pomoći da vidim da je ovaj novac prenosi svoj račun, i ja sam vas uvjerila da je ovaj posao 100% legitmate osigurana i pravna sigurnost bez rizika, za Vašu informaciju, ako želite više detalja ovog poslovnog ili želite biti apsolutno sigurni u to, vi ste ljubazno i vrlo očekuje za okruglim stolom razgovor hvala.

Čekam u očekivanju na suradnji u odgovoru .

 

Your's
iskreno,
Eng. Dennis Stevenson
Ugovor direktor podvodnih Oil Company.

Here it is after being ran through Google Translate (as if you need it):

ENGLAND Subsea Oil Company (ESOC).
TITLE: PRODUCTION SHARING CONTRACT
CONTRACT ID: PSC / PD / ESOC 01145-06
ENGLAND.
 
From; Desk Contract Manager Subsea Oil Company:
Engr. Dennis Stevenson!
 
Dear Friend,
I am the person mentioned, the contract manager Subsea Oil Company. Sorry for my inconvinences mail may cause you, but we did not have any correspondent before this mail, but I intend to do with all that it can be concerned.

But I want to bring to your notice my interest with its assistance in this great business opportunity, sometime last year, our refinery is generally serviced and many other agreements which are allocated in the oil sector out after the cease-fire.
There was support from the World Bank, IMF and other financial institutions for replacing damaged equipment and refineries as a whole. In that period many of the contract was awarded many international performers. All the original artists had just received its final phase of their payment, leaving the total amount of £ 17.5 million GB Pounds floating in th files of the Federal Ministry of Finance unclaimed, it is because I was over the account during the contract award. This Agreement is certified in line;
 
This sum of £ 17.5 million kuna (seventeen and five million pounds of GB) will and transferred to your account immediately, I want to do is to provied me your full name, address, and your private phone number. cuntract as a director. I will prepare all the document with the name as a sum of the contractor who has the job. The money will be transferred to your name. To your account. for their participation in this transaction I will offer you 30% of the total money, 10% allocated to international and local expencess and 60% for me and my colleagues.
 
Moreover, I'll get to meet with you a day or two days before the arrival of money in the account to take care of my share after you are getting your commission of 30%. If will be helpful to see that this money is transferred to your account, and I'm convinced you that this work 100% legitmate and legal security is assured without risk, for your information, if you want more details of this business or want to be absolutely sure of this, you are very kind and is expected to thank the roundtable discussion.

I wait in anticipation of cooperation in response.
 
Your's
sincerely,
Eng. Stevenson Dennis
Contract Manager underwater Oil Company.

Be first to comment this article | Add as favourites (40) | Quote this article on your site | Views: 241 | E-mail

Effective at 4pm local time today (17 April 2010) the Airport Nikola Tesla in Belgrade (Aerodrom Nikola Tesla/Аеродром Никола Тесла) is closed because of the ash cloud from the volcano in Iceland.

[Update 04-18-2010 06:39:59] As of now, the Belgrade Airport is still closed.  For more information, read this article on the expanding ash cloud.

[Update 04-19-2010 07:58:28] The airport website has a notice stating that it reopened to traffic at midnight last night through midnight tonight.

Be first to comment this article | Add as favourites (37) | Quote this article on your site | Views: 209 | E-mail

I went to a computer conference once and met a guy whose title was Microsoft Evangelist.  That caught me off guard but I put it out of my mind.  Today, I'm reading and come across a post written by one of these software evangelists.  I read it wondering what it could teach me about sharing the Gospel with people I come across.  For the details, you'll have to read the whole post, but here are the main points:

1) Create a cause.
2) Love the cause.
3) Look for agnostics, ignore atheists.
4) Localize the pain.
5) Let people test drive the cause.
6) Learn to give a demo.
7) Provide a safe first step.
8) Ignore pedigrees.
9) Never tell a lie.
10) Remember your friends.

I thought just about all of these applied to Evangelists (those Christians who obey the Bible by telling others about the Gospel).  #5 is hard/impossible.  You can't hardly "test drive" christanity, but they can see you living it out.

Don't get me wrong...I'm not saying we need slick salesmanship in the church.  I actually think that sort of thing is wrong and leads to easyprayerism.  But, we do need to be passionate about our cause...do we believe it when Jesus proclaimed Himself THE way or not?

Image from Michael Kappel via flicker

Be first to comment this article | Add as favourites (36) | Quote this article on your site | Views: 213 | E-mail