I copied a new version of the site into the stable tree this evening. Here’s what’s new:
- PgSQL
- The entire site now resides on a PostgreSQL backend. Aside from giving me an excuse to learn about another DBMS, this change provides a true relational database that should make future additions like the comment system easier.
- Categories
- I haven’t implemented category-specific features on the frontend yet, but they’re there on the database. Eventually you should be able to filter content by category.
- No Dedicated News Section
- The news section is gone. It has been merged in with the regular blog entries and it will appear under a "Site" category or something similar.
- General Code Cleanup and Polish
- This is perhaps what delayed this update the longest. I’ve implemented many small changes and improvements as part of my continual learning process with PHP and Smarty.
Comments are next up, followed by a new layout. That’s the current game plan.
I’m now an official graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology. Perhaps unsurprisingly, commencement at Georgia Tech wasn’t that much different than commencement at ASMS. It did feel quite a bit more impersonal, though; I only recognized a handful of people from a graduating class of hundreds. John Salley, former NBA national champion and Georgia Tech alumnus, started the event off with a lively and entertaining address, and then we all filed across the stage to shake hands with Wayne Clough, president of the school, and receive a diploma placeholder that proved to be just a picture of the Tech Tower. (I’m told that we will receive our real diplomas in the mail.) It was a very brief moment of glory.
After the ceremony, I joined family for another enjoyable meal at The Vortex on Peachtree Street. We parted ways after lunch, and I returned to my apartment to begin my career (suitably brief, I hope) as an unemployed college graduate.
Pretty much all of my immediate family came into town for my graduation. We all gathered at the Embassy Suites on Akers Mill and took a shuttle to one of my favorite local eateries, Ray’s on the River (named due to its proximity to the Chattahoochee River). I was quite pleased with my "Ginger Tuna" (first time for me). It was cooked like a tuna steak, which I’ve had only limited exposure to, but it had an unusual soy and ginger sauce. It was different than anything I’ve ever had and it was quite good.
With Thermodynamics out of the way as of approximately 2 PM this afternoon, I’ve taken my final final exam (at least for the near term). I don’t really feel any different. I’m still in more of a semester-end mode than a college-end mode. Commencement is tomorrow and all my immediate family has made efforts to be at the event. Maybe the impact of the event will leave a more forceful impression.
