The Code Cave

I have created The Code Cave place to store solutions to technical problems that I just didn’t know the answer to right away.

I have a basic rule: If I have to look it up, and it was hard to find or I just had to figure it out on my own, then I create a post about it.

That means this blog is a learning resource. Most of the time, I try to post complete instruction sets and complete, fully documented, working programs with source. “Clean Code” is not what you get when you go back and “refactor and document” a 10,000 line project. You get “Clean Code” when you use styles and standards in each 100 line procedure. Plus you have the added benefit of knowing what the heck you were thinking when you look at that same code 6 months down the line. It helps me, and maybe it helped you.

Of course, all of my stuff here, unless previously GPLed, is free.

What does Free mean? First, on my site, it DOES NOT mean that you’re going to get a big long lecture about software ethics. It simply means that you can use the code as you need to. You can use it in an office, you can use it in your home shareware app. If you want to take it and use it in your own GPL app containing any of my code, that’s fine too. (Just don’t pre-date your source to before my post containing that code. See HHGTTG.)

You don’t have to notify me of alterations you make or how you use it. (But I’d love to hear about it! If you make it better, please do share.) You don’t have to give me credit, but it is fine if you do. I hope it helps you solve that problem that’s been plaguing you, gets you your next raise, and helps your website gain that elusive top 100k site mark in Alexa.

I often will donate funds and gifts to the VERY helpful people that are out there on the web. Even though my expenses for hosting the site are minimal - currently only $9.99US a month, I’m going to take some of Matt Mullenweg’s advice and provide a way for my readers to say Thank You in a more substantial fashion - if they desire.

In accordance with another of his suggestions, I’m also providing a Total Donations counter here.

Total donations and gifts as of May. 1, 2007: $15.00

Ways to say thank you: (choose any or all that feel appropriate)

• Leave a comment - I like to here from my readers!
• Add me to your BlogRoll - Help me help others.
• Write a review of this site on Amazon.com -
• Blog about what you found helpful and link back to this site - It’s all about the links, baby!
• Sponsor a Dad’s Night Out - I’m suppose to get one night a week off to go somewhere that will help me keep my sanity. You can virtually join me by buying me a cappicino, movie ticket, ebook or whatever. Just pick something you’d/I’d enjoy, check your local prices and treat me to it via paypal through Brian@TheCodeCave.com
• Sponsor my blog for a month - I’ve got a half off deal right now. So, you get a half off deal on this too. Toss $9.99(US) to Brian@TheCodeCave.com and if you’d like, I’ll put a sticky post at the top of my front page saying this month has been sponsored by you/your site and provide a link*.
• Buy me a programming book - Basically if it is < 5 years old, (other than Game Programming All in One, which I’m in) I don’t have it. Anything on Delphi, PHP, C++, FireBird, Game Programming, web or Vista development would be cool.
• Surprise me.

* Oh and about those links… I have an “All Ages Rating (SS~~000 1)” from Safe Surf and ICRA label to maintain. So I might not be able to provide active links to all sites.