Well some of you may be wondering why there has been a month or more delay in getting the latest episode (17) of OTE out. It is totally my fault that it has taken this long as I got side tracked in a "side" project I started.

Project Calamari ,a front-end to squid log files, currently in beta, is the result of a month or so of effort. It is essentially designed to allow the user to easily interrogate squid access log files by starting at an aggregate level and drilling-down into the detailed log records.

We have several client using the squid proxy server and have continual requests from them for a decent squid reporting application. Beside this, we also use Squid in our offices for web caching, and also needed to gain some insight into how the web was being used. Project Calamari is the result.

Of course the problem was that I got deep into hack mode, which basically meant that the coding muse takes over your life and she drives you on to complete the task at hand without regard for your health or sleep. With the illusive promise that the creative task will soon be complete, and peace will be your reward, she coaxes you mercilessly onwards. "Soon," she whispers, "soon you can rest..." Unfortunately, as with most creative tasks, you never feel that it is truly complete, perfect . There is always one more thing to do or improve on....

I hope the project meets a need out there but in any event I really enjoyed creating it. I feel the next project coming on.....