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Welcome to NPScripts.com. Here you'll find easy Perl
scripts. The main specialities are the easy to use mailing list
programs Subscriber and Subscriber Pro. There are also smaller free
scripts available with a variety of uses. All scripts come with
support through email and the forum. Thanks for visiting!
Happy new year to everybody! As I've been saying before, I've been planning on replacing the forum with something local. Well, the idea of building a specific solution for this site has been pretty much abandoned (as I stated before). So, I went ahead and just installed phpBB. So, the forum link now goes there... This should be infinitely more convenient than the ad-ridden ezboard...
But wait, this "Perl" site is using a PHP BBS? Yes... Really, the reason everything in this site is in Perl is because when I first started actually writing and releasing scripts in 1999 (Form Mail was the first thing I ever released), it was the language I had chosen to learn. Why did I chose Perl? At the time PHP had not quite exploded in popularity just yet (it did pretty much right afterwards), but I don't figure that would've affected my choice anyway. I wanted something that wasn't necessarily the easiest to learn, but was still quite approachable and easy to do many things without spending too much time. Plus, Perl is very to use outside of a CGI environment, so the language is useful to know for other applications. Sitting here right now, however, I could just as easily choose to do a new web project in PHP or Python. Who knows, the next "new thing" to appear at this site could be some full fledged graphical C++ or Java app! The point being, I'm not limiting myself to just Perl.
Same sort of principle goes for the undisclosed Python project (I hate mentioning this so much since it may never escape my local drive). I started writing this in Python simply as a learning experience. I could have just as easily chosen Perl, PHP, or even Ruby. As far as what the project is, it's just something I thought up for my own use (though it's still nowhere near done really so it's not in use). It's not "Yet Another Content Management System" or even "PyYACMS" (and definately not "XPyYACMS"). It's something that's highly specialized and would be insanely lucky to cross 200 downloads in a year... That's not an exaggeration. I'm just saying, don't get excited... This is just getting mentioned as a continuation of the "really, I know more than just Perl!" theme I suppose I'm going for here. :)
As a reminder, I'm looking for requests/suggestions.
You're reading this message, and that means your local DNS is pointing to the right host!
Yes, after almost four years on Cedant, I have left. My mail's been getting delayed (in addition to the fact that the mail servers would seem to be down pretty randomly), and frankly there are a million better packages out there in terms of what exactly I can get for my money. So, I took one of them (and I'm paying less now). I'm now hosted on A Small Orange, which easily has the best name in hosting.
This move was done pretty quickly, and if there are any errors with the site you encounter, please let me know. I've tried to test everything imaginable, but it's possible something has been overlooked.
Well seeing as how it has been so long since I updated, I figured I should let curious minds know what has been going on. Basically since the release of Subscriber PRO v1.4, I have been incredibly busy with other projects (related to both school and work depending on what time of the year...). I have been so busy in fact I've not worked on Subscriber PRO since the last release. What I have worked on though is poking around with some newer stuff. Mainly, I've been expanding a bit in terms of languages.
Most of my "just for fun" hackery has been spent putting together something in Python. It may see the light of day on this site in the future. That's right... there's the possibly of something non-Perl making it up for release on here. I know, I'm shocked as well. I'm not going to go into details. One thing I know for sure, it's not something that's going to have a huge appeal, so don't get too excited. :)
One thing I can say for sure right now, the previously mentioned project to replace the current forum has been pretty much suspended. I don't seem to do too much user support on the forum (most still comes through email it seems). Perhaps that is in part due to that terrible ezBoard... Hmm... I'll probably just end up popping in some existing forum software to run locally. Gasp... perhaps it will even be PHP powered!! Have I lost my mind!? The things you do when your time is occupied...
Keeping along the same lines, I've implemented a new feature into the site. If you look to the left under Support you'll see a shiny new "Feature Request" option. This is basically just a form you can fill out to submit your ideas to me. Your idea could be for an existing script, something new, or just an idea for the site in general. This way I can get some general consensus as to what people want so I'm not wasting what time I do manage to spend on coding for this site on useless things nobody really wants. Plus, doing that gave me an excuse to jump onboard with the web's latest little obsession, Ajax. Yes I know that for the purposes of this form it was pretty unecessary, but oh well. As I said, it was an excuse to learn something new. If you don't know what it is, don't worry. All it basically means for that form is that when you submit it you're not going to be redirected to a new page. Oh, and it also means you have to have a relatively up to date browser to use it. ;) Ain't technology grand?
I'm lucky enough to live in one of the states that has access to Vault. I must say that it certainly gets my endorsement. Furthermore, if you don't mind that fake artificial sweet taste (which I don't), make sure to try out the Vault Zero. While you're at it (and so that you can be sure I'm not working for Coca-Cola now), try out the new Mountain Dew MDX. It is more expensive than the Vault, but (to me at least) has a kinda similar taste (especially when comparing the zero calorie versions). It features virtually no carbonation (less than even a Red Bull I'd estimate). Compared to Mountain Dew's other energy drink, Amp, I would have to say MDX is much better.
While I'm off topic here (as I usually tend to get...), be sure to see Serenity if you're a fan of sci-fi, and Saw II if you're a horror buff. Also, a big public thanks to Luna C for signing my record. Oh, no! Was that a hint as to what the Python project could be? Hmm...
Anyway, I plan to update a bit more frequently, even if there is nothing new to release. So, in the meantime, please send me your suggestions, because they could provide some additional motivation to spend more time coding if I see some rather popular requests. Thanks to everybody for pushing the number of Subscriber downloads past 6,000 (which as of this writing it is very close to passing), and for making Subscriber one of the most popular listings in its category on the CGI Resource Index and Hotscripts. Your votes are most appreciated!
As always, thanks again for visiting, and my inbox is always open.
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