Lately I have pouring a lot of time into a new project of mine. It's a PHP framework called pheebi. Yes, yes I know, yet another PHP framework as if we don't already have enough! Well, I did search the Internet first I looked for a lightweight frame work, something with really clean code that you could easily understand. Take Code Igniter for example, it's wonderful but... it's big. I think it's marketed as lightweight but clearly I have a very different understand of what lightweight is. If you dare to look at how the thing works, that's when the real problems start.

If you're just happy to use it in complete ignorance of what's going on behind the scenes that's great. I guess I like to really know the code I'm working with and every framework I have downloaded and reviewed, even those with names like "Simple PHP Framework" have been anything but. I'm not saying it's impossible to understand their code and how the framework all fits together but should it really require so much work? Do you really need that many files (libraries and helpers aside) just for a framework?

I don't think so, and so I created pheebi. It's in very early stages at the moment but I'm sure there's enough there to have a tinker with incase you're curious

Well, here's a quick post to prove I'm still alive and to share with you what I have been investing a lot of time into lately. I have been busy readying my CMS Odeebo (after yet another structural redesign) for my latest project. A resource for learning Japanese I have named Tasty Miso. It's essentially a blog but will provide lessons, reviews and so on. I'm in the process of adding some nice features to the site such as image commenting so I have plenty to keep me busy.

I did consider posting more Japanese related posts here on this blog but I didn't really want to overrun the blog with Japanese related stuff but have finally realised a separate blog just for that works out well.

MafiaScene.com is currently seeing some downtime due to high server loads that were causing our VPS to fall over. Because of this the site has been temporarily disabled whilst the cause is investigated.

I'm currently talking to the muppets that host the site and trying to prod them into helping me. This normally takes quite a few correspondences to get anything useful from them. If the prodding doesn't work I'll send the MS boys round.

So, the good news it that it's coming back The bad news is that I'm far too busy to fix it just yet Some rogue code needs chasing down and optimising which can be a very big task so I ask for your patience please.

I'll keep any updates posted here, so check back from time to time if you're desperate to know how things are progressing!

Update: All updates will now be posted to the MafiaScene Twitter Feed.

A few blog posts ago I said that Slicehost's service was nothing special but what made it so good is the fact that it did as advertised which is such a rarity with hosts these days.

Well, forget what I said as I was indeed wrong. Slicehost are something special. What has impressed me recently, apart from their wiki, articles, blog and forums is an email I received informing me of server's IP having been blocked for spam by some third-party which it would seem Gmail makes use of. The problem was a simple script error but this is irrelevant, what's impressive is the fact that Slicehost actually send you this email, very helpful!

The slicehost blog button I designed was, to my surprised, featured on the Slicehost Blog. Someone at
Slicehost clearly values community input. Cheers guys