Perl Security
I'm extremely pleased to say that our Perl Security course notes have been released in full for personal use, and can be downloaded from the link near the top of the course description page. As for all our course materials, feedback is appreciated, and can be sent to contact@perltraining.com.au.

Perl on z/OS
I've been asked to give a presentation on Perl for performance monitoring at an upcoming conference, with a focus on Unix, Windows, and z/OS (aka OS/390). It appears my main audience will consist of administrators and managers of large mainframe systems, and are interested in how they can use Perl and other open source tools to both improve their performance monitoring and pay less in proprietary software costs.

While I'm sure I can engage the audience on using Perl for performance monitoring under Unix and Windows, I'm a complete weenie when it comes to z/OS. So I hope to do what I normally do when I encounter difficulties — cheat.

If you happen to regularly do performance monitoring on z/OS using Perl, then I'd love to hear from you. I'd especially love to hear from you if you're using Perl on z/OS with open source or home-grown tools.

Children's Garden
Emily, the daughter of my very good friends Andrew and Kat, recently turned three. Her birthday was celebrated in the Ian Potter Fundation Children's Garden, which makes up part of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne. I can highly recommend visiting the Children's Garden, even if you don't have a child as an excuse. The layout of the gardens are excellent, especially if you are playing hide-and-seek, tag, or laser games. If you are bringing a child, then equipping them with gumboots is highly recommended.

Darwin Training
For the last week I was training on a secure facility located near Darwin. That means that nobody can tell me why they're learning Perl, or what they do for a job. It also means that I need to be accompanied at all times, including when getting a coffee, or visiting the bathroom.

Actually, I tell a lie there. I'm not allowed to fetch my own coffee, since the area containing the coffee machine is restricted. In some ways it's like being a little kid again, I can't go anywhere without being accompanied by a responsible adult.

Working on a secure facility is nothing new, I've done this a few times before with trips to Canberra. However this facility has by far has the best satellite photos of anywhere I've worked. That's a lot of technology out in the middle of nowhere.

While my 'need to know' extends about as far as the cafeteria menu, I've picked up some of the local rumours about the base. Apparently it's part of Australia's UFO-defense network, with interceptors launched from a nearby air-base, and a UFO missile defense system near Alice Springs. Apparently UFOs are a real problem during the hurricane season, as the bad weather can interfere with equipment and the number of abductions goes way up. Another good reason to stay inside during a hurricane alert.

Unfortunately I didn't get to see any UFO intercepts, not least because I was teaching in a room with no windows. Nor was I allowed to see the recovered alien technology on sub-basement 7G. Even so, I'm very excited that Perl may potentially being used for integrating with other-worldly technology.

Sydney Sydney Sydney Sydney, Mushroom Mushroom!
Of the last two weeks, one and half was spent in Sydney teaching. I was elected (as the sole applicant) to Melbourne.pm secretary, even though I was interstate during the AGM. I had a great time catching up with the members of Sydney.pm, who all seemed more than willing to keep buying me drinks at the local pub. A good time was had by all, with door-prizes for everyone, including wooden planes, regexp coffee mugs, and books.

Saturday was spent with friends who recently got an Eye Toy, a small camera that takes the place of a game regular controller, allowing the user to interact visually with the console. Much time was spent playing air-guitar, dodging balls, and showboating balance skills. Overall a great gadget, although one that needs a lots of space and lighting for correct operation.

Sunday was spent mushrooming, hunting for Chanterelles. While our regular mushrooming ground wasn't available this year, we found a number of excellent patches nearby. The evening was spent cleaning mushrooms, freezing mushrooms, pickling mushrooms, eating mushroom soup with fried mushrooms, and playing Space Hulk.

The week ahead is going to be spent playing catch-up before I travel again for another interstate trip. Luckily I'll be prepared for this trip with a box of miniature paints and a copy of The Sims 2, which I'm using to help me research an upcoming conference paper. Honest!

Great Perl classes
I teach a lot of classes, and while it seems the students always enjoy themselves and give fantastic feedback, there are some courses that I've enjoyed much more than others. My class last week in Sydney fell into this most-enjoyable classification.

The course started with me being a little worried; one attendee was absent on the first day due to a sick child, and I was later informed of a last-minute booking that would be arriving at lunchtime. Students who miss material are often playing catch-up for the rest of the course, and I was concerned that extra coaching for two late arrivals may have me spread a little thin.

As it happened, our late arrivals were very talented, and not only recovered quickly but began to lead the class in asking excellent questions and experimenting in new techniques. However the highlight for me was me asking the late-arrivals why they were learning Perl, so I can provide more meaningful examples throughout the course.

Our last minute booking answered that she was learning Perl because she had a potential job lined up, and apparently they were using Perl extensively as part of their business. That's not an unusual answer, but the exciting part was when I asked which job. The answer? Sony Online Entertainment.

I didn't know that SoE used Perl very much, but it kept getting better. Our late arrival was being interviewed to become an EverQuest II game developer. Sweet!

As it happened, half the attendees seemed to be gamers of one sort or another, and on the third day of teaching I was presented a map detailing all the comic-shops, games stores, miniature houses, and sci-fi/fantasy bookstores in Sydney. That evening I was even invited to play wargames next week, but unfortunately the time clashes with the next Sydney Perl Mongers meeting.

All up, a most enjoyable time was had by all. One student even suggested on their feedback form that we release a new course on how to talk like a pirate using Perl. Arrr...

Space Hulk
When I was much younger I spent some time playing Space Hulk, a boardgame by Games Workshop set in the Warhammer 40k universe.

Unfortunately Space Hulk is well out of print, and Games Workshop themselves describe the game as long gone. One would think this would pose a challenge to a gamer who wants to play again, but doesn't own a set. Thankfully, it doesn't.

Games Workshop have been wonderful people and made the old Space Hulk tiles available for download. Using a colour printer, a glue-stick, some cardboard, scissors and a lot of patience, I managed to put together my very own Space Hulk board pieces.

Armed with an inventory of what was originally in the box, I managed to find enough tokens from other games to use as blips, and a friend brought over a box of Hero Quest minatures and doors. Combined with a compednium of old rules from another gamer, first edition Space Hulk lived once more!