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My Clippings November 13th, 2009 by System
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Programmer 101: Teach Yourself How to Code [Programming]
My Clippings November 12th, 2009 by System
Automatically pulled from Google Starred
You've always wanted to learn how to build software yourself—or just whip up an occasional script—but never knew where to start. Luckily, the web is full of free resources that can turn you into a programmer in no time.
Since the invention of the internet, programmers have been using it to discuss software development techniques, publish tutorials, and share code samples for others to learn from and use online. If you’re curious about how to become a programmer, you can get off to a running start using tons of great free web-based tutorials and resources.
First Things First: Don’t Get Hung Up on Choosing a Language
A common pitfall for beginners is getting stuck figuring out which programming language is best to learn first. There are a lot of opinions out there, but there's no one "best" language. Here's the thing: In the end, language doesn't matter THAT much. Understanding data and control structures and design patterns does matter very much. Every language—even a simple scripting language—will have elements that you'll use in other languages as well and will help you learn. In classes I took to get my degree in Computer Science, I programmed in Pascal, Assembly, and C—languages I never actually got paid to program in professionally. I taught myself every language I've used in my career, reusing concepts I already knew, and referring to documentation and books to learn its syntax. So, don't get hung up on what language to learn first. Pick the kind of development you want to do, and just get started using one that works.
There are several different kinds of software development you can do for various platforms, from the web to your desktop to your smartphone to a command line. In this article, we’ll outline some of our favorite starter tutorials and resources for teaching yourself how to program for each major platform. We’re going to assume you’re a savvy user, but a newb when it comes to wrangling code snippets, so we’ll keep things at the beginner level. Even just following through a beginner programming tutorial, you’ll be happy to see how far you can get.
Tags: Apple, backup, Bookmarklet, Bookmarklets, Build, cli, command line, css, email, flash, Google, Information, IO, Javascript, Linux, ma, Mac, man, Monkey, OSX, php, quick, script, video, way, wind, WordPress, XP
Secrets preference panel updated for Snow Leopard
My Clippings November 12th, 2009 by System
Automatically pulled from Google Starred
Filed under: OS, Software, Odds and ends
From time to time we have shared hidden settings in applications which can be used to “tweak” an app’s behavior, such as forcing Snow Leopard’s dictionary to reuse the same window or make the print dialog expanded by default. These settings are normally changed using the Terminal.app which can be daunting to some.
Secrets is a (free!) preference panel which has collected a bunch of these settings and made changing them as simple as checking a box or choosing from a drop-down panel of possible choices. It includes settings for about 40 different applications, from Apple applications such as Mail, iCal, iChat, Finder, Front Row, Keynote, DVD Player (and more) to third-party applications including Adium, Audio Hijack Pro, BBedit, EyeTV, VMware Fusion, and TextMate (just to name a few). Some applications have a lot of hidden settings, and some have only one or two.
If you see a setting but don’t know what it does, click it and Secrets will show a brief explanation (these are also available on the Secrets website, but they are easier to read in the preference panel). If you change a setting which requires you to restart the application, Secrets will tell you, and even give you a “Quit This” button. (It’s usually best to make these changes when the app isn’t running.)
Unfortunately at least one of the secret settings from 10.5 doesn’t seem to work in 10.6. That is, the setting to turn HelpViewer into a regular (instead of floating) window. There may be others.
I’m off to explore and see what new goodies Alcor (the developer of Secrets, who you may also know as the creator of Quicksilver) has uncovered.
Thanks to the recently-revived Hawk Wings site for bringing this to my attention. If you use Apple’s Mail.app, Hawk Wings is a great site for tips and information.
Update: We seem to have taken down the Secrets website (oops!) but you can download the preference panel from a mirror (zip) (166kb).
TUAWSecrets preference panel updated for Snow Leopard originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tags: Apple, cli, email, Google, Inc., Information, IO, Leopard, ma, Mac, man, quick, Snow Leopard, terminal, wind, XP
Allmyapps Bulk-Installs Your Favorite Apps, Makes System Rebuilding Less Painful [Installation]
My Clippings November 8th, 2009 by System
Automatically pulled from Google Starred
Windows/Linux: One of the most irritating things about reinstalling your operating system is installing all the non-OS applications you love. Allmyapps lets you select all your favorite apps and roll them into a bulk installer to make rebuilding easy.
At Allmyapps you can browse over a hundred popular applications in a dozen categories to build a master list of applications you want to install. You don’t have to install immediately after building your list, you can save your list for later installation. Check out the video below to see how Allmyapps works:
For another great time-saving bulk installation tool, check out previously reviewed Ninite. Have a way to get your favorite apps installed quickly? Let’s hear about it in the comments.
Allmyapps is a free web-based service and provides bulk-installation on both Windows and Ubuntu Linux.
Tags: Build, cli, Google, IO, Linux, ma, quick, Ubuntu, video, way, wind
DIY 9V Battery-Powered USB Charger [DIY]
My Clippings November 8th, 2009 by System
Automatically pulled from Google Starred
Sure you could go buy a USB charger off the shelf, but what fun would that be? Try making one yourself with a little help from a 9V battery and a few extra components.
This simple hack on a standard 9V battery is an easy one to undertake. It’s pretty straight forward, and all it requires is a quick solder to finish things up. It will give you power on the go and a sense of accomplishment for the day upon completing it. Hit up tech weblog anythingbutipod for the simple diagram to make your own.
The battery-powered USB charger isn’t an altogether new idea. We’d be remiss not to point out previously mentioned Minty Boost, the classic Altoids-tin-cum-battery-powered charger.
Getting Started With Content Management Systems
My Clippings November 8th, 2009 by System
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The need to update websites faster to keep content fresh has been ever growing. Ever since the first business owner wanted their Web designer to update their website faster, content management systems have played an important role on the Web. Why does this matter to you? How do you know if your company is ready?
In this article, we will look at how to tell if your organization needs a content management system. We will also give you information on the abilities of content management systems to help you better understand what they can do. While content management systems may seem complex, their entire purpose is to streamline your workflow and make your life easier.
A content management system allows you to create, manage, store and edit massive amounts of content without any HTML programming skill. Because you are able to edit your content from any computer with an Internet connection, you no longer have to rely on third-party developers or companies to keep your website up to date. Sounds good, doesn’t it? Every company would like to reduce costs and increase productivity.
Also consider our previous articles:
- 10 Things To Consider When Choosing The Perfect CMS
Goes over what features to look for when choosing a content management system. - 10 Harsh Truths About Corporate Websites
Explains the mistakes we all make when running our websites. The nature of those mistakes varies depending on the size of your company. As your organization grows, the mistakes change. This post addresses common mistakes of large organizations. - Developers Toolbox
Offers tools and resources to help you achieve your goals at a more hands-on level.
1. What Is A Content Management System?
If you have never heard the term before, a content management system (CMS) is a Web-based solution that makes it easy for a company to manage website updates internally. For many companies, updating a website is not something to look forward to because it can be a lengthy and, over time, expensive process. Most companies search for easier means of accomplishing their goals. The solution that many large and small companies have found is a CMS. The easy-to-use application allows your company to control its online identity with little to no knowledge of Web design.
Tags: Apple, Build, cli, CURL, Google, Information, IO, ma, man, Microsoft, module, Photo, php, quick, script, security, ssl, video, way, WordPress, XP
XP Quick Fix Plus Repairs Common Windows XP Errors [Downloads]
My Clippings November 7th, 2009 by System
Automatically pulled from Google Starred
Windows XP: If your Windows XP installation is acting up, sometimes a fix is as simple as tweaking a registry key. Rather than muck about in your registry looking for it, use XP Quick Fix Plus to patch things up.
XP Quick Fix Plus is a tiny portable application that presents 40 quick fixes arranged in a push-button chart. Press the button for the problem you’re having like CDs not autoplaying, file associations grayed out, the boot.ini tab missing in MSCONFIG, or any of the other 40 common problems, and XP Quick Fix Plus will patch the registry key for the problem you’re having and get things back in working order.
Not sure if the button covers the problem you’re having? Mousing over the buttons gives you a detailed description of the problem. Have a favorite quick-fix tool to share? Let’s hear about it in the comments. XP Quick Fix Plus is freeware, Windows only.
Fix common Windows XP errors with portable XP Quick Fix Plus
My Clippings November 5th, 2009 by System
Automatically pulled from Google Starred
Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Freeware, Troubleshooting
Programs like XP Quick Fix Plus. The tiny, portable application launches a dashboard with one-click fixes for 40 common Windows XP problems. Quick Fix makes short work of irksome situations like a disabled task manager, missing Device Manager tab, and the infamous CD/DVD missing/not reading bug.
The program is essentially a collection of registry fixes, since that’s where most of these problems originate. You might want to create a system restore point prior to running Quick Fix (or backing up your registry) just in case.
XP Quick Fix is a free, portable download and – not surprisingly – runs on Windows XP systems.
Fix common Windows XP errors with portable XP Quick Fix Plus originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Windows XP – Microsoft Windows – Download Squad – Operating system – Device Manager
Tags: cli, email, Google, Inc., IO, ma, man, Microsoft, php, quick, way, wind, XP
CeeVee Makes Web-Based Resume Building Quick, Easy, and Free
My Clippings October 22nd, 2009 by System
Automatically pulled from Google Starred
You don’t have to have a fancy Microsoft Word template or a gorgeously tweaked document layout to build a clean looking and complete resume. Sure, you can choose a pretty template for your favorite desktop publishing or word processing app, but if you’re like me, you wind up spending more time tweaking the look and feel of the document than editing the actual text.
Thankfully, there’s CeeVee: a free Web-based resume builder that not only helps you put your resume together and fill in the important details about your skills and your work history, but it also helps you share it on popular social networks that may help you get a job.
CeeVee is free to use. You’re immediately launched into the process of creating your own resume on the Web once you’ve signed up. You can upload a photo if you’d like to include one with your resume. You can also add or remove sections that are applicable to the types of jobs you’re applying for, and tweak all of them in-line. The service offers a number of clean-looking themes and typefaces to choose from, all of which read well on the Web and lend themselves to easy sharing and printing.
Once you’re logged in, the majority of the page is taken up by your resume. Controls for adding and removing sections are on the right side of the page. For example, there’s a huge debate over whether or not “summary” or “objective” sections in resumes are worthwhile, so depending on how you feel about them you can add or remove a summary section from your resume with a single click. You can edit the contents of each section in-line with the rest of your resume, so you don’t have to leave the resume view to see how your changes will affect the overall document.
CeeVee’s resume builder makes it easy to copy/paste information from a resume you may already have, or to add information about your work experience, studies, and special skills from scratch. The entire resume interface is interactive, but when someone else views it they only see the static page with all of your information on it that they can easily print. Also, since many of us work for companies that don’t take kindly to their employees updating their resumes, you have the option to make your resume private at any time so no one can see it.
Tags: Build, cli, Google, Information, IO, ma, man, Microsoft, Photo, php, Printing, quick, Remove, video, wind, XP
Access a Windows 7 Installation in Mac OS X with VirtualBox [Windows 7]
My Clippings October 22nd, 2009 by System
Automatically pulled from Google Starred
Tech thinker Anil Dash gets "uncharacteristically nerdy" and breaks down the process he used to install Windows 7 in Boot Camp—and then get access to it from OS X, without rebooting, using the free virtualization software VirtualBox.
This isn't installing Windows 7 by itself into a new VirtualBox image/appliance—it's taking the hard disk installation made with Boot Camp and making it accessible from VirtualBox in OS X. It's only two terminal commands on top of the standard VirtualBox setup and startup, and it's a pretty handy tool for quickly opening a Windows 7 program you need or testing out a web site in a Windows-only browser. Hit the link for Dash's quick run-through, and tell us if you've got any additional VirtualBox-on-Mac tips in the comments.
Tags: cli, Google, IO, ma, Mac, man, quick, terminal, VirtualBox, wind
