Thinking about it

Category: Uncategorized

  • Flattening the Backbone.js Learning Curve

    I just spent some time getting into Backbone.js finally.  The learning curve was a little steeper than I expected, mostly because I think I expected Backbone.js to be something that it is not. From the docs: Backbone.js gives structure to web applications by providing models with key-value binding and custom events, collections with a rich API of enumerable functions,views with…

  • Advice for Tech Handicapped Computer Users

    After several years of helping non tech savvy neighbors with various problems, I wanted to make this list as a standard advice that anyone should follow. This is not intended to be a list of best practices, rather a list of simple important practices. If you are smart enough to figure out a better solution…

  • Learning Spanish

    For the past few years I have been trying to learn Spanish. My main motivation is that I enjoy traveling in Latin American and speaking the language opens up many opportunities. I have tried several different methods, cds, books, rosetta, immersion school in Costa Rica, personal tutors etc. They all have their benefits but in…

  • Sshuttle

    Thanks to @elasticdog I now have sshuttle all set up on my laptop. He has an excellent guide here. Personally I just went with the brew install option and its working just fine. Seems much easier to maintain than setting up a real VPN on the server side. There is really no server side config…

  • Oversampling Canvas for better quality

    The html5 canvas is a very fast and simple immediate mode graphics system, but unfortunately the image quality (especially text rendering) is often lacking. A quick and easy way to address this is to oversample the canvas.  This works by making the internal size of the canvas a multiple of the size you want it…

  • Rorschach Test

    I’m not personally a fan of either Ron Paul or Thomas Friedman, but I think these two videos are interesting as some kind of Rorschach test of your feelings about national security. Ron Paul: Ron Paul Ad   Tom Friedman Tom Friedman on Charlie Rose  

  • The Grok Point

    Whenever I have a significant programming task to complete I usually begin the process not by thinking about all the data structures I want, or how the output will look, or what will the biggest concerns for efficiency etc. What I am usually doing at the start is trying move as fast as I can…

  • Doing what you aren’t supposed to do with Django tests

    So I wanted to run my django test scripts against my development database. The django test system really wants to create a database from scratch but I wanted to see whether I could run against my local scratch copy since its already got a lot of data in it and I am too lazy to…

  • Making a nice little Netbook

    Step 1: Get an Acer Aspire One I got mine at Costco, last time I was there they were on sale/instant rebate. Model D255E Step 2: Add Ubuntu Natty Narwal I went with splitting the disk in 1/2 because its pretty big and If I want to punish myself I can still run windows 7.…

  • The other reason why Fixed Rate Contracts suck

    You have a prospective client and you are discussing the project. Often the client would like you to quote a fixed fee for the work, so maybe you think thats ok and come up with some number by using a fancy estimation tool or tossing chicken bones. It really doesn’t much matter, something is likely…