Improve page load times by compressing code; or, "mnfy ur JS"
Web applications are growing more popular every day. That's great for user experience, but they usually require a sizable initial download of javascript that can increase the time users have to sit and wait for the app to start. One way to combat this annoyance (as well as "protect" your code from casual viewers) is to minify it. Javascript minification is a very easy and beneficial process that all developers should be using, whether coding sophisticated enterprise apps like Gmail or just a regular site with a decent amount of UX gloss.
Read MoreHow not to sell $10,000 support contracts
We've all bought things online: books, sweaters, music, electronics, whatever. Not a big deal, even for a high-end item like a TV or a computer. But some things simply don't make sense to buy online. Expensive, enterprise-level service contracts are one such item, yet RhoMobile does exactly that. So what's wrong with that? Besides just being sorta strange, it shows a lack of understanding of the customer they're trying to reach.
Read MoreBetter living through bookmarklets: JSON prettifier
Lately I've been working with web services that return data in Javascript object notation, or JSON, format. Having spent far too long copy and pasting JSON into online "prettifiers," it dawned on me that a Javascript bookmarklet to do that would be a great solution. I'm happy to present one I created to make things easier on all developers who work with JSON.
Read MoreFive good interview questions for a web developer
What's more fun than going to an interview? Conducting one, of course. I've had opportunities to do just that recently, so I wanted to share a handful of the questions I've come up with to gauge a web developer skill set. So dive in and read through these five questions and their answers. You'll see I prefer more open-ended questions to learn the most about a candidate. Perhaps you'll even share some of your own questions in the comments?
Read MoreIntroducing the “dropped call” protocol
We've all experienced dropped cell phone calls, and suffered the mess that follows. So who should call whom back after a dropped call? It's a far more serious etiquette issue today than is knowing which of the three forks to use to eat your salad. I propose a simple solution.
Read MoreNow Reading
Planned books:
None
Current books:
The Player of Games (Culture) by Iain M. Banks
Recent books:
- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
- The Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey
- House of Suns by Alastair Reynolds
- The Santaroga Barrier by Frank Herbert
- Stardust by Neil Gaiman