- jLinq – JavaScript Query Language
- XRegExp – JavaScript regular expressions library
- jQuery URL Parser
- JavaScript Query String Parser
- Named function expressions demystified
Apple unveiled OS X Snow Leopard at WWDC’s Keynote and I’m excited mostly because of the following features:
- Smaller footprint (6GB less space used) – more space for my VMs
- 64-bit system applications + Grand Central Dispatch – faster navigation around the OS
- Exposé Integration – clicking and holding onto an application’s dock icon shows the screenshots of its open windows
- Enhanced Finder and Dock
- Redesigned Services menu
- Faster Wake Up and Shutdown
- More reliable Disk Eject
- Split-pane Terminal
(via TUAW)
Finally an official developer build of Google Chrome from Google. Apparently it’s still incomplete, but it should suffice for my quick browsing needs.
How incomplete? So incomplete that, among other things , you won’t yet be able to view YouTube videos, change your privacy settings, set your default search provider, or even print.
(via The Chromium Blog)
After switching to the Mac, I had to find software that would help me do stuff I like doing. So far, the following are the software I’ve tried and that survived in my Applications folder.
VMWare Fusion – Since I switched from Windows, there are still a handful of apps I use on Windows. I also use it for browser testing (specially IE6). It’s the first OS X app I paid for and I think it’s worth it with all the things I am able to do with it around.
TextMate – Now my primary text editor. The bundles just make it easy for me to code in just about any language I need to code on. I’m still discovering a lot of things about it but so far it has helped me to code faster and keep my code cleaner and more organized. There’s also a certain magic I feel when I’m writing code on it.
Transmit – I tried FileZilla since it was my main FTP program in Windows, but it just didn’t feel right on OS X, so I tried Transmit and it fell just right into place. After learning new and adding custom keyboard shortcuts it fits perfectly with how I work. I especially like being able to edit stuff on the server seamlessly.
Yojimbo – Currently it serves as my password repository. Hopefully I’ll use it more as a repository of other things that I need to take down.
DestroyTwitter and Tweetie – After trying out a host of desktop Twitter clients (like EventBox, TweetDeck, Twhirl, Nambu, etc.), I’ve settled with the two. I use DestroyTwitter if I want to keep Twitter less intrusive (i.e. when I’m in The Zone). I use Tweetie when I’m actively exploring the Twitterverse.
Finally, there’s official support for Google Sync in S60 via Mail for Exchange. I haven’t been syncing my calendar on the E71 as much since it required me to manually sync via GooSync after NuevaSync stopped working for me. Now I can have calendar sync automated again. Good times.
(via Google Mobile Blog)
When I was rather small, we used to have an origami booklet and I’ve always found the whole process of making an origami enjoyable — from trying to figure out what the diagrams mean to actually finishing the piece. So when I saw a pack of origami paper at Muji, I immediately got one. Below is the first one I made.
And the joy has never left.
A side effect of “the switch” is that I am now reaping more and more benefits from virtualization. One of the first things I had to do when I switched was get virtualization software. This is so I can run Windows programs (mostly browsers) inside OS X as opposed to rebooting into a Windows install through Boot Camp.
I went for VMWare Fusion because of their Virtual Appliances. I was thinking that if I wanted to play with Linux in the future, I’d do away having to install and configure a whole operating system that I’m not very familiar with. However, after reading some very informative articles at Slicehost on how to install and configure things like Apache, PHP, MySQL, Nginx and Django on a naked Linux install, I forewent the Virtual Appliance route. I decided that If I am to learn more about Linux I have to go through the whole install and configure process and just create my own virtual appliances.
I think the advent of virtualization and cloud computing is a good thing for the industry I’m currently in (which has many names, mostly with the following keywords jumbled up – digital, interactive, marketing, advertising). This is specially beneficial for smaller shops who have less resources to invest in hosting infrastructure. Continue reading ‘Some Benefits of Virtualization and Cloud Computing’
JsMag just released its latest issue and my photo is on the cover 
Hopefully I can write an article about JavaScript and contribute more than a photo soon enough.
The issue contains pieces on:
- Mashups from the Ground Up
- Flex/AJAX Bridge Gotchas
- Demystifying Custom Events in jQuery
- Web Testing with Windmill
- RIA Revolution
- Book excerpt from “JavaScript for Beginners”
- Community News
It’s been a year since I made the “switch” and I’m slowly and gradually moving the way I work with computers from a Windows to a Mac paradigm. With regards to normal computer use, I’d like to think I’ve done a lot already — organized my stuff, installed several applications, setup a backup strategy among other things.
However, for productivity and development, I think I’ve barely touched the surface. I’m still learning about Folder Actions and AppleScript. I’m remembering how much I loved doing things on the command line (during the DOS days) when I use Terminal. I’m still figuring out how to customize TextMate (which I’m starting to really love) with the way I think about code. I’m also picking a whole lot of things from the community of indie Mac developers, which I want to be part of really really soon.
I’m still learning and I guess sometimes it’s harder for me to learn how to do things in another way after being so used to Windows for most of my life. But, I’m enjoying the process and I’m still happy that I did make the switch.
