Sunday, July 31, 2011

Gaming Cell brought back

A few months ago I started the website Gaming Cell, a free online flash website (unoriginal, I know, but it was fun.).

I created the site, added games, and forgot about it while I was busy doing other things (read: slacking), and it sat on the internet, inactive.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Programming for fun vs for a career

Whenever I tell people that I'm a programmer, they tend to automatically assume that I do it for a career and that I'm some kind of supreme computer overlord.

Untrue.

I like to program for fun, and I know my way around a computer, but I couldn't tear the software apart and piece it back together with my eyes closed either, though.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Pagination; SQL vs Based

Whenever I write PHP, I try my hardest to avoid using MySQL. I think it's a hassle and it should be avoided at all costs. So, I usually try to come up with a way to "base" my PHP scripts. Basing means I can call accounts, pages, or whatever without the use of a MySQL database.

Now one of the most popular things that people do with MySQL databases is create Pagination scripts (think index.php?id=1 and index.php?page=derp).

When they use a database, they have their PHP script search the table for the relevant page (AKA "dork") and it will display it accordingly. Simple, right?

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Freelance Web Developer; You're doing it wrong.

When I speak to potential clients about making them websites, I tend to treat them as if they don't know anything about Web Development (but being respectful at the same time, there's a difference between ignorance and stupidity), and, if they're talking to a person that they're going to hire do develop a website for them, they probably don't. If they come to you, they're probably on their last leg, and don't know what they're going to do to try to get their soon to be made website up and running.

 Now when you're talking to a customer, treat them with respect, and try your hardest not to get mad at them. There are a few things you should remember about people hiring web developers:

  • They (usually) don't know what they want
  • If they knew about web development, they wouldn't be talking to you, so be nice and explain things
  • Never assume anything, people get mad when you think for them, always ask. 
  • Double check on everything. I mean EVERYTHING. 

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Windows 8, nothing to fear.

For the past few weeks, developers across the web have been worried about Microsoft Windows 8.

In a recent video(see below) released by the developers of Windows 8, they show the new ribbon UI, a lot like what is used on the Windows Mobile Phones (the Metro UI), but for a desktop, presumably with a touchscreen on it.



The thing that has a lot of people worried is that  in the video, Jensen Harris, says that HTML5 and JavaScript will be used to make the desktop apps, instead of Microsoft's widely popular .NET Framework, WPF and Silverlight development tools.