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.

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.

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?

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. 

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.

HTML isn't a programming language.

Seriously, stop it.

HTML(HyperText Markup Language) is NOT a programming language, nor will it ever be.

HTML is exactly what it says it is, a markup language. HTML takes (literally) a day (or less, depending on your pace of learning) to master.

To get onto this topic, I had a fun chat with a really stupid teacher.

I was at my younger cousin's school, hanging around, talking to people, when I walked into his Computer Technologies class (Read: Keyboarding) and spoke to the teacher, just bullshitting around.
"Yeah, I have some programming knowledge, but I'm more of a web developer." I say.
"Oh, really? I happen to know some things about programming myself, I'm pretty good at it." She replies.
"Cool, what platform do you use, and what language?" I ask.
"HTML, and Mozilla Firefox." She answers.
At this point, I go cross eyed. It takes a lot for me to get mad, but when people claim they know a lot about a subject, then prove that they don't, makes me mad.
Anyways, I proceeded to amaze her with my "godlike skillz" on the computer.

If anything you could say HTML is a scripting language, but that's pushing it quite a bit.

Python, oh Python.

Well, for my Computer Science class that I'm taking online, I'm learning Python. I'm not bad at it, and I rather like the syntax, compared to others I've tried, like C++, or C.

I've enjoyed turning in the projects I've been given by my teacher, and I love to write the code, but now I have come to the assignment that I've been dreading. Making up my own project.

I'm awful at thinking of things to do, which is why I'm bored 99.99% of the time. I wouldn't call it lack of motivation or laziness per say, but... well, lack of not knowing what to do.

There needs to be a book, or something, with a giant list of programming project ideas.


Edit:

After some searching around I found this list. I know I'll be using it in the future.