November 27, 2006 – 12:37 am
- Yahoo vs. Google -
Yahoo is in the lead right now, and has been from the get-go, in my experience. Google’s AJAX maps API has too many restrictions that make it impractical for some uses.
Google just recently added geocoding (translating address info into coordinates that the map systems need to work with), whereas Yahoo has supported it from the beginning. The main distinction, though, is that overall it just seems like Google wants a lot more control over how you use their map service than Yahoo does.
Both require you to register for a key to use the API, but the Google key is tied to a specific fully qualified domain name (including sub-domains, not just the primary domain part), whereas Yahoo does not impose this limitation.
I’m currently in the middle of doing a project based on a WordPress MU installation, which (by default) uses dynamically generated subdomains for each new user that signs up, which the Google API obviously wreaks havoc with. You can work around this (in WPMU) by using directories instead of subdomains (ie: muinstall.com/test1 vs. test1.muinstall.com), but it’s still quite ridiculous.
November 24, 2006 – 10:49 pm
I have to say that my opinion of the Wii (as previously discussed here, but mostly on Dan’s blog) has only been solidified after playing it tonight. Dan and Sara brought their fresh new console over tonight and we all had a blast, adults and kids alike. The relatively simple game that comes with it (Wii Sports) is made so much more fun just because of the new controller. Jason and Brooke had a similar first experience with it.
I think that once people (especially non-”gamers”) get into this and see how fun it can be, the hype will skyrocket the Wii to the top of the charts. It’s already bypassed the PS3 in sales (according to this site - thanks to Dan for the link) and I only see that increasing as the undoubtedly rave reviews of the Wii are spread by word of mouth.
It seems like it’s the kind of thing that will really bridge the gap to people who aren’t heavily into games, which I don’t see the PS3 doing, and even the X-Box to a very great degree even though they both tried some stuff to extend beyond “just gaming”. The problem is, MS and Sony both went the “additional tech” route (with HD / DVD and other fancy media integration features), while Nintendo just pretty much stuck to gaming, and made something that more people will want to play. I think it will be the winning strategy in the end.
I also think that the lackluster PS3 launch / flop will really hurt Sony even worse than it normally would have, as now all the many people with $600 burning a hole in their pocket who couldn’t buy a PS3 will realize that they’re much more likely to find a Wii available first, and get it (and an extra controller) for still under half the cost, which they can spend on more games or just save.
November 24, 2006 – 10:57 am
Inspired by this post from Dan that links to a suggestion for keeping your passwords safe when using a computer that isn’t your own, I’ve decided to post on my idea for safe remote access, even though I haven’t actually implemented it yet.
Taking a step back, I should start by explaining the need for such measures. The basic idea is that if you are using a computer that you don’t have complete control over, you have no way of knowing what may have been done to that computer (either by its owner or some third party) in an attempt to grab your passwords.
Basically, I wanted to come up with a method that will allow you to securely use this kind of a system without fear of your passwords being compromised. To lay the ground rules, I think you have to assume the following things about the computer you will be using:
Read More »
November 23, 2006 – 7:33 pm
Yes, it’s a new acronym that I invented, and will explain in the following story.
It all started the other day when I heard some commentary criticizing a former attorney general (who was also considered a “Christian”) for their support of educating people about condoms (in addition to other information about abstinence, etc.) in an effort to prevent unwanted pregnancy and disease. Unfortunately, these people really felt that it was a despicable compromise for this person to endorse anything other than “abstinence only” in the context of sex education. They went on to explain that those who say “abstinence is good, but some/many will have sex anyway, so they should be told to do it safely” are basically supporting an evil position, and that you should just insist that they wouldn’t have that problem if they would just practice abstinence.
This kind of thinking (which I have heard a lot and obviously strongly disagree with) got me to thinking — about what a bunch of compromising hypocrites any Christian members of MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) are. Since the Bible clearly teaches that we should not get drunk, then saying “well, if you’re going to get drunk at least don’t drive” is pretty much the exact same stance as outlined above, just a different issue. So there you have it - Compromisers Against Drunk Driving.
November 23, 2006 – 7:18 pm
After being behind on blog reading for several days (actually about a week), I finally caught up today.
As a result, I’ve also been seriously lagging on posting here, and in the meantime I’ve forgotten several ideas for posts I’ve had in the meantime. Maybe I need to start blogging from my PDA when I think of stuff, since otherwise I will lose it before I get around to finding time.
November 8, 2006 – 11:02 pm
I’ve had questions every now and then about how I do the sidebar collapsing thing (show / hide links) on my sidebar area. I have it running as a plugin, but I haven’t publicly released it yet (more on that later).
For those who don’t want to wait, you can always check out the SidebarCollapser.js file linked to this page; that’s really all there is to it. The file contains a script that will run when the page loads, and go through the sidebar and add the show/hide links to the appropriate sections.
One basic principle I try to adhere to is “unobtrusive javascript”, which means that the page should load and work fine if the browser does not support script (or has it disabled). The user should be able to use the basic functionality of the site without enabling javascript. Furthermore, (IMHO) they shouldn’t even see things that they can’t use, so the additional script-based functionality (in this case the show/hide links) should only even show up if their browser will be able to use them.
Like I said above, I’ve been thinking about packaging it up as a plugin, but I’m undecided about that since I don’t seem to have a lot of time lately to support and upgrade the ones I’ve already released, much less taking on new stuff. Aside from the time requirements for support, I’d also like to go through and refactor / clean up the code a bit before I’d release it anyway. Anyone is welcome to take it and adapt it to suit their own needs, but unfortunately I can’t take the time to package it up and release (and support) it as a plugin right now.
November 3, 2006 – 12:27 pm
According to a survey described in this article from CareerBuilder.com (which I found on Everton’s blog), one in four hiring managers have used search engines to find out more about prospective new hires.
When asked to divulge the types of information discovered on the Web that caused them to dismiss potential employees, hiring managers pointed to the following:
- 31% - candidate lied about qualifications
- 25% - candidate had poor communication skills
- 24% - candidate was linked to criminal behavior
- 19% - candidate bad-mouthed their previous company or fellow employee
- 19% - candidate posted information about them drinking or using drugs
- 15% - candidate shared confidential information from previous employers
- 12% - candidate lied about an absence
- 11% - candidate posted provocative or inappropriate photographs
- 8% - candidate’s screen name was unprofessional
Hiring managers said the following information discovered on the Web helped to confirm their decision to hire a candidate:
- 64% - candidate’s background information supported their professional qualifications for the job
- 40% - candidate was well-rounded, showed a wide range of interests
- 34% - candidate had great communication skills
- 31% - candidate’s site conveyed a professional image
- 31% - got a good feel for the candidate’s personality, could see a good fit within the company culture
- 23% - other people posted great references about the candidate
- 23% - candidate was creative
- 19% - candidate received awards and accolades