#javascript later? perhaps?

[callmedarthrevan]

learning html and css for a creative project >:) im having fun

[idioticbat]

i'm curious about something with your conlang and setting during the computing era in Ebhorata, is Swädir's writing system used in computers (and did it have to be simplified any for early computers)? is there a standard code table like how we have ascii (and, later, unicode)? did this affect early computers word sizes? or the size of the standard information quanta used in most data systems? ("byte" irl, though some systems quantize it more coarsely (512B block sizes were common))

also, what's Zesiyr like? is it akin to fortran or c or cobol, or similar to smalltalk, or more like prolog, forth, or perhaps lisp? (or is it a modern language in setting so should be compared to things like rust or python or javascript et al?) also also have you considered making it an esolang? (in the "unique" sense, not necessarily the "difficult to program in" sense)

nemmyltok :3

also small pun that only works if it's tɔk or tɑk, not toʊk: "now we're nemmyltalking"

so...i haven't worked much on my worldbuilding lately, and since i changed a lot of stuff with the languages and world itself, the writing systems i have are kinda outdated. I worked a lot more on the ancestor of swædir, ntsuqatir, and i haven't worked much on its daughter languages, which need some serious redesign.

Anyway. Computers are about 100 years old, give or take, on the timeline where my cat and fox live. Here, computers were born out of the need for long-distance communication and desire for international cooperation in a sparsely populated world, where the largest cities don't have much more than 10,000 inhabitants, are set quite far apart from each other with some small villages and nomadic and semi-nomadic peoples inbetween them. Computers were born out of telegraph and radio technology, with the goal of transmitting and receiving text in a faster, error-free way, which could be automatically stored and read later, so receiving stations didn't need 24/7 operators. So, unlike our math/war/business machines, multi-language text support was built in from the start, while math was a later addition.

At the time of the earliest computers, there was a swædir alphabet which descended from the earlier ntsuqatir featural alphabet:

the phonology here is pretty outdated, but the letters are the same, and it'd be easy to encode this. Meanwhile, the up-to-date version of the ntsuqatir featural alphabet looks like this:

it works like korean, and composing characters that combine the multiple components is so straightforward i made a program in shell script to typeset text in this system so i could write longer text without drawing or copying and pasting every character. At the time computers were invented, this was used mostly for ceremonial purposes, though, so i'm not sure if they saw any use in adding it to computers early on.

The most common writing system was from the draconian language, which is a cursive abjad with initial, medial, final and isolated letter shapes, like arabic:

Since dragons are a way older species and they really like record-keeping, some sort of phonetic writing system should exist based on their language, which already has a lot of phonemes, to record unwritten languages and describe languages of other peoples.

There are also languages on the north that use closely related alphabets:

...and then other languages which use/used logographic and pictographic writing systems.

So, since computers are not a colonial invention, and instead were created in a cooperative way by various nations, they must take all of the diversity of the world's languages into account. I haven't thought about it that much, but something like unicode should have been there from the start. Maybe the text starts with some kind of heading which informs the computer which language is encoded, and from there the appropriate writing system is chosen for that block of text. This would also make it easy to encode multi-lingual text. I also haven't thought about anything like word size, but since these systems are based on serial communication like telegraph, i guess word sizes should be flexible, and the CPU-RAM bus width doesn't matter much...? I'm not even sure if information is represented in binary numbers or something else, like the balanced ternary of the Setun computer

As you can see, i have been way more interested in the anthropology and linguistics bits of it than the technological aspects. At least i can tell that printing is probably done with pen plotters and matrix printers to be able to handle the multiple writing systems with various types of characters and writing directions. I'm not sure how input is done, but i guess some kind of keyboard works mostly fine. More complex writing systems could use something like stroke composition or phonetic transliteration, and then the text would be displayed in a screen before being recorded/sent.

Also the idea of ndzəntsi(a)r/zesiyr is based on C. At the time, the phonology i was using for ntsuqatir didn't have a /s/ phoneme, and so i picked one of the closest phonemes, /ⁿdz/, which evolves to /z/ in swædir, which gave the [ⁿdzə] or [ze] programming language its name. Coming up with a word for fox, based on the character's similarity was an afterthought. It was mostly created as a prop i could use in art to make the world feel like having an identity of its own, than a serious attempt at having a programming language. Making an esolang out of it would be going way out of the way since i found im not that interested in the technical aspects for their own sake, and having computers was a purely aesthetics thing that i repurposed into a more serious cultural artifact like mail, something that would make sense in storytelling and worldbuilding.

Now that it exists as a concept, though, i imagine it being used in academic and industrial setting, mostly confined to the nation where it was created. Also i don't think they have the needs or computing power for things like the more recent programming languages - in-world computers haven't changed much since their inception, and aren't likely to. No species or culture there has a very competitive or expansionist mindset, there isn't a scarcity of resources since the world is large and sparsely populated, and there isn't some driving force like capitalism creating an artificial demand such as moore's law. They are very creative, however, and computers and telecommunications were the ways they found to overcome the large distances between main cities, so they can better help each other in times of need.

[mimicschest]

I currently have my latest blogpost for my website displayed on my front page. If you click on the title, it will take you to the post. I essentially grab the Title, which is a class of h1, and the article, using javascript, and then replace it. However, right now, this is done by manually replacing the href of the javascript. This works; I just create a post, copy the link, and paste it into the script in my home page.

Problem; I am already maintaining my rss feed manually. Why should I do *this* manually? I kind of want to not do either manually.

Solution: Javascript can be used to parse a xml doc. This includes rss feeds. I can simply make a script that, when you load up the webpage, it will request the most recent version of the .xml file associated with my file, then find the one with the most recent pubDate, it will then grab the link from that, and use my existing script to display it on my homepage.

As for updating my rss feed? I may need to create a php script for that. I just need two forms, and a submit button. One will take a link, and the other would be the password. So, I create a new blogpost, upload it, and then copy the link into the form. The password field will be used to create a cryptographic hash, and if it matches the provided one, then it will create a timestamp, and add the item, complete with links, to the html file. I could add in a hidden description to the blogpost, and the script can rip the description from there. Its pretty simple, and I wouldn't trust this authentication process... except that it is extremely limited in scope. All it does is accept a link already part of my blog, and updates an xml document - one I regularly back-up.

I also want to make a script that would get the previous and next posts on the blog, based on the info already in the xml document, rather than manually updating the existing blogposts. It doesn't take long, but it would be one less thing I have to worry about. I just have to match the current link to one in the xml file, get the timestamp, and find the item with the previous and next timestamp, then inject the links into the previous/next buttons. I can use a span element that will be updated to show up once a new document is found by the script.

If I was making one that actually allowed you to write a blogpost - complete with html - then I would want better security - like some form of 2 factor authentication. My authentication script would work. I would also want it limited to posting based on the time (like 1 post per x minutes). I may actually do that later. It would be nice to just go to my site, use my passkey+password authenticator, and then just post to my blog. It would have a form for the title, short description, and the main post. Then, it takes that info, and essentially pastes it into a provided template.

I could also make a similar system for the site-updates and little blurb on the top. Currently, I just edit the html for that. But I could also make an xml document, and just have the posts contained in items like an rss feed, then have the javascript read from there. Use a php script to add new entries to it. They could even be in the same file, just have to use two different elements.

Finally, on the main page, you can click on the title of the blog post to link there. This is done via script, so there is no mouseover indication that you can do this. I want to make the title element change a bit when you mouseover it - perhaps make it a little paler on mouseover?

[uroboros-if]

Please please share some coding/designing wisdom. Your game is so damn pretty 😭😭😭 Could you tell us what template you used and how hard it was to make it look like it is today? I imagine so much work must have gone into it

😭😭 I am no expert, but these are just my rationale/methods behind the visual choices I made!

For the template I used—I used Vahnya's Template! However, this post by @/manonamora-if has a whole section for templates that I wish I saw or checked out before making my IF! In another lifetime, I might've just used nyehilism's template to achieve the bottom sidebar instead of torturing myself learning how to do it... ;;

Below, I go into detail the timeline of designing Uroboros, as well as advice through the process I went!

Design Timeline

I started designing the UI late October 2022, and kept fixing, changing, editing it well into February and maybe a little bit of March 2023.

October 2022 - Early iterations of the design. Looked for stock images and began implementing it to add a background to the sidebar and the actual passages. Swatched some color palettes and began implementing them into the IF. Later decided to make the sidebar on the bottom instead of on the side. Also, added a title screen.

November - Testing different backgrounds for the IF's sidebar. Added a textbox to the passages, also worked on the black fade transitions.

December - Finished working on the sidebar background for both light and dark theme, began work on the background of the IF instead.

January 2023 - Finished working on the dark and light theme backgrounds! Started work on drawing the skill icons for light and dark theme, and finished!

February - Changed the title screen to look better on mobile, created a circle logo, added a border to the textbox. Also, made further edits for light theme.

March - Just remade the "Uroboros" logo.

If you're wondering why it took approximately 5 months to get to the final version—don't worry! I wasn't working only on the design for 5 months. My partner helped make the edits for the design, while I worked on coding them in and writing.

I spent a lot of time trying to get a grasp on Javascript, SugarCube, and HTML all throughout this time as well, to know how to fluidly add these things. Meaning, while I was working on these visual elements, I was also figuring out how to do the "looking" mechanic, black and white transitions, figuring out how Tweego worked, radio buttons, and so on.

Do note I've been busy the entire time throughout, so perhaps you can do this much quicker than I can!

The "Secrets"

1. Please—look at IFs you love! What are some visual aspects of other IFs that you love and want to include in your story? I started by analyzing parts of other IFs that I love. I liked Wayfarer's textbox; I liked how the choices looked in When Twilight Strikes. I liked the textboxes in the beginning of Zorlok. Find the things that amaze you about other IFs, and implement it your own way!

This seems like super basic advice—but trust me, once you think, "How can I put this in my game?" you will not only be able to have it, but most likely, you'll also learn a LOT.

While seeing how I could make the radio buttons, for example, I started researching. I googled "How to live change text?" and then I found out about jQuery, how to use the replace macro, etc. etc. JUST from researching how to do exactly one (1) feature.

2. What is missing in other IFs? Think about your own reading experience. I didn't like the clunkiness of some, how the sidebar is on the side when space on a mobile-screen is severely limited length-wise. So, I put the sidebar on the bottom.

I didn't like how other choices look in IFs, so I wanted a way to do mine that's nice and elegant(though it's still a little hard to read, admittedly).

Again, researching how to do the things you want opens many doors for you. I learned how to style <li> and change how bullets look, learned how to style links in Twine in general, etc. etc. again with just this ONE thing I wanted to change/add.

3. Don't do the work all by yourself. I struggled so hard because I hate asking for help. I was happy to Google other people's problems, but I never thought to open up my own thread or ask anybody in the community for help. Please, not only ask, but also—your work doesn't have to be completely original.

Use templates. Look at manon's amazing masterlist of things you can implement. I also have a few macro's that you can use, like multipronouns for MC, that does the work for you, for free.

Rip people's codes—respectfully. I'm not saying from other IFs, but online in other places. If they appear on help forums or are publicly available through places like CodePen, chances are that they're open-source or licensed in such a way that anyone can use it (e.g. MIT license).

Again, here is Manon's masterlist, which includes custom macros you can use in your game (Chapel, HiEv and Cycy are my high recommendations)! Additionally, here's my code for multipronouns here and my code for setting RO genders here.

4. MAKE IT READABLE!! Even if you want your game to look pretty... please, I'm begging you, make it easy to read. This is the most important thing ever.

I have a short attention span, and so does my partner. We reviewed the game to make sure we are NOT compromising the reading experience with our design. As much as we want fantastical backgrounds, we wanted to make sure it was at least not distracting. As much as we want gaudy styles, we want the actual passage to be suited for the long haul.

The most, most important part is to enhance the reading experience--not by adding things on, but by making it simple and intuitive. As someone in the computer science field, the user experience is CRITICAL. Put yourself in their shoes, think about them first and foremost.

Twine is amazingly customizable, and its powers can be wielded for good and evil. Plenty of amazing writers but inexperienced UI designers, especially from CoG, get into Twine. CoG almost completely takes away the design element, so Twine is a whole new ballpark.

Uroboros has a lot of pomp, but the actual textbox is uncharacteristically simple in comparison. The simplicity against an otherwise fantastical, but non-distracting background helps give it elegance. The sidebar, in contrast, is very eye-catching—but, it's also out of view most of the time, and isn't built for long reading.

To add on, make sure it's readable on mobile. I guarantee 80% of your readers are going to be reading your IF on their phone, and probably at 3 AM, so you will want the mobile to look as good as PC, or even better.

Closing Thoughts

Anyway, as basic as this advice is, this is really what guided my entire thought process behind my visual choices! -- Picking and choosing what you like from IFs, figuring out how to do them through research, and making sure your IF is built to be read for a while.

Thanks so much for asking, thinking that I have wisdom to impart!! 😭🫶💕

[c9ffea]

java bootcamp ~ 2nd week (๑'ᵕ'๑)⸝

(or more like a pokedex update)

After practicing more javascript, I decided to get back to my pokedex and work on it before going into the next step on bootcamp (that would be their angular course)

I'm still having a hard time understanding API and how to use it;; but that's fine. I'll keep studying and practicing ( ｡ •̀ ᴖ •́ ｡)૭

Monday I finished the index page (which I want to change it later!!). and now I've been working on the profile page. I got stuck with CSS length units, couldn't understand the difference between rem/em/etc and it didn't help that my head was foggy, but today I could study more and now I get it better yey!!

The profile page is looking like this right now (mobile first):

I'm still trying to figure out how I want it to be displayed on a bigger device *thinking*, but I'm pretty happy about how it turned out as it was made without tutoring ˶‘ ᵕ ‘˶

Another part that I liked is the two buttons on the top. I couldn't add an event with javascript so the arrow button works as a back page button. I kind of know how I can do it, but I don't know what I did wrong Σ(-᷅_-᷄๑) For now I did this on html:

ᶦ ʷᶦˡˡ ᶜʰᵃⁿᵍᵉ ᶦᵗ ˡᵃᵗᵉʳ or perhaps I dont need javascript?

[kafus]

we might actually work on our websites today, we have maintenance we've been wanting to get done for ages but we've been too unwell and burned out and busy etc but i think we're feelin it

maintenance to do list (Virtual Observer):

finally make the comment widget QOL update (mainly to clear out the text fields after submitting a comment so people don't accidentally submit double comments + implement a small fix to disable the comment section after submission until the comments load again, for slower connections) and link a couple of cool mods on the page for it. also clarify some of the wording on the page/make an FAQ

implement a comment section into kiki's journal using the above widget. this may be kinda weird because it's a javascript loader and doesn't use iframes, perhaps manually implement URL parameters in the JS?

make a proper splash page for mobile users since right now it's still what kiki threw together to get it out

change kiki's introduction and move all that internet manifesto type stuff to its own page at a later time

the icon/link to BMF on ayano's half STILL says CPG... it's been months...

change our guestbook from 123guestbook to the comment widget code

kiki could probably stand to change the list of sites she likes again

maintenance to do list (Blue Moon Falls):

update the Egg Hue Previewer to have a language option since "EGG" is different in other languages

add a disclaimer about how you can't use a pokemon nickname that is the same as the species name in all caps in the general stadium hue previewer

completely rebuild the stat experience tracker tool from scratch to make it more accessibility-friendly and up to the standards of the current site

brighten the red on the yellow site theme

remove the notice about the CPG name change (probably unnecessary at this point)

look into making a BMF RSS feed (we've never done RSS so there will be a learning curve)

at some point we need to fix some old HTML quirks so that BMF can be properly run through the WC3 validator (mostly change link buttons to have targets instead of using tags)

definitely won't get this done all in one day but we can start chipping at it. after that we can start working on new projects

[nanncyjoe]

Can a non-IT student do a Cloud Computing Course? Yes or No?

The days when a degree in IT was a must to enter the field are long gone.

Today, all you really need is a passion to learn, and you can pursue the career of your choice. As the IT industry continues to grow and become crucial to nearly every sector, the demand for skilled professionals in this field is higher than ever.

In fact, according to a report by Precedence Research, this industry — which currently stands at USD 1.50 trillion in 2024 — is expected to reach around USD 2.98 trillion by 2034.

With such high demand, it’s quite evident why many “non-techies” are now looking to switch to IT, particularly in the field of cloud computing.

So, if you’re an individual or perhaps a non-IT student wondering, “can a non-IT student do a cloud computing course”, you don’t need to worry.

There’s definitely space for you to make a career in the field of IT — or more specifically, cloud computing — regardless of your background.

But, before you start to make your switch, let’s first understand what exactly cloud computing is:

Cloud Computing — An Overview

Cloud computing refers to the delivery of computing services — such as applications, data storage, networking, and analytics — over the internet, instead of physical, on-site servers.

This technology enables businesses to scale operations, innovate quickly, and manage resources more efficiently and flexibly.

Cloud computing is a broad and dynamic field that goes beyond just coding and network management.

It includes a range of roles and specializations like cloud developers, data analysts, project managers, sales professionals, and customer support teams.

As such, it offers opportunities for various skill sets and expertise for people from various fields.

Renowned names like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP) are among the major providers of cloud-based services to millions.

And as far as learning goes, there are various credible platforms in the market. Names like Quick Certified that offer courses like Cloud Computing Bootcamp.

Courses like these are perfect for beginners as well as individuals seeking new skills in today’s technology-driven world.

Having done with the basics, now let’s discuss how a non-IT professional can transition to IT — specifically in the field of cloud computing:

How a Non-Technical Professional can Transition to IT (particularly cloud computing)

• Start with IT Fundamentals

Whether you’re a professional or a non-tech student wanting to do a cloud computing course, it’s essential to build a solid foundation of basic IT concepts.

The basics of IT include learning about hardware, software, operating systems, networking, and security.

Familiarizing yourself with how computers work, how data flows through networks, and how different systems interact will help you understand more advanced cloud technologies later on.

• Learn Key Cloud Computing Skills

Once you have an understanding of IT basics, it’s time to focus on cloud computing.

Cloud platforms like Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Google Cloud are the backbone of many modern IT systems.

To get started, learn the core cloud services these platforms offer, such as computing power, storage, and databases.

Apart from that, familiarizing yourself with at least one programming language is needed to automate tasks or developing solutions.

Languages like Python or JavaScript are often recommended for beginners as they are relatively easy to learn and prove as good starting points.

• Get Certified

Once you think you have a solid grasp of the fundamentals of cloud computing, your next goal should be getting yourself certified.

Earning a certification is a great way to demonstrate your abilities, knowledge, and skills to a potential employer, which improves your chances of getting shortlisted.

While it’s important to note that certification doesn’t automatically guarantee employment, but rather a proof of your understanding that you have the requisite knowledge and skills to manage cloud-based projects and solutions.

As a beginner, it’s possible that you haven’t decided on a specialization yet. Therefore, it’s advisable to begin with foundational or associate-level programs like Cloud Computing Bootcamp from platforms like Quick Certified are quite sufficient.

• Gain some work experience

The best way to truly learn is by doing. And that also stands true for IT roles.

Look for opportunities to work on real-world projects, whether it’s through internships, volunteer work, or personal projects.

Even if you’re just setting up a simple cloud-based application or working on a side project to practice what you know, real experience is invaluable.

You can also start contributing to open-source projects or find freelance opportunities to build your portfolio.

• Build a stellar Portfolio

As you gain skills and experience, create a portfolio to showcase your work.

This could include projects you’ve done, cloud-based applications you’ve built, or even contributions to open-source communities.

A well-organized portfolio helps demonstrate your abilities to employers and makes you stand out from the competition.

If you’re unsure where to start, try building small cloud projects like deploying a website on AWS or setting up a database on Google Cloud.

Doing pro bono (for free) work provides an excellent opportunity for you to enhance your skills through real-world projects while also contributing to the cloud computing community.

• Don’t ignore Networking!

Networking is key in IT, just like in any other field.

Attend industry events, webinars, and online forums where cloud professionals gather.

You can also connect with IT professionals or Top Voices on LinkedIn, asking for information regarding a particular topic, or seek advice on how to break into the field.

Building relationships with others in the industry can lead to valuable job opportunities or mentorship.

• Search for Jobs

Once you’ve done all the previous steps, it’s time to start applying for jobs.

You can apply for jobs as well as continue networking as both of them go hand in hand.

Begin with entry-level positions or internships to get your foot in the door.

Make sure your resume highlights your relevant work experience with clear, detailed bullet points that showcase your impact — be specific and include everything relevant to the job description — like cloud certifications, relevant projects, and IT experience.

Your cover letter should express your passion for the field and highlight the unique skills and expertise you bring to the table.

You can also opt to partner with recruiters who can advocate for you and help you stand out to potential employers.

Then, if your application gets noticed, things can move fast. Brush up on your interview skills so you’re ready to impress when the opportunity arrives.

Lastly, the most important step: Even after landing a job, continue to learn and grow in the field.

Cloud computing is constantly evolving, and staying up to date will help you advance in your career.

Final Word

In conclusion, making the switch to a career in IT, especially in cloud computing, might seem challenging at first — especially considering if you’re not from the same field, but it offers many exciting opportunities for growth — both knowledge-wise and money-wise.

By building a solid understanding of IT basics, learning about cloud computing, gaining practical experience, connecting with other professionals, and earning certifications, you’ll be setting yourself up for success in this dynamic field.

So, do you think a non-techie individual or a non-IT student can do a cloud computing course and thrive in cloud computing?

Let us know your thoughts below!

[jcmarchi]

How to Manage Your Website's Technical Debt – Speckyboy

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/how-to-manage-your-websites-technical-debt-speckyboy/

How to Manage Your Website's Technical Debt – Speckyboy

The web seems to move at the speed of light. The tools and best practices we use today will soon be outdated. It’s a vicious cycle we repeat again and again.

That often leaves us with some form of technical debt. It could be a WordPress theme that isn’t compatible with the latest version of PHP. Or a hacked-together layout that won’t adapt to future needs. The worst case is software that is no longer supported.

It will impact every website sooner or later. There are ways to manage or even prevent it, though.

So, how do you keep technical debt from becoming a nightmare? Let’s review a few tips for minimizing the impact.

Unlimited Downloads for Web Designers

Starting at just $16.50 per month, download 1,000s of HTML, Bootstrap, and Tailwind CSS, as well as WordPress themes and plugins with Envato Elements. You will also get unlimited access to millions of design assets, photos, video files, fonts, presets, addons, and much more.

Build with Sustainability in Mind

The first step is to reduce the chances for technical debt to take hold. In practice, it’s about building with sustainability in mind.

There are several things you can do. For one, use tools that are popular and well-maintained. It’s not a guarantee of smooth sailing. It does increase the chances of future viability, though.

Let’s use WordPress as an example. The content management system (CMS) has existed for over 20 years. It is continually updated. A large ecosystem of themes and plugins is also thriving.

Perhaps there’s another CMS that catches your eye. It hit the market only recently – there aren’t many users yet.

There’s nothing wrong with this new CMS. But is it sustainable? Only time will tell. Therefore, it may not be the best long-term solution. Using it comes with some level of risk.

Best practices also guard against technical debt. Use the latest standards when writing code. Don’t rely on CSS hacks to build layouts. Comment your code and take detailed notes.

The idea is to think about the present and future. That could save you some headaches down the road.

Perform Regular Audits of Your Website

The status of your stack can change in an instant. Thus, it’s a good idea to perform regular audits.

A website audit should cover both hardware and software. On the hardware side, make sure your web hosting is still viable. Check your site’s performance and resource usage. The results should tell you if you need to upgrade.

You’ll also want to look closely at the software you’re using. Start with the server’s OS. Move on to versions of PHP, MySQL, or whatever you have in place. These items are crucial to your site’s well-being.

From there, it’s time to look at your CMS, themes, and plugins. Also, review any software dependencies – JavaScript libraries are a good example.

Look for outdated items. Are updates available? Is it still actively maintained?

This process will help you identify potential problems. From there, you can take action.

So, how often should you audit your site? A yearly review is fine for small websites. Large and mission-critical sites would benefit from biannual or quarterly inspections.

Use Change as an Opportunity

Perhaps you found an item or two that needs addressing. That’s OK – change is inevitable!

The good news is that change also presents an opportunity. You can reassess how your website is working. There is a chance to build a more stable foundation for the future.

In some cases, you may have to swap one item for another. For example, maybe a WordPress plugin you use has been abandoned.

Now is the time to find a replacement that will offer better longevity. It’s also possible that you no longer need what the old plugin offers. That’s one way to reduce technical debt.

You might also need to modernize your code. We often do this when dealing with PHP compatibility issues.

It’s not only a chance to use the latest version of PHP. You can also look for ways to improve functionality and security. After all, reviewing the code you wrote years ago can show how far you’ve come. There’s a chance to build it better and stronger.

You can do more than bring your website up to date. You can also make forward-thinking changes. The hope is that you can lessen the technical debt you have today – and for the future.

Take Control of Your Site’s Technical Debt

Every website will deal with technical debt. That’s part of its lifecycle.

The difference is in how much debt you’ll face. Critical thinking early in the site-building process can reduce your burden. To that end, always search for the most stable and functional solution.

Changes will come eventually. That’s an opportunity to recalibrate your approach. You can review what works and what doesn’t. The lessons you learn will come in handy as your site evolves.

The key is to think about each step you take. Consider how it will impact your site today, tomorrow, and a year from now.

You probably won’t eliminate the need for change. However, you can learn how to make change more manageable.

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[naturalgroup]

What is Hybrid App Development and How are Hybrid apps developed?

Application or app development refers to the art of building apps for variou devices and platforms. There is web app development, mobile app development and hybrid app development, each have their own distinct characterstics making them equally important in tech world.

Hybrid App Development is a field which is perhaps most interesting because of its unique functions. Therefore, it is necessary to learn what are Hybrid Apps, and how are they made.  

What are the Hybrid Apps?

Joana Almeida defines Hybrid App Development as a “methodology that revolves around building an app with single project using a framework that can target all platforms”. 

The developers create one single code base that will be used for an app on all platforms and this makes it much easier to develop than the native apps which makes it a popular choice for the developers.

Hybrid App frameworks

Hybrid apps use many frameworks depending upon the requirements of the developer like Flutter, React Native, Unity and many more which are discussed in detail below.

React Native

It was released by Facebook and is a multiplatform development framework based on React. You can develop multi-user interface elements with JSX which are later linked to local code and transformed to Android or iOS local views.

Flutter

It is an open source framework by Google that uses its own programming language, Dart to give app to mobile, web plstforms and instilled devices.

Unity

Though it is mainly used for game development, it is a hybrid app development framework best suited for entertainment apps. It is one of the most flexible frameworks using which you can develop apps for Linux, Windows, iOS, Web, and Consoles.

Ionic

Ionic is used to develop mobile apps using HTML, CSS and JavaScript. It is easy to use, and sturdy and for  the front end it has built in AngularJS making it a much preffered option for front end developers. 

Benefits of Hybrid Apps

There are many benefits that come with this form of app development. Mixing technologies allows a developer more freedom to create apps suitable for all platforms and devices.

They are much more affordable than the native apps which is beneficial for any business. Not only on the monetary front but also from the performance point of view they are lightweight, and much more responsive.

Maintenance of codes has always been an issue that many have struggled with but with hybrid apps, a singular back end is able to power all of the apps and can also be updated quickly. This reduces the time and labor that was previously required to create separate back end for each platform that they supported.

Smooth and concurrent user experience is guaranteed in any hybrid app because users will experience same look and services of the brand on all platforms. This improves traffic and enhance the image of a brand.

How are Hybrid Apps developed?

The first step towards developing an app is selecting the right approach, tools, frameworks and technology stack.

Following this is the most crucial step that is development. It involves writing codes for Hybrid app, and it needs a cross platform tool like PhoneGap or Ionic to do this process. It includes UX/UI readiness, structure and function development.

Testing follows next. An app needs to be thoroughly tested before releasing in the market. At this stage the developers focus on erasing erros, adding more refined features and many other things before it is ready to be released.

Maintainance is an integral feature in this process. You need to continously evolve and upgrade the app as time passes by. Releasing new versions, keeping up with latest inventions and trends are all part and parcels Hybrid app development process.

Conclusion

Hybrid App Development has become more popular with advancement in app development. As there are more users who are using multiple devices to browse, it has created a need to develop applications which can be run onm multiplatforms with same performance quality and this is where Hybrid App Development comes into play.

More and more brands and app developers are moving towards this technology to keep up with the trends and requirements of the users. Its multifunctionality, flexibility, and global outreach has pushed it towards the top. You can create your own apps or have a developer to do that for you using Hybrid App development easily.

[alisheaburgess]

Dev Diaries: Midday check-in-Day 2 Getting There

Today's Plan, Start of Day

Dear Dev Diary, Masterlist

Not as chaotic this time 😊

It's 8pm (my mid-day...) and I have the bulk of the courses finished! 🥂 I've already thrown in some that I wasn't planning on... 😁 nothing crazy and all relevant...mostly hehe

Design Study

I have officially finished 4 out of the 6 fuller courses on UX that are available! Yay!!! I didn't think I would get them all done in time. I'm very near finished with the other two as well. I have done so many of the stand-alone courses on top of those. If I didn't do any more courses I would still feel more than accomplished. But we stop for nothing!!! (nothing except my subscription ending lol)

I do seem to lean more toward the design side of UX instead of research.

Oh! One thing that I'm not understanding is whether Interaction Design is considered UX or UI?

It makes sense that it's in the middle. But I thought UI was more graphic design, not so much the interactions themselves. It isn't a huge difference necessarily, but it helps to know what to look for when searching for jobs. 😂 I've seen posts and people mention that UX, UI, Interaction, and Visual are all different... "Interaction Designer" doesn't really pop up much on its own in searches though. I assume it's under either UX or UI? Or is it just rare?

These are the things that will keep me up at night.

(Note: I did look it up. It always has nice explanations in posts that are about sorting through the types. I'm asking this question more in practice.)

Dev Study

HTML is so much fun!!!!!

I got the courses finished that I needed to make sure I got done today. Phew... but, that does make me closer to the CSS video lol I might actually start it tonight. We shall see what I get done!

I noticed in the basic HTML courses that the majority of issues that I see with websites (before design study) are all HTML issues. Not only that, but they seem to be fairly easy fixes. Of course, I may learn more reasons later on about why everything else actually made it more complicated than that.

Perhaps it's because of my blogging and general site interactions over the years, but HTML seems fairly intuitive. Maybe someone who doesn't have blogging experience wouldn't feel that way though?

Either way, I'm super excited to get into CSS soon and get to play around more. And then to JavaScript!!! Onward!

I have SO MANY PLANS!!!!

The problem will, in fact, be making up my mind on which one to do (first, and only "making up my mind" once and then sticking to it 😅😋)

Maybe I'll do a poll when the time comes and let the internet decide. Who knows lol

I'm going to try and get back to it. I'm gonna start the Agile courses 👀 pray they are the correct courses I need 😅🤣

[welpuu]

hhh heres what my friend found out (she has some javascript experience)

she said she was gonna rest her brain and try again later 💀

quoted from her:

"one thing i did perhaps find is that it's encrypted in sha 256. all the code under function sha256(ascii) is code to encrypt something in sha 256 in the function foo which i think is the most important part, the part that will release the image link, the input should have something that relates to sha 256."

if that was already figured out then welp. ig we'll just keep digging later

possible purpose of /that/ secret message + tally5 info

Keep reading

[hebimoonlightwrites]

⋆𝓢𝓪𝓫𝓾𝓻𝓸 𝓨𝓪𝓶𝓪𝓭𝓪⋆ 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓪 𝓰/𝓷 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓮𝓻 𝔀𝓱𝓸 𝓭𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓵𝓸𝓹𝓼 𝓿𝓲𝓭𝓮𝓸-𝓰𝓪𝓶𝓮𝓼 𝓪𝓼 𝓱𝓸𝓫𝓫𝔂

⋆We all know how this tsundere boy is interested in hacking as well as in video-games (like in Hypnosis Mic ARB's event, Hypnosis Mic Quest Part 1);

⋆So he'd be so amazed if he found out you are developing video-games as an hobby and be so much interested in testing at least one of your games;

⋆He'd be waiting the end of classes only to reach you and ask you questions about your interesting hobby;

⋆Actually you had never seen that part of Saburo. You've always known him as the boy wonder of school, the one who is pretty much brilliant and always gets perfect grades, especially in maths.

⋆"Is it true, y/n-san? You're a video-games developer?", his eyes would sparkle so amazed;

⋆You probably would gasp and try to avoid his gaze at first, but ends up whispering: "I swear.. It's nothing special.. Just some random Javascript's commands.. Nothing else. I promise-";

⋆He'd chuckle: "I'm sure it's not as bad as you think, y/n-san";

⋆Then he'd be starting to talk about how difficult creating video-games is and how much effort developers has for working so long. You'd see that part of Saburo, that is his curiosity about developing, and you'd join his speech, saying how satisfying finishing a video-game actually is;

⋆Then you'd surely talk about your not-yet-finished works and your failed attempts;

⋆"𝓜𝓪𝔂 𝓘 𝓽𝓻𝔂 𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝓸𝓯 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓿𝓲𝓭𝓮𝓸-𝓰𝓪𝓶𝓮𝓼, 𝔂/𝓷?"

⋆At first you'd be a lot embarrassed to accept, but after some minutes you'd say yes and mentally choose which of your creations you should show Saburo;

⋆Maybe the horror one? Noo, it's not as scary as you wanted it to be!

⋆Perhaps the romantic one? NOOO. That's completely OUT of the question!! You're not going to make the situation more embarrassing!!

⋆Here! The fantasy one should be good! You know Saburo enjoys fantasy games, no? It'd work.

⋆After that you'd prepare yourself and reach Yamada brothers' house, only to spend the afternoon playing that video-game with Saburo.

⋆I headcanon that, soon or later, also Jiro and Ichiro would join you both only to have fun, trying your video-game.

⋆I'm sure, though, that the afternoon would go amazingly and that Saburo would enjoy your game A LOT, especially if you've added many magical spells, an interesting story-mode and a lot of special skills for your characters!!

⋆Even if he's pretty judging and most of the time he finds something which isn't good in games, I headcanon that he'd prefer your games to those he has actually bought for his PC, especially to Infinity Destruction Online...- Defenitely!!

⋆"Wow, y/n-san.. It's been fun!! You should work on a sequel!! I want to know if we've destoyed the Underworld Demon for real!.. I feel like it's not finished at all."

©hebimoonlightwrites_tumblr Please, do not copy my contents nor repost it without my permission.

[sunnydaleherald]

Good news for people who loathe HTML, don't know who HTML is, or love Python/JavaScript

As you've probably heard if you're reading this, the Herald has been at least one editor short for a few months now.

This isn't a guilt trip post, though. (We'll do that later.)

Instead, we've been thinking about ways to make Heralding easier and less time-consuming.

If you saw the phrase "Ḥ̷̦̈T̸̜̒͝M̸̱̈́̍Ļ̵͕͑̃ ̵̭̈͝t̶̫̄̒e̸̥̋̔ḿ̴͓̰p̷̢̱͂l̴̢̐̕ạ̸̠͐͝t̶̢̲̒ê̵̜̈́" in our previous calls for editors and that was what made you decide that Herald duties aren't for you, you may be glad to hear that we've set up an alternative posting process! It involves:

less HTML,

less copy-pasting,

more clicking,

and a chance to play with Pinboard (of ambyr’s “The Morning After” fame).

If you're curious, we'll be happy to show you what it looks like!

Or, perhaps there's someone out there who doesn't have an interest in making weekly newsletter posts but DOES have programming skills? Someone who could set up a more efficient way to get links from point A (a collection of feeds) to point B (a formatted list)? We think this might involve Python or JavaScript and maybe the Pinboard API.

(Everything we do here is on a volunteer basis, though, so you'd be lending us your expertise out of the goodness of your heart.)

As always, everyone, please feel free to ask us stuff and find out more about what volunteering for the Herald would be like! We don't expect anyone to commit to any duties before you're ready (or at all, if you talk to us and then decide it isn't for you). :)

[anxietywriter]

character things

separating them by different types/cliches to make it easier :3, just a bunch of details/quirks that a character might have gained from their hobbies/profession. this is a long one so buckle in!

There's a part two!

Artist If they're into digital art then it might be because they like how there's no mess and how everything's so smooth. Or they like how they can easily share it without having to worry about lighting when taking a picture. Maybe they like the fact that they don't have to buy canvases, paints, brushes, sketchbooks, pencils, etc. it's just all on the screen. They probably have an artist's glove so their hand doesn't touch the screen. A drawing tablet or a phone with a stylus. If they use their finger to draw then they're probably met with looks of both awe and horror. If they're a traditional drawerer then it's probably because they like the texture and how they can subtly layer the color(s). They might like having a physical work to keep. Perhaps they enjoy working with their medium because they like interacting with the various materials rather than just a screen.

Tech Wiz if they just like fixing up computers or providing support/help when figuring out different tools/applications, they're the person to go to. they probably learned either in a class about it or youtube, and damn are they good at it. if they're into coding and programming, then chances are they're googling a lot of solutions. they probably have stress dreams on the ideal piece of code to fix their issues. oh also the code sometimes does a thing, something that it's not supposed to do but is technically right, so searches through vast lines of code to discover the not quite properly working piece. if they're super into it, they might know how to hack into things, collect viruses, or combat other hackers. if not, then chances are they only know how to make a minor virus that makes the browser crash via an infinite javascript loop

Athlete if they do it for school/for a scholarship, then you bet that they're trying their best, even with all the grumbling along the way. they work hard to do their best while at the same time trying to maintain their grades and do homework in between games and practices. even so, their academic schedule often interferes with their sports schedule, leading to a lot of frustration between teachers and coaches alike. and that's if they don't work part-time. if they do sports professionally, they're competent. their mind works lightning fast on the most strategic move to make both before and in games. they constantly try to keep at the top of their game, coming up with new moves to surprise their opponents. they're dedicated, this is their career, their passion, a lot of their free time goes into practicing and prepping for the next game. if it's more recreational, it's less complicated. they like doing sports or working out, but it's a lot more fluid schedule, they're not under any pressure to perform if they have a prior engagement. they like to keep in shape though and have a competitive spirit, they enjoy getting better at what they're doing, accomplishing something.

Writer all they think about sometimes is writing. but the thing is? they only think about it in scenes. bits and pieces. with no middle bits to fill in the blanks. but what wonderful scenes. these scenes have no words either, but are so crisp and clear, though there may be difficulty in transcribing those scenes to match the vision. there's whole stories waiting sometimes, certain songs or movies or words reminding them of different characters or aspects of stories they like. and they so badly want to read it, to see it out there in the world and it's as if their hands shake from the need of writing. they tend to write down anything and everything they can remember, saving the details for later.

Math Genius if they excel in mental math, they don't often show their work, much to the exasperation of teachers. yet their answers are right, whole equations and calculations slotting together in their head. it might take them a little while, but simple calculations only take a few seconds. they've probably also devised ways to calculate larger numbers faster, that way they can do it mentally rather than writing it down or using a calculator. if they're awful at mental math, they scribble down calculations and equations onto every little scrap of blank paper there is. they reference the writing, so one wrong stroke of the hand can only spell disaster. it's hardly legible, their hand struggling to keep up with the calculations in their head, but everytime they try to do it mentally their mind stalls. it's faster to just write everything, to figure it out as they go along. by the end of the day, they've probably had to sharpen or replace the lead of their pencil multiple times and their eraser is already gone.

[howlingmoonrise]

What kind of questions do you have? I know a guy who's dabbled with both the Wayback and crawler blockers (he's a cyber sec major)

heyo! sorry about the late reply, it's been busy and i wanted to give a more comprehensive list of questions, but it doesn't look like it's gonna let up anytime soon.

meanwhile i also got this fantastic reply which put several things in perspective. so going from this, i think what i'd ask is the following:

does he know of other established archives like wayback that are more willing to bend the rules in respect to crawler blockers? (basically save at all costs philosophies)

are there any good libraries (preferably for python, php, javascript, perhaps java) to bypass crawler blockers/redirects like the one FFN has right now?

^plus one on this actually since on a side archiving project (a mass FFN downloader, like this one for AO3 by the absolute deity nianeyna) i'd like to program something to basically do what single fic downloaders do (get the text of every chapter and build a file of the complete fic), which i can do easily enough based on the html but i'd need a way to get past the blockers/redirects first

ethical decisions pending, for wayback in general, is there a way to bypass crawler blockers? i mean this for blockers that are non-specific to wayback (i don't want to go against their policies of being respectful) but for more general robots.txt that might block WM/other archives unintentionally in an effort to block out bots and similar. i haven't had the time to research this properly yet so this might not be at all how WARC files work, but my thoughts were something among the lines of programming a crawler to build WARC files by going past the blockers on my/client side before creating the files themselves for later upload on the archive.

general technical advice on getting started on the fight against the blockers? like i said i've been recommended httrack to download sites in their entirety but all other suggestions and tips are welcome, especially since i've had the mass downloader project in the backburner for a while

thank you so much!

[frtools]

Code snippets

Many ideas that have been thrown my way and things I simply see people share or do are simple. They are small. Too small to dedicate an entire area to on FRTools like the existing tools each have. But they are still useful and deserve a place to reside so people can use them. So, without further ado I am introducing a new section on the site “Code snippets”. Code snippets, as the above paragraph indicates, will have a collection of small useful scripts that I can easily expand on in the future. These scripts will almost always be completely client side, using just javascript, meaning there is no backend maintenance I need to take care of later.

Right now there are only 3 snippets one can use, but more are planned. Perhaps you have a small thing you keep repeating yourself that you would like to be added?

As always if you have any questions feel free to ask them, or join our discord server : )