Confessions of a Web Developer XIII

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David Walsh Confessions

It's been quite a while since I've gotten a few things off of my chest and since I'm always full of peeves and annoyances I thought it was time to unleash:

  • As Firefox OS inches toward a 1.0 release, I cannot wait to see how the product changes the lives of mobile users and developers in developing countries.  Firefox OS doesn't release as a direct competitor to Apple's iOS or popular Android devices, but rather as an affordable, open smartphone operating system.  An open mobile OS that runs only HTML5 apps?  The future is coming...
  • I recently bought a Roku and an AppleTV.  I like the Roku much more.  As someone who doesn't buy content (i.e. avoids the iTunes store like the plague), and bought an AppleTV under the impression they had an App Store (they don't), I find the Roku much more flexible.  The variety available on the Roku proves the value of an open system...
  • ..though in 2013, I still need bunny ears to get basic network television channels.  WTF!?
  • MooTools 2 is coming to prime time soon.....
  • Coding in python has changed the way I think about the argument for using semicolons in JavaScript;  nothing needed to end a statement in python, so why should any language?  I used to be a semicolon-or-GTFO guy but, like any tool, it's only as good as its developer.  Then again I'm sure many of you believe in the truth about JavaScript semicolons...
  • There's a been an lack of Christina Ricci on this blog in recent months and that's simply unacceptable;  I promise to prevent this issue in the future.
  • jQuery's popularity (and the popularity of simple JavaScript frameworks) seems to have tapered off with the implementation of CSS animations and querySelectorAll in modern browsers, as well as IE9+ standards implementation.  We'll soon see the rise of JavaScript micro-frameworks that also work on the server side...
  • I realize that ESPN is a giant entity, and the larger an entity gets the less they care about the educated, but their use of auto-playing videos is embarrassing and needs to stop.  No visitor has stopped going to a site because a video didn't auto-play, but think about the millions that don't return because of auto-playing...
  • Smashing Magazine's design is absolutely world class.  Take a moment to view their site and its responsiveness;  second to none.  It's been a joy seeing SM evolve over the years.
  • I've been donating development books about JavaScript, CSS, Mobile, and HTML5 to my local library recently.  As I shared with Eric Meyer, a huge influence in my career choice was going to the library and finding Eric Meyer's original CSS book.  At the age of 14, he totally opened up my front-end development imagination and I've been in love ever since.  In love with front-end development...not Eric Meyer...though I'm sure he's a great guy...
  • I've been toying with the idea of starting a Script & Style eNewsletter.  Sign up!
  • Imagine how much money the tech-enlightened save;  streaming content online, buying products cheaper online, and simply not be taken advantage of when buying a computer, antivirus software, etc....
  • David Walsh Blog Jr. is due on March 6th, 2013.  No doubt the kid will be a <legend>...
  • Take a moment to think of all the business rackets models our children will never know...cable television, cable/paid internet (open internet by their time?), $30 CDs & DVDs, limited cell phone minutes/data, MySpace (lol), etc.  The days of holding citizens hostage is coming to an end...a la carte television, free internet, and common sense cell phone charges are coming.

And there you have it. Feel free to let me know where I'm rubbish.

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Discussion

  1. Bob

    What is wtf about bunny ears? I’ve been getting my entertainment fix on the internet to the point that it didn’t make sense to keep paying a cable subscription anymore, but the bunny ears still work to catch the local news and when I don’t want to stream a show.

  2. Justin

    So…David Walsh Blog Jr. is born? Congrats! Or impending congrats. And I think artists should still be paid for their contest, whether that’s in the form of a $30 piece of media or something else. After traveling to Japan, where CDs really are $30+, I feel like my $7 MP3 Amazon purchase is the least I can do. That trip actually got me to stop pirating music. And, as always, great site. Can’t wait to see more and discover your other Easter eggs.

  3. Simon

    As far as semicolons go – Python isn’t Javascript. Python doesn’t have end-of-statement markers because they’d be redundant given Python’s insistence on having a single statement per line, and on use of indenting for block delimiting.

    But Javascript – like all of the C family – is much looser about such things, and while a trailing semicolon isn’t always necessary, it’s just easier to always put it in. It’s in the same category as the ability to treat a single statement as a block without surrounding it with braces – it works, but it causes so much pain when you get it wrong that it’s just easier to put braces around all if/while/for blocks. Again, Python doesn’t have that problem because it’s much stricter about code layout.

  4. Paul

    Have you seen the new Myspace? I like it for the music.

  5. Bruce Williams

    I like donating books to the library as well, but it did lose a little luster when I learned that libraries typically sell donated books, not shelve them.

  6. Jeremy

    re: “nothing needed to end a statement in python, so why should any language?”

    A newline character is not nothing…

  7. Hi David

    “jQuery’s popularity (and the popularity of simple JavaScript frameworks) seems to have tapered off ”
    not quite – the opposite in fact. Based on this survey [http://w3techs.com/technologies/history_overview/javascript_library/all] last year jQuery has overtaken “no framework”. So if anything to more and more people jQuery IS js.

    On the other hand, MooTool’s, YUI’s and Prototype’s share keeps going down, while Dojo and ExtJS stays minimal. Probably a good thing.

    • A lot of what frameworks are used are slowly be replaced by CSS transitions. This may not be shown in surveys or results for 2012, but really only towards the end of 2012 did it become an OK practice to start using and relying on CSS transitions. Google and other leaders publically cutting off support for internet explorer and other browsers really helped that.

      I do agree with the rise of the micro framework; that is more attractive to a computer science major. I’m excited see jquery to continue moving towards an interface library, with mobile and UI being more incorporated while dropping elements that can now be done with transitions. But that doesn’t mean I’ll enjoy writing heavy code with it :)

  8. @Randy

    you say that, but where’s evidence? The trend points the other way.

    Also, it’s not an either / or situation. For example, I use CSS transitions too, normally I just assign different transitions to different classes in CSS, then use jQuery to switch class on a node and fire off the transition. It’s more a case of CSS transition replacing $.animate rather than replacing the whole of jQuery

  9. David Walsh Blog Jr. – if that means you’re a dad to be – congratulations!

  10. Anna

    Congrats on David Walsh Blog Jr. I think you meant March 6th of 2013, right? It says 2012 instead of 2013.

    • Ooops, sorry Anna! 2013, a month and a half to go! :)

  11. Nice nice.. I’m excited to see the David Walsh Blog Jr. blog! I’ve been reading this blog for a long time, I just have no guts to comment, just recently. Just now. Haha!

  12. Nice read! Congratulations on Jr!

    Re: A phone that runs only HTML 5 apps. That is great, and hopefully the future is soon!

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