your friendly neighborhood web developer

Im quite surprised when I open my email this morning, the first time that I opened it this year. There are few emails from unknown (not in my contact) source. I thought that Gmail’s spam protection is starting to lag behind those spammer geeks.

Well, the email come from prospective clients… to my surprise! How the hell did they know me? Oh…. yeah…. I have my site and my blog, both saying that I am a web developer. I know that my design don’t impress them, i haven’t even made a post to my blog for some time… and I have not portfolio to show them…then why? Why me?! Hahahaha! I must really start building other sites today so I can have a full blown portfolio.

Well, I might be taking some of the freelance jobs, yeah some. I might be busy doing projects for the company…but I might also be busy looking for another job But I’m not quiting my job until I found a better one, I won’t be a full time freelancer.

 Just keep them coming! More jobs, more cash!

 This is your friendly neighborhood web developer and this is the way to jumpstart 09…taking freelance jobs!

The Japanese Language Proficiency Test (日本語能力試験 nihongo nōryoku shiken), or JLPT, is a standardized test to evaluate and certify the language proficiency of non-native Japanese speakers. It is held once every year, on the first Sunday of December.

The Japanese Language Proficiency  Test (JLPT) is around the corner, it is actually this Sunday Dec 07, 08. And because I’m working in a japanese company… I’ll be there in la salle to try on JLPT level 4. My permit is secured, I’m reviewing double time (oooowwwwssss?!) and im still blogging hahahah!

First of all… I’m not expecting myself to pass this exam, nihongo is so damn hard! But who knows… lady luck might be smiling on me. Also…I need the incentive that the company will give the passers hahahah! This will also give a certification under my belt which might help me in finding other jobs.

This is your friendly neighborhood web developer and I’m getting ready for JLPT (zzzzzzzzZZZZZ…)

Right now I’m having a hard time with a freelance project, not that its really hard… it’s just that, here is a formula to explain this:

 HARD = ((company project + freelance project + robot contest + searching for a better job + thinking on how to get filthy rich) * limited time) ^laziness and stuff

See its really hard hahahahah…

 Well, I envy those people born with silver spoon in their mouth… they just have no problem getting the things they want and still manage to say its hard (damn). But for me, born of a working lower-mid class, it hard… that’s all, enough of the ranting.

 I don’t want to be working my tired ass all my life. A colleague and I am thinking of a website that can be a start-up, something like Facebook, Friendster or Sulit.com.ph. It is not an easy task… almost everything you can think of is in the web already.

 I’m also building up some funds so that I can invest in a business or in the stock market. Yeah, note to me: Spend less, buy only what you need. This is why I am doing some freelance work.

 Yes, I’m also looking for other job <I hope someone in the company who doesn’t know this won’t read this post>. A higher paying job where I can learn more.

 Ok this is going nowhere… but I still hope that the stars will line up and that I can be a millionaire in my twenties… not impossible!

Well… this is your friendly neighborhood web developer… and where will I go? What is this post about again? Hahahah.

I’ve been blogging about ZF and its promise… yeah, but in the end (in the project) its promise will still render less advantage considering the time that I have to spend learning it. So for the meantime, I’m going for Codeigniter, a smaller and simpler framework.

We’re a perfect match I think <hahahha>. It is easier to study… I didn’t need to read the entire user guide, which I must say is amazing, to code a part that requires some framework functionality. I also noticed the difference in speed, CI is much faster.

For this thing… Zend framework must give way for now. I, well… the team will be using Codeigniter the projects. Well, maybe we can use ZF in future projects when we sort of absorb it to the point when we can optimize its use. If you want to download CI you can go here, don’t worry its free and its much smaller than ZF

Well, taking about learning Zend framework. If you are in the Philippines and you are looking for some training or course about the Zend framework, you’re probably like me, and I haven’t found any. Good thing PHPUGPH will be having a Zend Framework Sessions this Saturday, you can find more info here.

This is your friendly neighbourhood web developer and I’m switching to Codeigniter, for now

As I was reading some threads in my favorite online group (PHPUGPH) I came across this very interesting thing. The owner/founder of the group posted about this Tripoli CSS.

So, what is this all about?

 Well, I’m not good at explaining so here it is from their website:

Tripoli is a generic CSS standard for HTML rendering. By resetting and rebuilding browser standards, Tripoli forms a stable, cross-browser rendering foundation for your web projects.

Tripoli completly resets all default browser standards and rebuilds them quietly with modern web development in mind.

Tripoli is not a CSS framework. It doesn’t tell you how to code your web site. Instead, it forms a solid HTML rendering engine and a base for creating dynamic layouts without interfering with typographic measurements.

Why is this Tripoli thing so appealing to me? Because I suck at design and UI hahah! And this provides a simple and basic solution to my problem. I just as to use it as my base CSS and overwrite some of the styles to fit my needs.

If you want to give it a try… here is the link to Tripoli CSS

This is your friendly neighborhood web developer and Im glad I’ve found Tripoli CSS!

This week my supervisor informed us that our project will be inputted in some tool so that it would be a “legal” (???) project. She instructed my colleague to input my name as a project leader. Great! That would mean more work and… I just hate it!!! Aaaarggghh!

But more frustrating than that is when she informed us that we must start documenting the project. Oh man, I am a programmer, not a technical writer… and I just hate making documentation. 

Back in collage while doing our thesis, I also took the role of the main developer but I never touched the documentation. I let my group mates handle that part. I think I have more problems trying to make the logic of the system and I don’t want extra burden. I also am not that skilled in putting my explanation into word or charts.

Today… I still hate documentation! I know the benefits of documentation but I’m just not born for it (except for inline documentation). And I think that CMMI is overkill. In our department, documentation takes longer than that of the actual development. And if the documentation is that long, I think the time it adds to the project will overshadow its benefits. 

I’m your friendly neighbourhood web developer…ranting and thinking if other developers have the same rants about documentation and CMMI.

I’ve been surfing the net when I came to this site that tell me how to open a nested browser using Mozilla Firefox.

 Then an idea came to my mind <evil grin>

What you need?

• Firefox browser (I’ve done it with FIrefox 3)
• Firebug plug-in (this baby have a lot of use)

Here is what you do:

First step is to start Firefox, of course!

Next is to type chrome://browser/content/browser.xul to the address bar, you will then have a Firefox inside your Firefox

» Read the rest of the entry..

I have posted a week ago that I will be learning the Zend Framework and try to use it in a freelance project. First impression… WTF?!!! (that is in a good way) Well now, I can say nothing but… YEAH BABY!

It is exciting to find out what this framework can do. Damn exciting. I haven’t encountered any real hard ass problem with it (except for some that I should have easily found my way out, thanks to the lazy me).

This is for the win:

• Easy connection to the database
• W3c compliant HTML/XHTML output
• No sweat Dojo integration

Well, that’s it… I haven’t explored Zend Framework that much… but I am planning to! And I think it’ll be a fun process of exploration and discovery. I also take a lot of time for me to code the project because I’m still getting a hang of things. But if mastered, I can say for a fact that this framework will speed up development and boost productivity!

You can download Zend Framework here. Don’t worry, its FREE!

And right here is a very helpful tutorial.

Just a warning: Zend Framework is not for newbies like me (hehehe). You must have mastered basic PHP and have a good understanding of OOP concepts.

This is your friendly neighborhood web developer and I will definitely use Zend Framework!

666-satan

This other two manga that I have been reading is slowly becoming boring, slow story, not much action. So I tried to scan other mangas in the site where I read all the scanlations. And to my surprise, I found this manga written by Kishimoto. NO, it is not Mashashi… it is the other Kishimoto, his twin brother…Seishi Kishimoto.

It is just curiosity at first that drives me to read Seishi Kishimoto’s work, 666 Satan. Then, after a few pages, that turned to be a few chapters… I found myself a new manga to read! It must be in their genes. The story, the humor, the drawing… I love it!

The story of 666 Satan is about Jio, no…it is about O.P.T.S. Hmmmmm, it is about Ruby Crescent… tsk, about O-parts. Ok ok, it is about Ruby Crescent a treasure hunter (???) who looks for O-parts (some mysterious items) who meet Jio Freed, an O.P.T.S. (person who can use an O-part). Well, just read it! This is your friendly neighborhood web developer and I’m going back into some manga reading!

After reading this freaking book about dads, money and being a millionaire and a juicy talk with a dear friend… I’ve been thinking of many things

Will buying stocks at this moment be that rewarding?

Are my skills enough to run a business? Am I ready for the risks?

What business is likely to last and grow these days?

Do I really want to stay in my current company, in my country?

I want to be a millionaire, when will I become one?

Ok ok… I want an internet shop, at least I have some passion for internet, tech and computers. Damn it, the investments for internet cafes are so high and I don’t have the resources.

Food business! But… what food in particular? How much will it cost me? Will I buy a franchise?

Damn that Rich Dad, Poor Dad (yeah I’m a bit late reading it, I just happen to grab it at a bookstore because nothing else seems interesting at the moment)… gets my brain into some thinking. But then, it makes sense. I don’t want to work my aching butt until I am old. I want to cherish some luxury and comfort in life. Darn it, how would I begin?

This is your friendly neighborhood web developer…  I am having a head ache thinking and I don’t know what to think of that Rich Dad, Poor Dad.