Archives for August 2007
mobile son
10 August 2007 | lab, mobile blog | No Responses
So last night, I dove in the the development of a mobile version of joef.org. After a bit of research and a couple hours of development, I had a basic version up and running on my local network. My idea is to have a basic landing page we you initially arrive to it containing the name of the site, possibly a logo, and a list of the latest five blogs I did. Then at the bottom, there will be a link to the archives page which will list all of the blog entries.
I have most of this completed already. It was fairly easy. I just took some of the code that I already developed, stripped it down, tweaked it, and that that was that. The thing I really like about do this is it forced me to get right down to the basics of user accessibility. When you don’t have a mouse and the machine you use is like a computer built in 1994, you get a good sense of how to lay things out so a user can have immediate access to all of the site without having to drill down to far.
I havent decided on a logo yet. If I do, it may be a stripped down version of the header graphic on the regular site. I also haven’t decided to add administration features yet. That seems a bit too excessive seeming is how I am the only one that blogs on this thing and can imagine a time when I would need to blog about something from my phone. Plus its really hot here in the lab this time of year and I don’t want to spend any more time that I have to in there. But, since I figured out how to access the development box via ssh and opened port 80 on it, I can do all of the development from my now air-conditioned bedroom. But who wants to be coooked up in a before when you could be out enjoying this wonderful summer sun? Not me.
I guess my next step is to figure out the graphic situation. Also, I need to devise a plan on how to detect mobile browsers. I have read a couple of articles and it seems its just a matter of determining the user agent.
so with a little this:
$uaheader = $_SERVER["HTTP_USER_AGENT"];
and a little of that:
if($uaheader = '_some_user_agent_')
// redirect to mobile version
I should be all set. So check it out: http://m.joef.org
joe
switches
2 August 2007 | mac, mobile blog, phone | No Responses
I made a big change over the course of this last month and am still adjusting. I ditched the green-screened nextel for a t-mobile mini computer. I call it a mini computer because that’s basically what it is, but the rest of the world refers to these things as a smart phone.
I got all I could ever want out of a cellular phone with this thing. I get my email sent directly to it. I can view porn and check rss feeds, so what more could I ask for? Although the interface is certainly not as cool as the iphone, I only paid a small amount compared to what that thing costs. Yet my fear is whether or not it’s is going to break. Those of you that know me have witnessed some pretty careless acts preformed that do nothing but harm to electronics in my life, especially my telephone. So, I just wonder how long it take until something goes wrong and I have to have this thing replace. Because honestly it’s not a question of how, just merely one of when.
Exploring the browser makes me realize what potential (or non potential) the web will have when it comes to these mobile devices. Compared to the number of sites on the internet, only a handful are compliant to the browser on the windows mobile OS. Which makes me wonder when more websites are going to be more compliant with a mobile browser, or of course they can take the apple route and create a iphone safari like application.
I guess this all leads me to want to create a mobile version of joef.org. I don’t think it will take much. I guess my only options to test the it are on mobile IE and opera (currently are on my phone) but I guess that will do. Another project for the lab I suppose. I will document the process.
joe
457-55-5462
1 August 2007 | dumb ass | No Responses
So this CEO of LifeLock, Todd Davis, gets caught totally pissing in the wind. I am at work the other day and decide its time to hit the can. I open up the current wall street journal and see a full page add of this jackass holding his social security card and the numbers printed in large letters across the top. Then the next mourning, I hear this guy splattering the number all over national radio touting his company’s security measures.
Come to find out, someone took out a $500 loan over the internet is this guy’s name. How about that? I personally think its great and it totally made me laugh. But the kicker of the story is how the cops wouldn’t do anything and this Davis guy took it upon himself to gather a film crew (and a couple more jackasses I’m sure), confront this guy at his home and allegedly threatened him that the police would arrest him if he did not sign this pre-written confession. Come to find out, the guy that took out the loan is mentally disabled and there’s really nothing they could really do! Wow!
Looks like this one bit you in the ass Mr. CEO. I completely understand the effects of identity theft, it happened to me. I just think if your not a complete idiot as to where and how you put your personal information into the public, you will probably be OK. Oh yeah, and buy a shredder.
joe