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Programming insights to Storytelling, it's all here.

Ibrahim Diallo

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2014

January

How to create a Javascript Syntax highlighter

How to create a Javascript Syntax highlighter

Most if not all IDEs come with syntax highlighting. It makes it easier to read your code and gives you less headache when debugging. Sometimes I share code snippets right here on my blog and until recently I wasn't really paying attention on how it looks. Since most of the time it is my code, I have no trouble understand it it, even though it looks like a screen shot from Notepad.

Shut up, let me tell you my story

Shut up, let me tell you my story

Everybody wants to be a good listener. Actually, I think deep down everyone thinks they are great listeners. It is easy to pass as one, at least in theory. All you have to do is keep quiet when the other person is talking. But then they say something that you can relate to, like how they went skiing over the weekend. Now you want to tell them how you went too a couple weeks ago and that it was the biggest snow storm of the year. But you can't say it because they are still talking. You don't want to be a bad listener now do you? So you start thinking, "uhuhing", and waiting for them to finish talking so you can tell your story too. You are no longer paying attention. Just waiting for a long enough pause so you can take over the conversation.

Real work takes time

Real work takes time

A new idea pops in mind, we open the IDE, start coding and a couple of hours later Boom! It is done. It works. Now everything you do today requires a website to market it. So you throw in a little UI with bootstrap and poor wording and your work is published.

Solving ubuntu infinite log in loop

Solving ubuntu infinite log in loop

I use Ubuntu 12.04 LTS on two of my machines. Recently there was an Nvdia driver update that caused both machines to stop booting. After trying different solutions I found on the web, I ended with a different problem which I wasn't sure was related to the Nvidia card anymore. Every time I would enter my credentials, the screen turn black for a second then come back to the login screen.

Dynamic function definition in JavaScript

Dynamic function definition in JavaScript

In JavaScript, you worry about whether your code will run on your user's browser. There are two options that I know of that you can use to make sure your code execute correctly. Browser detection and feature detection.

We are getting better at being distracted

We are getting better at being distracted

Go ahead and google "to-do lists work" and "to-do lists don't work". If it goes through a fair trial, both arguments are valid. It works for those who agree and it doesn't work for those who disagree.

2013 sucked less, Let's at least try to do the same this year

2013 sucked less, Let's at least try to do the same this year

Every end of year I look back at what I have done for the previous 365.25 days. And every year I am a little disappointed. I look at the million of ghost projects I started that will never see the light. Like every year I believe this time it will be different, I will complete my projects and make my millions of dollars. Looking at it in this angle it is a complete failure. But that's OK. I once heard that it is the little things that matter.

I make shitty software with bugs ... we all do

I make shitty software with bugs ... we all do

There are a lot of tools I built throughout the years and it was very hard to watch them die (or get neglected). I once posted a new project on reddit and received a lot of good feedback. The comments that gave me most hope were the ones that said: If you add X and Y features I will definitely pay for it.

2013

December

WordPress folder structure

WordPress folder structure

WordPress is the most popular blog engine. It is very easy to install and require almost no configuration changes to work on most servers. Shared hosting providers like GoDaddy even provide a One-click install to get it up and running. However unlike other frameworks, all of WordPress internal files are exposed. They are .php files so you can't see the content by accessing the URL path but there are situations where the file content can be exposed. Moving these files out of the root folder would be a good idea.

Should you patent your code

Should you patent your code

So Jonas Salk developed the polio vaccine and gave it away for free. Today we patent the shit out of a rounded corner rectangle and those who infringe it, we fight them to death.

JS Tip of the day

How to get an element position on the page

This used to be a painful thing to find on the page. Well it wasn't but almost everyone suggested you use a hacky way to find the correct position of an element…

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