Conversations about technology, culture, and the future.
Building Things
Coding, side projects, product development, tools, and hacking
- Optional scope contractsDec 18, 2009
For an upcoming project at TOPP, we’re talking about setting up an optional scope contract [PDF] — where we specify the time, cost and quality, but leave the actual scope of work open. This approach has many advantages, which I’ll just quote from Beck & Cleal’s document: Customers can change their ...
- jPlayer sprites SVGDec 12, 2009
For a little side project, I’m using jPlayer, a nice jQuery-based audio player. I wanted to skin the buttons a to suit my project, and while jPlayer does support jQuery ThemeRoller skins, I liked the basic look and feel of the standard jPlayer controls. So, I just traced the default sprites in Il...
- Melkjug Fluid IconOct 15, 2009
If you use Melkjug as a Fluid app, like I do, then you’ll love this: (Melkjug fluid icon) Continue reading
- Introducing The BoardJun 21, 2009
A few weeks ago, I created a small web app for scheduling project teams at TOPP Labs. At any given time, we’ve got anywhere between 10 and 20 active projects, so keeping track of it all is difficult, and planning ahead requires a good clear overview of everything that’s happening. Why create someth...
- Backpack TOC Greasemonkey ScriptMay 25, 2009
Hot off the presses: Backpack TOC Greasemonkey script. Continue reading
- Chandler and ConstraintsMay 21, 2009
I spent most of this morning looking back through old posts about the Chandler Project and OSAF. I’ve thought about this a lot, due to the many parallels with my work at The Open Planning Project. For newcomers, those parallels are: Massive funding from a visionary with a dream (in OSAF’s case, Mi...
- 'Do You Know Me?' AuthenticationMay 14, 2009
For a recent personal project (I won’t say which since that would defeat the purpose), I was in need of a new kind of authentication. My wife and I wanted to create a website where we could post photos and news for our family and friends, while keeping that information off of the broader intertubes....
- New App Idea: Dude, Where's My Car?Mar 17, 2009
Even though I shouldn’t own a car, I do, and as every car owner in NYC knows, dealing with alternate-side parking is a hassle. That, combined with my recent itch to write a small mobile app, has lead me to the following idea: the “Dude, Where’s My Car?” app for mobile. Here’s what it will… Contin...
- Goldilocks and the RSS ThemeFeb 1, 2009
For your reading pleasure, the Broadsheet Wide theme for the Vienna RSS reader. Continue reading