Top posts of 2011
The top ten posts for 2011 according to Google Analytics were:
- Installing Python, MatPlotLib & iPython on Snow Leopard.
- Finding duplicate files using Python.
- Getting started with Python.
- Praise for Python.
- Basic Graphing with MatPlotLib.
- Graphing real data with MatPlotLib.
- Extracting image EXIF data with Python.
- Python 2.7.1 Goodness.
- Running WordPress on Mac OS X with XAMPP.
- John Cleese on creativity.
Eight of the top ten are Python related, the top twenty is more diversified:
- Querying Reddit with Python.
- Barbara.
- Processing Perforce command output with Python.
- Downloading wallpaper images from Reddit using Python.
- Why scrum fails…
- Hacking work manifesto.
- The ascendeancy of JSON.
- Using Perforce counters to control syncing.
- Why work doesn’t happen at work.
- Small steps to big goals.
On a personal note I hope 2012 will bring more posts and less personal tragedy..
Friday linkage
Some pages I’ve found interesting recently:
- Online Python Exercises
A good summary of some of the Python exercises available online. If this interests you also check out my ‘Getting started with Python’ post. - The New Apple Advantage
An insightful piece on Apples successful strategy of offering minimal configuration options for its phones, tablets and computers as a way to simplify the buying process and improve revenue. - Developing Razor Sharp Focus
Worth it alone for the very useful mind map. I like his focus on creating rituals, managing email distractions and taking time to reflect and review. - Why I Go Home: A Developer Dad’s Manifesto
A very good post on work-life balance for software developers. I especially liked the following observation: ‘If you screw up at your job you can always get another one, but if you screw up your family, especially your relationship with your children, it will stay with you and stay screwed up forever‘ so many people seem to fail to realise that jobs are temporary but family is forever.. - XKCD: File Transfer (Comic)
Just why is transferring files still so awkward in this day and age?
Friday Linkage
This weeks intersting links:
- Lawyers: You’re Being Played By Twitter.
An interesting post about how social media sites like Twitter are exploiting positive feedback loops and gamification to motivate users. - How HTML5 will kill the native app.
Does the trend for business to replace native smart device (e.g. Android/iOS) applications with HTML5 web applications mean the days of the native application are numbered? - Why Can’t Developers Estimate Time?
This post discusses the issues observed with Developer time estimates and proposes an alternative solution: teaching junior engineers the meaning of ‘done’. - A Hard Thing is Done by Figuring Out How to Start.
Rands discussing various strategies for getting started on a project: the hard part being figuring out where to start. - Four Reasons We Choose Amazon’s Cloud as Our Computing Platform.
Explaining the reasoning behind NetFlix’s adoption of the Amazon Cloud as its software platform.
Friday Linkage
This week’s interesting links:
- 20 percent time spent coding in the clouds.
An interesting post by a Google engineering director about how he recently used his twenty percent time developing his first App Engine application on a long haul flight to Japan. - Do or do not.
The author has an interesting take on not using asserts in favour of using unit tests instead. Reflecting on this I find asserts and unit tests essential for C++ projects however for projects in Python I tend to just use unit testing. - How not to get things done.
This ironic post makes a case against those engineers with a knack for ‘getting things done’ usually at any price (e.g. gratuitous hacking) can be dangerous to the project. All engineers require leadership on code quality, testing and maintenance not just those who get things done. - A Hundred Machines for Only Ten Dollars an Hour.
An interesting presentation on just how the Amazon cloud makes massive parallel data processing using Hadoop very cheap: $100 in this case. There is also a warning as the author ends up spending $3000 in legal fees convincing FaceBook that he didn’t do anything wrong with his $100 of data processing! - How to polish a turd.
A post about the process of developing and evolving a game concept from conception to shipping. I have had the opposite experience from the author with publishers being the main source of change requests. - Are gas prices really that high?
As a European living in Canada it is easy to appreciate just how much cheap fuel is here. This graph maps out petrol prices for the whole world relative to the US prices which are even lower than Canada’s prices. - Time Management (Comic).
An amusing take on time management blog posts.
Friday Linkage
This week interesting links:
- Google’s Quest to Build a Better Boss.
Google’s attempt to use a data-driven approach to management using data gathered from inside Google, it sounds like a pretty promising program. Usually re-inventing the wheel is a negative pattern but it seems to not be the case for Google on a regular basis. - Japanese Earthquake: Before and after.
Some haunting images of the destruction done by the tsunami that was triggered by the earthquake off the coast of Japan. The use of the slider to compare the overlapped before and after images is very effective. - Infographic of the Day: A Mind-Blowing History of Sci-Fi.
An amazing hand drawn infographic on the history of science fiction. - The Future of Analytics Products.
A very useful round up of the current Analytics offering and the up and coming new products. - Built here? No, thanks.
On why building your own internal game engine may not be a good idea. - Think Stats: Probability and Statistics for Programmers.
A free eBook about learning probability and statistics for Python programmers. - Scared Straight. (Comic)
An amusing look at possible ways to make trouble making kids behave.
Friday Linkage
This weeks interesting links:
- If iPads are “post-pc devices” why must I sync with iTunes before I can use one?
A very good point given Apple’s recent claims at the iPad 2.0 launch. I’d love to see iTunes either dramatically improved or removed. - If you’re not failing you’re not trying.
A pep talk on failing more, its good for you really
- Why Traffic Jams Happen.
Admit it you’ve always wondered why, it turns out the reason is very mundane. - Three Superpowers.
Rands in Repose talking about three different manager personalities with their own unique superpower! - Linkedin InMaps.
Visualise your Linkedin network geographically. - The need for participation, compassion, & community in the classroom.
An excellent post about the importance and impact that compassion can have in the classroom and the wider world. - Do what you say you’re going to do.
Another inspirational post, I wish I managed this more.
