diff options
8 files changed, 261 insertions, 159 deletions
diff --git a/_posts/2009-03-11-semi-final-do-concurso-internacional-de-kizomba.html b/_posts/2009-03-11-semi-final-do-concurso-internacional-de-kizomba.html deleted file mode 100644 index 2534720..0000000 --- a/_posts/2009-03-11-semi-final-do-concurso-internacional-de-kizomba.html +++ /dev/null @@ -1,18 +0,0 @@ ---- -layout: post -title: Semi final do concurso internacional de kizomba -tags: -- Português -status: publish -type: post -published: true -meta: - _edit_last: '1' ---- -<a href="/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/kizomba.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-74 alignnone" title="Os finalistas do concurso internacional de kizomba" src="/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/kizomba-465x348.jpg" alt="Os finalistas do concurso internacional de kizomba" width="465" height="348" /></a>
-
-Sou finalista no <a href="http://africadancar.com">Concurso Internacional de Kizomba</a>! Dos 23 pares que actuaram na <a href="http://edsae.com">EDSAE</a>, em Lisboa, eu fui um dos premiados para participar na gala final do dia 22 de Março.
-
-<!--more-->Entre viagens de carro cansativas, filmes verídicos com 80 rufias armados à porta da esquadra, dançar na rua e a festa na noite, foi um dos dias mais divertidos para os 8 amigos que lá estivemos.
-
-Vou colocando fotografias à medida que as tiver. Estejam atentos! diff --git a/_posts/2009-03-11-semi-final-do-concurso-internacional-de-kizomba.markdown b/_posts/2009-03-11-semi-final-do-concurso-internacional-de-kizomba.markdown new file mode 100644 index 0000000..401d6d2 --- /dev/null +++ b/_posts/2009-03-11-semi-final-do-concurso-internacional-de-kizomba.markdown @@ -0,0 +1,23 @@ +--- +layout: post +title: Semi final do concurso internacional de kizomba +tags: [ português ] +type: post +published: true +--- + +<a href="/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/kizomba.jpg"><img class="size-medium +wp-image-74 alignnone" title="Os finalistas do concurso internacional de +kizomba" src="/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/kizomba-465x348.jpg" alt="Os +finalistas do concurso internacional de kizomba" width="465" height="348" +/></a> + +Sou finalista no [Concurso Internacional de Kizomba!](http://africadancar.com) +Dos 23 pares que actuaram na [EDSAE](http://edsae.com), em Lisboa, eu fui um +dos premiados para participar na gala final do dia 22 de Março. + +Entre viagens de carro cansativas, filmes verídicos com 80 rufias armados à +porta da esquadra, dançar na rua e a festa na noite, foi um dos dias mais +divertidos para os 8 amigos que lá estivemos. + +Vou colocando fotografias à medida que as tiver. Estejam atentos! diff --git a/_posts/2009-04-30-relationships-in-rails-2-3.html b/_posts/2009-04-30-relationships-in-rails-2-3.html deleted file mode 100644 index aba204d..0000000 --- a/_posts/2009-04-30-relationships-in-rails-2-3.html +++ /dev/null @@ -1,54 +0,0 @@ ---- -layout: post -title: Relationships in Rails 2.3 -tags: -- Development -- rails -status: publish -type: post -published: true -meta: - _edit_last: '1' ---- -Ruby on Rails is becoming quite a piece of software. I've been learning how to work with its latest version to date, 2.3, for a series of workshops on web development. It has surprised me how easy it is now to accomplish a simple task such as multi-model form processing. Let me show what I've been doing lately.
-
-<!--more-->
-<h3>Case study: a school</h3>
-The example I am going to show my attendees resembles a typical school situation. In a nutsheel:
-<ul>
- <li>Students have Subjects.</li>
- <li>Subjects have Students.</li>
- <li>Students have Grades to Subjects.</li>
-</ul>
-[caption id="attachment_78" align="alignnone" width="442" caption="Rails relationships — student"]<a href="/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/rails-relationships-student.png"><img class="size-full wp-image-78" title="Rails relationships — student" src="/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/rails-relationships-student.png" alt="Rails relationships — student" width="442" height="98" /></a>[/caption]
-<h3>The Models</h3>
-<h4>Student</h4>
-<pre class='brush:rails'>class Student < ActiveRecord::Base
- has_many :grades
- has_many :subjects, :through => :grades, :uniq => true
- accepts_nested_attributes_for :grades, :allow_destroy => true
-end</pre>
-<h4>Subject</h4>
-<pre class='brush:rails'>class Subject < ActiveRecord::Base
- validates_uniqueness_of :shortname
- has_many :grades
- has_many :students, :through => :grades, :uniq => true
-end
-</pre>
-<h4>Grade</h4>
-<pre class='brush:rails'>class Grade < ActiveRecord::Base
- belongs_to :subject
- belongs_to :student
- validates_presence_of :value
-end
-</pre>
-<h3>And the magic trick!</h3>
-Through <em>accepts_nested_attributes_for</em>, the student's <em>form_for</em> can now accept nested fields through <em>fields_for</em> for setting Grades' data.
-
-Everytime a student is created, subjects are not directly associated to him. You need to create a form in which you allow to assign a student the subjects you want.
-
-[image missing]
-
-This tells you that a student can have an array of subject id's. You even get to see what subjects are already assigned and dissociate them just like that! When the associations are done, a new Grade record is created to associate the first two modules. Unfortunately, when the associations are dismantled, the Grade association is gone too.
-
-If you know Railscasts, the <a href="http://railscasts.com/episodes?search=complex+forms">Complex Forms series</a> explain this task for Rails < 2.3. But now it has become easier and easier to associate models and worrying less about your structure. diff --git a/_posts/2009-04-30-relationships-in-rails-2-3.markdown b/_posts/2009-04-30-relationships-in-rails-2-3.markdown new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8d1b169 --- /dev/null +++ b/_posts/2009-04-30-relationships-in-rails-2-3.markdown @@ -0,0 +1,77 @@ +--- +layout: post +title: Relationships in Rails 2.3 +tags: [ development, rails ] +type: post +published: true +--- + +Ruby on Rails is becoming quite a piece of software. I've been learning how to +work with its latest version to date, 2.3, for a series of workshops on web +development. It has surprised me how easy it is now to accomplish a simple task +such as multi-model form processing. Let me show what I've been doing lately. + +## Case study: a school + +The example I am going to show my attendees resembles a typical school +situation. In a nutsheel: + +* Students have Subjects. +* Subjects have Students. +* Students have Grades to Subjects. + + + +## The Models + +### Student + +{% highlight ruby %} +class Student < ActiveRecord::Base + has_many :grades + has_many :subjects, :through => :grades, :uniq => true + accepts_nested_attributes_for :grades, :allow_destroy => true +end +{% endhighlight %} + +### Subject + +{% highlight ruby %} +class Subject < ActiveRecord::Base + validates_uniqueness_of :shortname + has_many :grades + has_many :students, :through => :grades, :uniq => true +end +{% endhighlight %} + +### Grade + +{% highlight ruby %} +class Grade < ActiveRecord::Base + belongs_to :subject + belongs_to :student + validates_presence_of :value +end +{% endhighlight %} + +## And the magic trick! + +Through `accepts_nested_attributes_for`, the student's `form_for` can now +accept nested fields through `fields_for` for setting Grades' data. + +Everytime a student is created, subjects are not directly associated to him. +You need to create a form in which you allow to assign a student the subjects +you want. + +[image missing] + +This tells you that a student can have an array of subject id's. You even get +to see what subjects are already assigned and dissociate them just like that! +When the associations are done, a new Grade record is created to associate the +first two modules. Unfortunately, when the associations are dismantled, the +Grade association is gone too. + +If you know Railscasts, the [Complex +Forms](http://railscasts.com/episodes?search=complex+forms) series explain this +task for Rails < 2.3. But now it has become easier and easier to associate +models and worrying less about your structure. diff --git a/_posts/2011-12-26-a-perspective-on-education.html b/_posts/2011-12-26-a-perspective-on-education.html deleted file mode 100644 index 8a99f2f..0000000 --- a/_posts/2011-12-26-a-perspective-on-education.html +++ /dev/null @@ -1,54 +0,0 @@ ---- -layout: post -title: A perspective on the state of education (of the Web) -tags: -- Design -- Personal improvement -status: publish -type: post -published: true -meta: - _edit_last: '1' - _cws_is_markdown: '1' - _sd_is_markdown: '1' ---- -<p>This is a <a href="https://twitter.com/mollydotcom/status/147234090603651072">challenge</a> by <a href="http://molly.com">Molly Holzschlag</a> concerning how the Web is taught around here. Even though I tend to be opinionated, things have been happening that I consider important to a better future.</p> - -<p>Learning the craft of the Web has always been hard. It has taken a lot of blog posts, trial and error, inspiration, books, <em>etc.</em> to slowly progress; all of this... after hours.</p> - -<p>You must get things done at daytime. Innovation costs time that doesn't exist. At least that's what most companies believe around here in the last 5 years. Money is all leaders see, there's not the time nor the money to delve into a better process or a better performance. Why bother if the pay is low and things are steady? This is a cultural issue and that might just be the hardest impediment that our people has to clear.</p> - -<!--more--> - -<h3>Academics is overrated</h3> - -<p>Our culture has been dictating over the years that the path to success must include a college degree. It even includes <em>two</em> now, a bachelor and a masters degree. If you achieve none of them, people will think you're an idiot. That immediately lowers any expectations for anyone that decides to hire a web designer or an open source developer (<em>i.e.</em> not Java / .NET). That's probably one of the many reasons why websites like <a href="http://clientsfromhell.com">Clients from Hell</a> show up. We don't have <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Credit_Transfer_and_Accumulation_System">ECTS</a> to prove our clients we can do our job as much as those that do have them.</p> - -<p>The nature of the open web allows anyone to learn it and that is wonderful. Resources are available everywhere, updated perhaps monthly. The community gives their time, tutorials, references and screencasts. How will teachers reassess innovative technologies such as HTML5, CSS3 and Javascript? What will universities do with such a plethora of information?</p> - -<p>It's pretty hard to embrace all this change, so volatile. Trying to enclose an everchanging engineering is hurtful for both the enclosed and the enclosing. That's my #1 reason to believe that teaching <em>the web isn't meant to be dominated by universities but by the community</em>.</p> - -<h3>Education is underrated</h3> - -<p>I took a Computer Science Engineering degree from 2004 to 2009. Everything I know on how to be a web standards designer did not come from that degree. I have learned every semantic element, every CSS best practice, every bit of jQuery from home, after school. Professors lethargicly give students the W3Schools' URL and that's it, they are not required to know more. However, they are responsible for the future of website and web application development, would they choose to. They ought to know more than simple <code>div</code>s and some background colors. They are taught how to give birth to a full fledged, top-to-bottom application, from database modeling and systems architecture to basic MVC. It seems to me that the V is left a little alone.</p> - -<p>True education in its most pure and holistic meaning surpasses any established rules. What matters is content and the apprentice's will to absorb it in the way he feels it's best for him. Factory oriented learning — the one that's implemented today from kindergarten to college — violates the principle of individuality and it hurts growth. Sadly, achieving individuality in the process of learning is utopic at this point in time and thus a compromise must be reached.</p> - -<p>All we have now is the free Internet. People still keep learning and sharing after hours (like I am right now). Twitter allows us to keep up with the brightest mentors such as Molly herself, <a href="http://stuffandnonsense.co.uk">Andy Clarke</a>, <a href="http://zeldman.com">Jeffrey Zeldman</a>, <a href="http://adactio.com">Jeremy Keith</a>, <a href="http://simplebits.com">Dan Cederholm</a>, <a href="http://css-tricks.com">Chris Coyier</a>, amongst so many inspired people that blog and speak about design, standards and application development. I owe them my career, certainly not my college degree. I'm pretty sure most good portuguese designers feel the same way, even if ever so slightly.</p> - -<h3>Solutions</h3> - -<p>I have stated before that universities shouldn't raise the flag and shape the whole web standards industry. However, there is the room and the need to solidify the basic assets of web development. In fact, I totally support the creation (if not an update; perhaps a branch on W3C?) of a unique place where all these resources can be served with quality documentation and possibility of debate, allowing universities to have some sort of reference of what can be introduced in their courses and promote the best content to their students. This not only:</p> - -<ol> -<li>Gives future designers and developers' the right skills and techniques so they can do their job like they never did before; but also,</li> -<li>Increases the universities' reputation for their investment in practical, meaningful content that helps students get things done fast and done well.</li> -</ol> - -<p>A great example of a standardized way of centering resources in one accessible and friendly place is the <a href="http://rubygems.org">Rubygems</a> platform. Unlike other programming languages, Ruby has managed to flagpole an idea so great and no other language has ever made it this well. Sure, <a href="http://pear.php.net">PEAR for PHP</a> is nice and <a href="http://ctan.tex.org">CTAN for LaTeX</a> is huge but not has rewarding and simple as the gem system. Everyone uses Rubygems, all the tools for publishing Ruby knowledge are published through it; it builds trust amongst the developer community and it's just amazing.</p> - -<p>The effort of standardizing education of the web is being debuted in Portugal with the birth of a post-graduation in <em>Web design</em> at <a href="http://esad.pt/en/cursos/pos-graduacao/web-design">ESAD</a>. <a href="http://tpwd.net">Tiago Pedras</a> <em>et al</em> have been working hard so as to build a course that grants you ECTS points and also means something. I look forward to hear from him and acknowledge that finally the bar is being raised for everyone.</p> - -<h3>Conclusion</h3> - -<p>After several years, our nation is finally taking its first steps to adulthood regarding the craft of the web. Up until now, every designer was a nomad messing around with what they thought they knew and stuck with it. Now there's a chance for constantly embracing change and be happy about it. Let's look at what has been done well in the last few years and consider the chance of making the world a better place through creativity and care, one step at a time.</p> diff --git a/_posts/2011-12-26-a-perspective-on-education.markdown b/_posts/2011-12-26-a-perspective-on-education.markdown new file mode 100644 index 0000000..800a8c8 --- /dev/null +++ b/_posts/2011-12-26-a-perspective-on-education.markdown @@ -0,0 +1,123 @@ +--- +layout: post +title: A perspective on the state of education (of the Web) +tags: [ design, personal improvement ] +type: post +published: true +--- + +This is a [ challenge +](https://twitter.com/mollydotcom/status/147234090603651072) by [ Molly +Holzschlag ](http://molly.com) concerning how the Web is taught around here. +Even though I tend to be opinionated, things have been happening that I +consider important to a better future. + +Learning the craft of the Web has always been hard. It has taken a lot of +blog posts, trial and error, inspiration, books, <em>etc.</em> to slowly +progress; all of this... after hours. + +You must get things done at daytime. Innovation costs time that doesn't exist. +At least that's what most companies believe around here in the last 5 years. +Money is all leaders see, there's not the time nor the money to delve into a +better process or a better performance. Why bother if the pay is low and things +are steady? This is a cultural issue and that might just be the hardest +impediment that our people has to clear. + +## Academics is overrated + +Our culture has been dictating over the years that the path to success must +include a college degree. It even includes <em>two</em> now, a bachelor and a +masters degree. If you achieve none of them, people will think you're an idiot. +That immediately lowers any expectations for anyone that decides to hire a web +designer or an open source developer (<em>i.e.</em> not Java / .NET). That's +probably one of the many reasons why websites like <a + href="http://clientsfromhell.com">Clients from Hell</a> show up. We don't +have <a + href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Credit_Transfer_and_Accumulation_System">ECTS</a> +to prove our clients we can do our job as much as those that do have them. + +The nature of the open web allows anyone to learn it and that is wonderful. +Resources are available everywhere, updated perhaps monthly. The community +gives their time, tutorials, references and screencasts. How will teachers +reassess innovative technologies such as HTML5, CSS3 and Javascript? What will +universities do with such a plethora of information? + +It's pretty hard to embrace all this change, so volatile. Trying to enclose an +everchanging engineering is hurtful for both the enclosed and the enclosing. +That's my #1 reason to believe that teaching <em>the web isn't meant to be dominated by universities but by the community</em>. + +## Education is underrated + +I took a Computer Science Engineering degree from 2004 to 2009. Everything I +know on how to be a web standards designer did not come from that degree. I +have learned every semantic element, every CSS best practice, every bit of +jQuery from home, after school. Professors lethargicly give students the +W3Schools' URL and that's it, they are not required to know more. However, they +are responsible for the future of website and web application development, +would they choose to. They ought to know more than simple <code>div</code>s and +some background colors. They are taught how to give birth to a full fledged, +top-to-bottom application, from database modeling and systems architecture to +basic MVC. It seems to me that the V is left a little alone. + +True education in its most pure and holistic meaning surpasses any established +rules. What matters is content and the apprentice's will to absorb it in the +way he feels it's best for him. Factory oriented learning — the one +that's implemented today from kindergarten to college — violates the +principle of individuality and it hurts growth. Sadly, achieving individuality +in the process of learning is utopic at this point in time and thus a +compromise must be reached. + +All we have now is the free Internet. People still keep learning and sharing +after hours (like I am right now). Twitter allows us to keep up with the +brightest mentors such as Molly herself, <a + href="http://stuffandnonsense.co.uk">Andy Clarke</a>, <a + href="http://zeldman.com">Jeffrey Zeldman</a>, <a + href="http://adactio.com">Jeremy Keith</a>, <a + href="http://simplebits.com">Dan Cederholm</a>, <a + href="http://css-tricks.com">Chris Coyier</a>, amongst so many inspired +people that blog and speak about design, standards and application development. +I owe them my career, certainly not my college degree. I'm pretty sure most +good portuguese designers feel the same way, even if ever so slightly. + +## Solutions + +I have stated before that universities shouldn't raise the flag and shape the +whole web standards industry. However, there is the room and the need to +solidify the basic assets of web development. In fact, I totally support the +creation (if not an update; perhaps a branch on W3C?) of a unique place where +all these resources can be served with quality documentation and possibility of +debate, allowing universities to have some sort of reference of what can be +introduced in their courses and promote the best content to their students. +This not only: + +* Gives future designers and developers' the right skills and techniques so + they can do their job like they never did before; but also, +* Increases the universities' reputation for their investment in practical, + meaningful content that helps students get things done fast and done well. + +A great example of a standardized way of centering resources in one accessible +and friendly place is the <a href="http://rubygems.org">Rubygems</a> platform. +Unlike other programming languages, Ruby has managed to flagpole an idea so +great and no other language has ever made it this well. Sure, <a + href="http://pear.php.net">PEAR for PHP</a> is nice and <a + href="http://ctan.tex.org">CTAN for LaTeX</a> is huge but not has rewarding +and simple as the gem system. Everyone uses Rubygems, all the tools for +publishing Ruby knowledge are published through it; it builds trust amongst the +developer community and it's just amazing. + +The effort of standardizing education of the web is being debuted in Portugal +with the birth of a post-graduation in <em>Web design</em> at <a + href="http://esad.pt/en/cursos/pos-graduacao/web-design">ESAD</a>. <a + href="http://tpwd.net">Tiago Pedras</a> <em>et al</em> have been working hard +so as to build a course that grants you ECTS points and also means something. I +look forward to hear from him and acknowledge that finally the bar is being +raised for everyone. + +## Conclusion + +After several years, our nation is finally taking its first steps to adulthood +regarding the craft of the web. Up until now, every designer was a nomad +messing around with what they thought they knew and stuck with it. Now there's +a chance for constantly embracing change and be happy about it. Let's look at +what has been done well in the last few years and consider the chance of making +the world a better place through creativity and care, one step at a time. diff --git a/_posts/2012-02-10-sacrilege-a-rather-lousy-rant-on-java-for-the-web.html b/_posts/2012-02-10-sacrilege-a-rather-lousy-rant-on-java-for-the-web.html deleted file mode 100644 index dfd9816..0000000 --- a/_posts/2012-02-10-sacrilege-a-rather-lousy-rant-on-java-for-the-web.html +++ /dev/null @@ -1,33 +0,0 @@ ---- -layout: post -title: ! 'Sacrilege: a rather lousy rant on Java for the web' -tags: -- Development -- Loadacrap -status: publish -type: post -published: true -meta: - _edit_last: '1' - _sd_is_markdown: '1' ---- -<p>Let me start out saying I'm glad I never had to make web apps in Java. Boostrapping the crap out of a Maven + Struts archetype is insane. I honestly don't know what to feel for Java programmers.</p> - -<p>It's been an hour and a half since I've started reading the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Apache-Struts-Web-Application-Development/dp/1847193390/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1328904973&sr=8-1">Apache Struts 2 Web Application Development</a> book and I'm going nuts. <em>I've dealt with more XML in this hour and a half than most of the time in my degree.</em></p> - -<p>Story told short:</p> - -<ol> -<li>I've installed Netbeans and an Apache Tomcat 7 server.</li> -<li>I've created a new Maven Web application.</li> -<li>I've copied a struts routing example, along with the respective action POJO.</li> -<li>Tried to reach the URL; no luck.</li> -<li>Looked up for a web.xml example, in order to correctly load Struts.</li> -<li>Project won't deploy. FML.</li> -</ol> - -<p><strong>At an hour and a half, reading and typing, I could have done so much more in Rails or Sinatra. Sorry.</strong></p> - -<p>I don't care what people think about me comparing Java to Ruby at such an early stage in <em>trying to learn</em>. But hey, it's 2012, software ought to be easier to accomplish. Why does it have to be so difficult to understand how a simple controller is executed? Why is the Java way so convoluted?</p> - -<p>I'll update this post when I can create a Struts action properly, perhaps with an interceptor. If I can make it to apply some TDD along the way, I pat myself in the back. Until then, I stay with the attitude.</p> diff --git a/_posts/2012-02-10-sacrilege-a-rather-lousy-rant-on-java-for-the-web.markdown b/_posts/2012-02-10-sacrilege-a-rather-lousy-rant-on-java-for-the-web.markdown new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8d81487 --- /dev/null +++ b/_posts/2012-02-10-sacrilege-a-rather-lousy-rant-on-java-for-the-web.markdown @@ -0,0 +1,38 @@ +--- +layout: post +title: ! 'Sacrilege: a rather lousy rant on Java for the web' +tags: [ development, loadacrap ] +type: post +published: true +--- + +Let me start out saying I'm glad I never had to make web apps in Java. +Boostrapping the crap out of a Maven + Struts archetype is insane. I honestly +don't know what to feel for Java programmers. + +It's been an hour and a half since I've started reading the [ Apache Struts 2 +Web Application Development book +](http://www.amazon.com/Apache-Struts-Web-Application-Development/dp/1847193390/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1328904973&sr=8-1) +and I'm going nuts. _I've dealt with more XML in this hour and a half than most +of the time in my degree._ + +Story told short: + +* I've installed Netbeans and an Apache Tomcat 7 server. +* I've created a new Maven Web application. +* I've copied a struts routing example, along with the respective action POJO. +* Tried to reach the URL; no luck. +* Looked up for a web.xml example, in order to correctly load Struts. +* Project won't deploy. FML. + +**At an hour and a half, reading and typing, I could have done so much more in +Rails or Sinatra. Sorry.** + +I don't care what people think about me comparing Java to Ruby at such an early +stage in _trying to learn_. But hey, it's 2012, software ought to be easier to +accomplish. Why does it have to be so difficult to understand how a simple +controller is executed? Why is the Java way so convoluted? + +I'll update this post when I can create a Struts action properly, perhaps with +an interceptor. If I can make it to apply some TDD along the way, I pat myself +in the back. Until then, I stay with the attitude. |