Open Source Rules!

I may have Adobe Design Premium CS4 and Visual Studio's 2008 Pro Edition, but I have to say that while learning the basics for web design/dev I use the open source program Notepad ++.  I do use Visual Studios for Javascript and C++ (wish I had more time for you C++), but I tried Dreamweaver once and was so appalled at the lack of knowledge a person needs of any markup or CSS to create a website, that I haven't used it since.  That said, on top of my usual studies in New Media Communications/Writing at OSU ecampus; this year I will be piling on the workload by doing a short certificate course through Highline Community College for a Client Side Scripting Certificate.  This certificate actually sounds more like a web design cert because it covers some topics such as Dreamweaver, Flash, Photoshop, and user centered design, but I want to fine tune what I've taught myself and the cert. is online!!  So hopefully I won't come away just learning how to design/develop websites using Flash and Dreamweaver, but will learn the raw markup and scripting skills to get me a job!

Look Ma! No Hands!!

Folks must be getting pathetically lazy if they can’t even take their phones out of their pockets to check into Foursquare.  MG Siegler from TechCrunch swoons about a new app for iOS4 that continually runs on your iPhone, while you run around town doing who cares what.  Evidently it’s called “check-in fatigue” and is a common complaint of hardcore Foursquare addicts.  Now, unfortunately you aren’t automatically checked-in to every Foursquare venue that you happen upon-you actually have to create a list of you favorites and those will magically check you in when you walk in the door.  Luckily Steve Cheney at TechCrunch poops on Siegler’s parade by mentioning the obvious: if you have numerous favorites within a small radius, the app won’t be sensitive enough to figure out which venue you’re going into and of course there’s the ever-present problem of battery life.  Those are simply glitches to those that think the app is a great idea, but let’s first contemplate why the heck we need it in the first place.