December, 2005

Piro’s Sakura’s Takahashi Method based Presentation in XUL Returns
is an XUL-based application for giving Takahashi method presentations. I was so impressed that I pseudo-translated the introductory slide deck from Japanese to English.

Mozilla users can see the result by clicking here. (Everybody else… sorry. Install FireFox if you are really curious.)

Many thanks to Piro Sakura and other contributors for making this software available.

Hat tip to Autrijus Tang, who uses a variant of this software. I found the Japanese version via the embedded comments in his OSDC 2005 presentations (link to one of them).

Update: I should’ve mentioned:

• While viewing the presentation, do a “View Source” to see the code.
• If you put the mouse toward the top of the page, a menu bar opens.
• When using this in front of an audience, turn off the browser’s toolbars, and go into full screen mode (F11).

Update 2: Tim points out that there is no good reason to think that “Sakura” is Piro’s surname. Now fixed.

Following in the footsteps of Mark Rees and Andy Todd, I am posting my OSDC 2005 presentation, Six Things Groovy Can Do For You (pdf). Enjoy!

Just got back from Open Source Developers Conference 2005. Here’s my brain-dump of some neat links, while I remember:

• Abbot – Java Swing UI testing framework. (One less excuse for not unit testing.)

• XUL Runner is coming – platform for running XUL applications

• There are already a few good client-side options for running XForms, including a JavaScript rendering engine, FormFaces, and a Flash rendering engine, DENG. To use either one, you just add it your web pages, along with the XForms markup.

• Spread provides high-performance, non-durable, cross-platform messaging.

• NetBeans 5.0 is coming along nicely. For me, the three most impressive features are going to be the Swing UI editor, matisse, MIDlet development, and the profiler.

• PUGS is an implementation of Perl6 in Haskell. Nice to know Perl6 is becoming a reality.

• If you have a Mozilla browser, go to this URL. It’s a presentation. Click on page and watch slides change. Move the mouse near the top of the page and see what happens. Now do a “view source”. Coooool.

• Australian Antarctic Division Webcams. See cold places from the warmth and comfort of your keyboard.

• GumStix embedded controller – 4Mb RAM, 64Mb flash, and running a full Linux distro, all powered off a 9 volt battery.

I thought I was pouring oil onto troubled waters, but it turned out I was pouring oil onto troubled fires.

I’m astounded that IBM condone the use of this word: Portalizing.