Quick Reference Cards

Here’s a short list of some quick reference cards that I keep in my bookmarks. It’s good if you’re someone like me always shifting between languages like javascript, c#, xml, xslt, vb6, vb.net, pl/sql, t-sql, etc., etc#, etc++, and keep forgetting some syntax details:

• Core C# and .NET Quick Reference
• JavaScript Card
• .NET Quick Reference Card
• XML Schema DataTypes
• Regular Expressions for JavaScript
• XML Schema Structures
• JavaScript Quick Reference Card
• Oracle PL/SQL Quick Reference
• Visual Basic 6 Quick Reference

And here’s a nice link with a few Quick Ref Cards:

• Quick Reference Cards

Stop writing www and .com

I’ve been using this shortcut for a while, and recently I became aware that almost no one is using it.

If you’re entering an address in your browser and it starts with www and ends with .com, you can avoid writing it completely. For instance, if you want to navigate to youtube, just write youtube in your browser and then hit CTRL+ENTER. Your browser will auto-complete the address (http://www.youtube.com).

I’ve tried it with Internet Explorer 7, Firefox 3, Chrome and Safari. It works in every browser.

Car Record Player

Earlier today at work, we were chatting about old audio players and I happened to say that once there were in-car record players. Yes, record players. Everyone laughed at me and thought that I had gone completely insane. Of course everybody in this industry is in the process of going mad but I still have a few years of sanity to enjoy... 2 at least. Maybe less after I finish this post.

Well, here it is, behold the Chrysler Highway Hi-Fi:

And here is a video of the Philips Car Record Player:

Watch it, Kenwood, you never know... Philips may be planning a retro comeback with this hi-tech gadget.

I'm also starting to consider trading my Creative Zen 16GB with this useful portable player. I'll have to carry a backpack with 30kg worth of vinyl discs, though.

Virtual Water

Professor John Anthony Allan (University of London), the Inventor of the Virtual Water concept, was awarded the 2008 Stockholm Water Prize last week.

I had never heard of this concept but it's very interesting. It is a method of calculating the amount of water spent in the production of certain products, particularly food products.

Did you know, for instance, that it takes 140 liters of water to produce a cup of coffee? (this is a calculation based on the water that was consumed to grow, produce, package and ship the coffee beans). That is the same amount of water that is consumed daily by a person in England by drinking, bathing, cooking, etc.

Take a look at these links:

http://www.reuters.com/article/inDepthNews/idUSL1850227220080319

http://www.worldwatercouncil.org/index.php?id=866

Head Tracking for Desktop VR Displays using the Wii Remote

I just saw this video and I had to share it.

This guy, Johnny Lee, has been developing very interesting projects with the Wii Remote. His last project, shown in this video, is a head tracking system which creates a very interesting 3D experience. Just see it.

Don't forget to check Johnny Lee's website and blog.

Online Javascript Formatter

Every now and then I need to format some javascript code that I find online.

I have been using this online javascript formatter. It's simple and it usually fills my needs.

How to make sexy buttons with CSS

I just found this article on how to make sexy buttons with round corners with CSS. It's a little hard to customize your own buttons but if you comprehend how they work, you can do it.

New blog address

Finally I've changed my blog's address. You're already reading the new one :-)

The Atom/RSS feed has a new location too:

http://feeds.feedburner.com/tiagoe

The old posts will remain in the old location as well as in the new one. I will have the old blog redirect the users automatically to the new one. That way I will not have broken links.

In a future post I will discuss the steps I've made to change blog's address without loosing anything.

The old feed will not be updated, though. You should update your feed reader.

The translation of Buzz! The Mega Quiz

Last birthday I was offered a game for my Playstation 2... Buzz!™ The Mega Quiz. It's a very nice Quiz game where you can play with up to 8 player with these funny controllers that they call the "Buzz! Buzzers".

It's a very fun game to play at home parties. The game/show is hosted by Buzz who is voiced (in the Portuguese version) by a famous Portuguese TV show presenter.

The game is composed by a few different rounds where you try to answer the question correctly and, hopefully, faster than your opponents.

There's a round that's called the Globetrotter. In this round you're supposedly traveling around the world and have to answer questions about the country you're in. The player that answers correctly has to choose the next destination.

The other day I was playing this game and I had to choose the next destination, so I chose Peru. I was surprised by the fact that the plane didn't go to Peru... it went to Turkey...

Why did the plane go to Turkey? Why is this funny? Well, in Portuguese, Peru is also a word... the name of an animal. Which animal? The Turkey!!! For some reason, the translators translated the word Peru when it was supposed to be the name a country.

Anyway, I'm still having fun playing Buzz. And it's extra fun every time I choose to go to Peru.

Didn't you find this funny? Well, I wouldn't too. It's just that I haven't posted anything for a while and was fearing you'd forget about me. Geez, this just got worse, right? Buzz, turkeys and trying to be funny. What's next? One day I will be photographing myself playing violin on a laptop. I will then be doomed.