fXceed

A few weeks ago, I reinstalled Mac OS X Leopard after one year of experiencing my first non-Windows environment. Not that I needed to fix something, but simply I wanted to set the optimal environment which I’ve learned by trials.

So far, it has been very satisfying, and owning a machine which allows me to have both Mac and Windows worlds for development is purely exhilarating.

To be honest, I don’t have anything against Windows environment. Rather, it’s because I still can have Windows in a Mac machine, I decided to get one, so I can obtain the privilege to use Mac OS X(Unix) and Windows together. For acquiring this environment, I figured Mac could be the only machine, unless I hack something.

It has been great joy to find more about Mac and useful equipments for the developers and to train myself to become better at them.

This is the list of applications I was recommended by great blog posts, and would strongly recommend to other Mac users, especially to the new developers who has experienced Mac for no more than a year like myself. I personally use these, some are available also in Windows, and of course, they are free.

Xcode:

There is no other IDE for developing an application for Mac OS and iPhone. Unlike Microsoft’s expensive Visual Studio, you can get it for free, as included in Mac machine you purchased. You may have to pay for iPhone Developer’s Program if you want to use an actual device for testing and deployment, but to use only simulator you can get Xcode with iPhone SDK for free. Currently, I am enjoying so much time to master this great tool.

Eclipse:

I cannot say much about this, but it seems like this IDE is a must for Java or other popular language developers, almost in every environment. Though I’ve been using it less then I expected because of using Xcode and Aptana more, I think nobody can ignore the importance of its presence in a developer’s machine.

Aptana:

Using almost identical user interface as Eclipse, this tool is specialized in web development. Whenever I need to write a web program, rather than using Eclipse, I use Aptana. So I designated Aptana for web development, and Eclipse for Java.

TextWrangler:

I just can’t find any other editor better than this for Mac environment. This one has almost every feature a developer can ask for. My use of an editor is to modify codes already written, while IDEs are for writing new codes, because they provide code suggestions while typing. Together with TextWrangler, I can have a mini and quick IDE for anything.

DropBox:

If you are in the situation of using more than one computer in many places, DropBox folder is a must. Though it gives only 2GB to be used for free, it’s sufficient to synchronize your working files to be shared among your office computer and home computer. This synchronization is very powerful if you save your workspace of Eclipse or Aptana in DropBox folder, you can have same coding environment shared among the computers accessing the same DropBox folder.

FileZilla:

So far I’ve been using only this one, because it seems to be the simplest and the fastest. I strongly recommend this for its bookmark and folder synchronization features.

XMind:

This is a great tool for building a beautiful mind map of your own. To me, the user interface and icon are simple and pretty.

NTFS-3G for Mac:

Since I use Windows also, it’s necessary to be able to access NTFS-3G formatted disk. You may use FAT32 format to be used in both Mac OS X and Windows, but it’s doesn’t allow a single file to be bigger than 4GB. Using this, you can stay in Mac OS X mainly while accessing Windows file system freely.

SynergyKM:

I use more than one computers. If I want to use all of them on the same desk, it’s necessary to use only one keyboard and mouse to be free from annoyance of interchanging between different keyboards and mouses. This app allows to share keyboard and mouse with multiple computers using different OSes. As long as the computers are in the same network, knowing the IP address or the computer name of the main(server) computer which will share its keyboard and mouse is suffice.

Can anyone recommend more apps, or the better alternatives to these, especially for the developers using Mac? I would love to get some comment. Thank you!

Re-posted some of my old entries from other blogging services but I need more efficient way. It was embarrassing method of copying the post and changing the date.

Looking for a way to salvage my Access database which contains all my old bookmarks(posts), I wanted to activate currently obsolete ASP server. Instead of installing an old version of Windows server(something like 2000?), tried  Visual Web Developer for temporary access to the MS Access .mdb file and generate HTML result so I can add it to the old HTML version of my posts. However, this Visual Web Developer 2008 Express Edition doesn’t build a properly working website using obsolete ASP files, or I just can’t find the right solution. I regret that I didn’t make the HTML version  before shutting it down.

Not knowing if there is same situation like me, I just don’t have any clue where to start searching about restoring ASP page with Access database. It’s quite hard to imagine what I must search in ASP.NET, what I need to know more about the basic essentials.

Should I change the ASP files to PHP? Using some kind of automatic parser? Or set up currently obsolete format of server to activate ASP service as I planned initially? Add ASP scripting to Apache? Maybe I should accept this situation as an opportunity to learn PHP coding by rewriting the entire website in PHP. For I’ve tried to learn the grammar, structure of PHP, this challenge can be a good exercise which will accelerate my learning speed. Now I am little glad that my old website was not as complicate one as I wanted it to be back then.

Out of nowhere, new idea for a web service emerged. I am quite happy about its importance and potential for being a useful service for many, and I want to protect it from my own procrastination and negativism.

The research plan for this project and also for other ones, or for general learning in web development:

• Find about the translation services. Which is the most popular one and how it functions?
• How to analyze and refine the article submitted to sentences? How to imitate Digg submission and rating system?
• What’s the best way to promote the web service and maintain its activity? How to lure master translators?
• Learn about the general methods, procedure in web service development.
• What’s the basic and the best usage for database?
• What’s the good method for finding attractive domain names?

Perhaps, I need these:

• Whteboard
• Easily scalable hosting service; something like FatCow
• Good Teachers
• More tech books, or O’Reilly’s Safari subscription.
• Optimization tools for learning, researching, and developing: XMind, Gliffy

Acquired copies of books that I consider necessary to start my project.

Actually, I wanted to buy more concise and inexpensive ones, but after realizing that I don’t have any references for these technologies, I decided to have big ones, like AJAX Definitive Guide from O’Reilly.

But the important matter is actually finish reading them and understanding them enough to effectively use the knowledges.

Some ideas came up, which I can see some value and importance of their existence. But I need to learn more, something I only have concepts about them, to actually produce the working applications.

Must start learning, AJAX with PHP and MySql. Must be able to solve critical database problems. Document the development, so I can use it for my future references and portfolio.

And I must look back what I had written in my posts, to reclaim my lost ideas.

For those using other kinds of social networking or publishing, aggregating RSS feeds from them to be displayed in www.walkingonthesea.net can be primitive yet effective way to concentrate the purpose of gathering of people’s thoughts in one place. Allowing them to keep the structure of their content management and yet opening the thoughts from them to the www.walkingonthesea.net is the most important fruit of this project.

Learn how to aggregate and display the RSS feeds from other blogging systems, Cyworld, Facebook, Naver, Tistory, Tattertools, and etc.

Bible Chapter reading statistics. Every member submit their daily readings of chapters from the Bible, and the statistical result will show which chapter is being read by many, for how often. Good way of finding who reads the same chapters.

Learn from Facebook and Myspace, for its global usage. Learn the disadvantages of Cyworld.

http://www.stillwaterkbc.org/ will be redirected to a subdomain under http://www.walkingonthesea.net/ for temporarily, or permanently to adhere to the purpose of using the non-localized domain name. Keeping the domain name http://www.stillwaterkbc.org/ is inevitable for a long period of time.

LEARN: PHP and MySQL and JavaScript for AJAX. Become the Master as soon as possible!

About a week ago, [fxceed.com] started managing http://www.stillwaterkbc.org/ website. Weekly updating church announcements, uploading media files, and developing new website, [fxceed.com] has begun to be tested for its professional aptitudes. This will be the first project of [fxceed.com] which will guide it to learn how to successfully develop a new website.

TASK 20081104: Created a page for downloading media files. Used http://www.box.net/ service for streaming audio files. Had to be careful about copyright issues for certain presentation files, thus changed its exposure from open to closed, only will be available by request.

NEXT: Must find the smooth way to migrate from old way of using CGI to new way of using PHP and MySQL, without causing any difficulties, confusion, or frustration. [fxceed.com] wants to please the customers. Need to develop better board system for efficient and safe use. Realizing how out of date the site has been, this new development will require drastic adoption for new technologies. AJAX perhaps?

Installed WordPress in my computer. Finished only the first setup, doing it twice to make it work for Korean. My first initial idea was to develop my own theme that can be used for my church’s new website. Designing something graphical is not easy for me. And I need to get good help. Trusting people is something I have big trouble with. It’s always problems caused by me.
I feel hasty. And hasty will ruin this project. Please hold me firmly.

From now on, I must spend good deal of time for studying the code throughly to understand the causes and the effects. Sacrificing time for sleep and meeting people. Keep me alive.

Strangely, I just can’t stop dreaming about building a successful website that does contribute and becomes a great Rightful property for so many people. Without not knowing the specific tools to be used, and attained the level of mastery for professional development, I just can’t shake it off. Yet, I know the requirements, the labor and dedication sacrificing some of my comforts. I fear how I will disappoint myself by not achieving the goal, and being regretful for what I had sacrificed. And the anticipatory challenges toward me, attacking my soul, body, and my people. I just don’t have enough courage to respond; react to this call. Please let me do what You want me to do. Whatever it is, build it to be servile, bringing joy to Your people.

New Domain name Candidate: http://c******.***.**t

Maybe I’m forcing myself to think about the project to be too big and ambitious. Probably, I can even attempt is simply making similarly operating website with new design, or interface. Daring to make something great would lead me to be frustrated since there may not be adequate acknowledgement or support, unless I announce it publicly. But most of all, it’s due to my lack of creatively striking idea that will definitely entertain people. Must think simply and in user’s point of view. Never be too proud to do something for contribution. Don’t tempt myself to do something great and expect or command respect from those I should serve.

However, examining the way I use my time like this weekend, I just need more motivation or incentive. Being focused to do something valuable is such a great gift.

1. Find the hosting service: I consider EasyCGI to be the best for it’s capability for support both ASP.NET and PHP

2. Register the Domain name: http://www.stillwaterkbc******.org/ Can’t think of anything really good.

3. Open source: Respect the spirit of collaboration. Since I will heavily borrow many solutions from other developers, it’s my duty to properly keep good reference to their sincere work.

4. Multi-lingual: This is for anyone coming to the website from anywhere. Thus, additional to Korean contents, it will be required to have the identical or at least the similar contents in English. Currently, there is no prospect for supporting other languages due to my inability.

5. Altruistic Intention: Though this site will be developed only by myself, it will not be owned by me. Rather, I will strongly encourage people to particapate in tinkering and reforming. As this project will support my preparation for real professional career development, I hope it will motivate other students and job seekers likewise. By not taking my ownership, this site will be owned by everyone and have much longer life.

After many speculations, fxceed.com has decided to pause maintaining its site for a while. And will start developing an additional, and eventually the substitution website for the Korean Church in Stillwater. Initially, this development will focus on expanding its accessibility to non-Korean speaking church members and future users, whether they are attending church or not. One great aspect of Internet is its unlimited openness to anyone from anywhere.

First thing, is that fxceed.com is not skilled enough to handle this project specification: AJAX, ASP.NET, File Uploading, Applying other professional site types, Security, etc. This is the first project to be considered real professional task.

From this day on, this blog will keep the development journal. Starting from what I cumulatively learn for mastering new techniques, and to actually developing the website for real use.

Good luck, to myself.