Blog: March 2005.

A Quote

It’s good so few know me so far …

With fame I become more and more stupid, which of course is a very common phenomenon. Albert Einstein

Posted: 21 March 2005, Matthew Schlukebier. | .

Extensions Revisited

Even more useful developer tools for Firefox

The more I run across new, useful Firefox extensions, the more impressed I become. One of the most recent additions to my expanding list of extensions is the HTML Validator (based on Tidy). While I already have the Web Developer Toolbar extension added (to work with the pages, validate code, etc.), this one adds a few extra features that provide some additional options to enhance the usability of validating code.

With the installation of the validator, a simple icon (or icon with text) is added to the bottom right of the Firefox browser window. This icon indicates whether the page you are viewing is valid, has warnings, or is completely invalid. While hovering over that icon, more information is provided to better indicate the results. More than just that, a context menu provides you with options to work with. And, the validator is integrated with your “View Page Source” window — listing where the errors or warnings are located on the page. An option to “Clean up the page …” corrects listed warnings.

Together, the Web Developer Toolbar and the HTML Validator make reviewing for (quite rare!) mistakes a breeze. Oh, and how could I forget, the validator also provides the option to review the page at any of the three levels of accessibility.

Extensions

Switch to Internet Explorer from Firefox
Switch to Firefox from Internet Explorer

While the latest beta for Netscape (version 8.0) includes both Internet Explorer and Firefox in the same browser — giving you the abilities of either browser in one place — I’d still rather not risk that the “one” browser could be damaged, eliminating you from either alternative when you may need it most. And, as a developer, I need to be able to see my page in every browser available.

Internet Explorer is Internet Explorer; Firefox is Firefox. Netscape is bi-polar.

Two extensions for Firefox give you a somewhat similar function to the new Netscape split personality — though your browsers remain quite independent, and safe. FirefoxView and ieview add an option within your (right-click) context menu to open the current web page in the alternate browser. While Netscape is set to pre-determine which browser engine to use, with these you still can utilize your browser of choice and switch to the other when you feel it is necessary.

Also, I believe the continued separation of the two browsers (for security) remains the deciding factor — the extensions are the better method. And for web professional, they are useful tools when working on any design and development project providing that quick switch to the alternate.

Extensions

Other extensions

There are so many more available, but here are some additional extensions I have installed:

Dictionary Search — allows you to highlight any word and open (in a new tab) a Dictionary.com query for the definition of that word.

ColorZilla — you can discover the color of any pixel in the browser window, with a few extra pieces of data to make it even better.

Sage — my favorite aggregator. (See my November 2004 post on Syndication for more.)

Extensions

Mozilla Update

An extensive listing of extensions is available at Mozilla Update. When you find one you want to install, I recommend visiting the home page for that extension before you install it. The Mozilla site tends to lag behind on listing the most recent version of some extensions. If you find one that is extremely useful, be sure to let me know!

Posted: 17 March 2005, Matthew Schlukebier. | .

Word of the Day: Digerati

[dig(ital) + (lit)erati.]

Digerati
1. People who are knowledgeable about digital technologies such as computer programming and design: “the chasm between the high claims of the digerati and the misadventures of the novice Net user” (Publisher’s Weekly).
2. People knowledgeable about computers, “computer literate”.

This term has been around since 2001, but somehow I seem to have missed it. Sounds kind of high class-ish. Cool.

Posted: 15 March 2005, Matthew Schlukebier.

π Day

Party Starts at 1:59pm!

Note: that’d be: 3.14159…

That’s right, it’s π Day! I think this is also Einstein’s Birthday — if so, it is a double-party day!

(Think: Matt = Math Geek, that’ll help you through this…)

Oddly enough, π is an amazing, yet irrational number.

If a billion decimals of π were printed in ordinary type, they would stretch from New York City to the middle of Kansas.

Only forty-seven decimal places of π would be sufficiently precise to inscribe a circle around the visible universe that doesn’t deviate from perfect circularity by more that the distance across a single proton.

While I was a student at St. Olaf College, a music recital for “musical mathematicians” was held. A lot of mathematicians are also talented in the world of music, simply because of the deep mathematical relations of note — and, because even we need something else to do from time to time! A fellow student had set a song he wrote to the digits of π. He matched the numbers 0-9 to notes on a scale and that formed a tone poem of sorts. To that words, rhythm and chords were added. In the end what he performed was a precise match to (I believe) 30 digits of π. Unfortunately, I am not aware of any record of such an intriguing song. Ah, such fascinating music back in the day.…

The mathematics of π can be so absorbing that others will memorize the number to 100 or more decimal places. I only ever made it to twenty-five myself.

So, be sure to make your self a “π” for desert tonight and celebrate! To help, here are a bunch of links to check out and learn more about π. (Note: some of these pages are a little old and have invalid links present throughout.)

Posted: π Day, 2005. Matthew Schlukebier.
Revised: 17 March 2005, Matthew Schlukebier.

A Little More Einstein

A few “intelligent” remarks:

I am not only a pacifist, but a militant pacifist. I am willing to fight for peace. …

My position concerning God is that of an agnostic. … - Albert Einstein

And, when talking about mathematics:

Do not worry about your difficulties in mathematics; I can assure you that mine are still greater. Albert Einstein

Had I not majored in mathematics, maybe I could have been a genius too!

Posted: 01 March 2005, Matthew Schlukebier.