Category Archives: Misc

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July 14, 2023

Design Docs

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Design Documents, or Design Docs for short, are used in various fields to articulate project plans and specifications. In the realm of software development and product design, where effective communication is imperative for success, Design Docs document the high-level implementation strategy for the project, as well as any design decisions and justifications that are made during the initial development stages. Design Docs act as informal, yet comprehensive blueprints that delineate the objectives, functionalities, and technical intricacies of the proposed design.

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July 7, 2023

Harnessing the Power of Quality Assurance in Daily Life

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Quality Assurance (QA) practices play a critical role in ensuring that products and services meet specific standards before being released to customers. However, QA doesn’t have to be limited to manufacturing processes or software development. Have you ever considered how QA could enhance your daily life?

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May 26, 2023

Technical Evolution in Theme Park Attractions: Disney’s Space Race

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When you hear the phrase “theme park,” it’s hard not to simultaneously picture a mouse named Mickey. However, while the colorful attractions and whimsical characters of theme parks feel effortless, in reality, their success is based on the ongoing technological advancements that keep the attractions safe and fun.

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April 21, 2023

Debugging Difficult Things

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One of the unfortunate realities of any application is that it requires maintenance. As technology continues to evolve and operating systems undergo improvements, applications must be updated to continue running smoothly. However, installing updates isn’t as simple as simply hitting the “update” button. In this post, I will explore our recent updating and debugging adventures on a Ruby on Rails application. 

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posted

April 14, 2023

Applying Composition to the Digital Web Experience

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Good composition occurs when every visual element of a photograph has been placed with intent and plays a precise role that adds to the overall story the photo is conveying. By maintaining a balance of detail and space within a frame, the photographer can create pleasing visual aesthetics while communicating a message. 

While some photographers have a natural instinct for good composition, others aren’t so lucky. To help others understand these nuanced elements, photographers have simplified certain compositional structures that are known to work into mathematical elements. These elements are then applied to basic grids that can be taught and reused by any and all photographers, old and new.

But can this rule be used in other forms of media? Say, in digital web experiences?

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posted

March 17, 2023

Creating a Custom WordPress Plugin: Rendering a SPA and Exposing a REST API

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If you’ve been on the Internet, chances are you’ve used a WordPress site. WordPress, a free, open-source content management system (CMS) that allows you to host and build websites, is currently responsible for 43% of all websites on the Internet. With so many WordPress websites out there, finding ways to increase your site’s useability and efficiency is key. One easy way to do that? By rendering a SPA and exposing a REST API. 

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March 2, 2023

iBeacon: Reconnecting an iOS App to a Bluetooth Device if the App is Terminated

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While working on a recent iOS project in which an iOS app connects to a Bluetooth device, we discovered an issue: the connection between the app and the Bluetooth device could not be re-established if the app was terminated unless the user manually relaunched the app. Our Bluetooth device was turned on and off periodically throughout the day, so it was essential that it was able to reconnect automatically, even if the app was in the background or had been terminated.

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posted

March 1, 2023

Gaining Wisdom from the Ghost of Lotus Notes

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Rapid application development has always been the Holy Grail of information technology. The idea that someone with little to no technical expertise could automate their own processes by creating a functioning application is a powerful concept. 

Low-code and no-code developments promise to make this elusive Holy Grail a reality. But they are not the first. Promising the same results as Lotus Notes did in the 1980s, will these developments be able to succeed where Lotus Notes could not? 

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posted

February 10, 2023

Building A Canvas Slideshow with React Konva

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Recently, I was tasked with building an application that allowed users to interact with product configurations on an HTML canvas. When using the app, users would be able to: 

  • Drag and drop different products on the canvas
  • Move and reorder products
  • Easily change between the main product images using navigation buttons or by swiping left and right. 

After searching extensively for a code example that could provide a framework for the canvas, I came up with zero results. This meant, of course, that I would need to build the functionality from scratch. It felt like a daunting task. 

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December 21, 2022

An Insight into Daikin HERO Cloud

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In a world of smartphones connected to smart lights, garage doors, alarm systems, and doorbells, it feels as if we can bring smart connectivity to practically anything. Yet it isn’t as simple as having the idea for new technology. 

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