Bizzark

Rails refactoring fun - looking at old code

Brent — February 17, 2012

Every so often I get to do some updates on code I wrote years ago. It's often a hideous experience (especially when you're in a rush and did not write the code), but it can be entertaining and enjoyable. Taking a big sloppy mess of redundancies and complications and making it readable, clean, and orderly—it's a satisfying experience refactoring old unrefined code—a nice guage of your growth as a human being in the small but large area of your life as a programmer.

I'll share just a few quick examples. The first two are from a Rails project I had originally built when I was getting my hands dirty with Ruby (and was still a bit handicapped by having programmed so long in PHP).

Example 1: ActiveRecord scopes

speakers = Page.find_all_by_page_type_id(PageType.find_by_name("speaker").id, :conditions=>{:status => 'online'}, :order=>"position")

To...

speakers = Page.speakers

Example 2: Unnecessary for loops

<% if page.categories.count > 0
c_count = 0
page.categories.each do |c|
c_count+=1
if c_count >1
%>/ <%
end %>
<%=c.name %>
<% end %>
<% end %>

To...
<%= page.categories.map(&:name).join("/") ?>

Example 3: Ambiguous variable names -- This was code written by a previous developer. From what I could tell "in" and "out" had nothing to do with what the numbers actually were, nor anything to do with the words "in" and "out"... it caused me a lot of confusion.

EXACT_TARGET_LISTS = {
:in => '867530933',
:out => '9021055'
}

To...
EXACT_TARGET_LISTS = {
:newsletter_welcome => '867530933',
:member_welcome => '90210555'
}

Applescript, Omnifocus & Transmit

Brent — February 06, 2011

I've been using Omnifocus now for about 3 months, after struggling to find a good system to keep track of what I'm doing. It's pretty perfect. Except for one thing. It's not web based, and the only mobile app it has is for the iPhone. So I can't access anything on my lists unless I have my computer with me. So, I was daydreaming one day and wondering how I could take a list, and put it online so I could (for instance) go to the grocery store and see exactly what I need to get, and mark off what I put in my cart. Sure I could print it off, but sometimes I can't do that. And sure, I could use their HTML export, but they don't have check boxes on them so I can't check off what I've done.

So long story short, I instead decided to spend a good 4 hours, learn a bit of Applescript, and create a nifty Applescript which exports an Omnifocus list to custom html with check boxes next to each item (see an example here), and automatically uploads it via FTP in Transmit... all in the click of a button.

Anyways, for anyone who could actually make use of this, here's what I've got:

on run
    tell application id "com.omnigroup.OmniFocus" to tell default document
        set PP to project "Grocery Print list" in folder "Personal"
        set pptasks to every task of PP where completed is false
    end tell

    set f to ((path to desktop as text) & "omni.html")
    set nref to open for access file f with write permission

    write "
<html>
<head>
<title>Omnifocus export - " & (current date) & " </title>
        <link href='style.css' media='screen' rel='stylesheet' type='text/css' />
</head>
<body>
<div id='container'>
<div class='title'>
    <h1>Omnifocus Applescript Export</h1>
    " & (current date) & "
</div>
<ul>" to file f

    repeat with ot in pptasks
        set testVars to name of ot
        write "<li><label><input type='checkbox' />" & testVars & "</label></li>" to file f
    end repeat
    write "
</ul>
     </div>
</body>
</html>" to file f
    close access nref


    tell application "Transmit"
        set myFave to item 1 of (favorites whose name is "Brentwejrowski.com")
        set myRules to (skip rules whose name is "New Rule")

        tell current tab of (make new document at end)
            connect to myFave
            tell local browser
                change location to path "~/Desktop"
            end tell

            tell remote browser
                upload item at path "~/Desktop/omni4.html" to "public_html/omni" with resume mode overwrite
            end tell
            close remote browser
        end tell
    end tell
end run

A bit of silence, a bit of change

Brent — December 31, 2010

I haven't been too active here. One new website posted in the last 6 months, and not too many blog posts. I also had a sweet e-newsletter going for a few months. Then the tides turned and everything stopped. I am alive, and still coding and designing, among other things. Just not as much under Bizzark. I've been doing majority of my work under a few other local companies, which is why everything here kind of came to a halt. I decided to step back off the stressful pursuit of marketing myself and let other people feed me the work. Much more fun. Unfortunately I don't think I can post any of the fun stuff I have been working on (A ton of Wordpress websites, some RoR apps, a bit of Flash, and some other random stuff..).

That being said, the work area will probably be continue being pretty lifeless for a while. But I have some hopes to start some more miscellaneous blog posts. To be continued...

Awesome error pages

Brent — September 03, 2010

Not much to say about these except for they are awesomely unique and amusing. I'm actually kind of happy when the twitter website goes down. And I recently found the Oregon Trail error message on Digg and though it was pretty clever.

Part 3 - website content and clarity

Brent — June 18, 2010

The subconscious mind of a web surfer is an attention deficit mind. We don't read through websites, we skim them. We bounce our eyes around from top to bottom looking at the biggest and catchiest items and they try to sort out what makes sense. And if something sticks out... we click, or read more. *see Don't make me think for good info.

If our website is boring, unclear, and has no visible hierarchy, it will probably turn people away pretty fast. Here's a couple things that will allow our subconscious mind to surf gracefully:

Eye candy

Since most of us only read a small fraction of what's on a page, we need some sort of clarity to guide us, and some levels of distinction. There should be some level of contrast between the items on a page—between things like the navigation and the content, or between one piece of information and another. The web surfer enjoys whitespace, large letters, and bold bright colors.

Sum it up for me, I don't want to read

Five straight paragraphs on a page can be a daunting read for us. It sounds stupid but it's true. Most people just won't read it. Web surfers need the Spark Notes of Spark Notes. If you split content up into smaller chunks, sum up paragraphs in larger headings, or bold some information so people can see what it's all about... it may draw people in who would otherwise click away.

We do what's in front of us, and go where we can assume a destination. I started playing the guitar 9 years ago because I stumbled upon an grossly old guitar in my closet. I bought this book at the book store because it had a clear and interesting title that intrigued me, it had an interesting summary on the back, and satisfied me when I read it back at home. I found the carrots at the grocery store because I looked around to the walls for the typical veggies area—the wide open space with no tall shelves, but a few mid level containers with mounds of watermelon, lettuce and bags of potatoes. When things are clear, simple, and concise, we like it... especially on websites.

Part 2 - on up to date info + transparency

Brent — May 31, 2010

Are you alive?

With the web world filled with dynamic sites like Facebook, Twiter, blogs, and live webcasts, people now are taken back by sites that just sit and don't do much. Ten years ago that was normal. Now days there are multiple ways to get in contact with people instantly on the web. Most companies now have twitter accounts and are readily available to spout out their latest news and answer questions. It's becoming a bigger and bigger part of our world so much so that people now (and especially in the coming years) wonder what's up with someone who doesn't have any new content on their website. Do they exist anymore? Are they alive?

Tell me what you're doing

A key question people have when they visit a website is, who are you, or what do you do? This often is found in the about pages, or services pages. And though these may help explain what you do, it may not be enough for the average web surfer now days. People want to get an idea of what type of people run the company, who they are, and how they work. Because we're constantly being fed this information from so many other sources, it's just normal. It's something that web-surfers crave (like I often crave arnold palmers), and it's also an invaluable tool to be able to give someone insight into who you are or what your company does.

Spice up your your website with...

Blogs - This is a great way to share a whole lot of information on anything. It also is a good way to express your character and personality.
News - Let people know what's going on. What's the latest thing that's happened, latest project you've worked on or are planning on.
Twitter - Twitter is a great way to share information. And it's quick and easy to use too. Not only using it, but placing your twitter feed on your home page can be a good way to connect.
Facebook fan pages - Another great way to connect with people. Checkout my facebook page.
Reviews or testimonials - I've been incorporating these more and more on websites I build. It seems to be fun and useful for everyone. People like reading them and hearing what people have to say, and if people are happy with you they are usually pretty happy to write a few sentences.

Part 1 - on website design

Brent — May 17, 2010

A good website design changes the brain

Our perceptions of everything are deeply connected with how we view them, from the looks and persona of the acquaintance we first meet, to the packaging on the loaf of bread we buy at the grocery store. Hopefully we don't have a bad habit of solely judging based on appearance. But, to a large extent, it is literally the case that appearance directly resembles what's on the inside. Here are a few examples of how this crazy connection plays out:

Pretty Packaging
200 people were brought in a room to taste test 2 different brands of brandy. All the testers were blindfolded. The ratings came out equal. A second test was done: This time they showed the packaging. Brand B won hands down. Third test: Another 200 people came in, and this time they swapped the brandy into opposite bottles. This time brand A won hands down. The conclusion: the package design deeply affected people's perception of the taste. *
The color of a soda can changes taste buds
There was an experiment done where 7up added 15% more yellow to green on their packaging, and people report tasting more lime then lemon flavor and claiming they had changed the taste, when all they changed was the color. *
The flimsy business card
Quite a bit can be said about a company based on their business cards, the design and even the way the paper feels. If you have many business cards and flip through them, you'll find that business cards that look good, are printed well, and feel good are, for the most part, from larger and more well established companies. A flimsy business card often equals a flimsy business. A tacky design and crooked cut card probably resembles a disorganized and poorly established company. People who design or print notice these things when they first pick up and study someone's card. But most people pick up on these things wtihout even realizing it.

We usually don't even think about these things. We go to the grocery store and buy the bright yellow cheese with pretty packaging because we assume it's going to be fresh and tasty cheddar cheese. What we didn't know was that we probably would not have bought the cheese if they didn't put the yellow food coloring in it and do a ton of research designing their awesome cheese wrapper.

I buy Tillamook Cheese because (1) it looks like cheese, (2) their wrapper makes them look like a company who knows what they're doing (making good cheese), and (3) after I eat it I tell myself how good it tastes and go buy Tillamook cheese next time I go to the store.

The point in all this is to say that people subconsciously judge things based on appearance and make choices on a daily basis based on how they perceive things. We find a website and may stay solely based on the design. It may not be the case every time or with everyone, but is a huge contributing factor. It's usually the first thing we notice when we visit a website, something which often immediately attracts us or turns us aways.

* Both of these examples are from Blink.

The subconscious mind of a web surfer - a three part series

Brent — April 05, 2010

These people look like they have it together...

This website looks awful.. this company must not know what they're doing...

You're not what I wanted!

Is this company in business still? It doesn't look like it...

Ooh, I am intrigued. Give me more!..

How in the world do I contact these people? They must not want to talk...

If you've ever watched yourself carefully while surfing websites (especially when you're looking for something), you'll notice how quickly you dismiss certain websites. While this may be a time saver for users, it may also be detrimental to website owners. Too often there are great companies and individuals with poorly designed websites. Even if you may be the greatest at what you do, people may easily dismiss you by your website. And to a certain extent rightfully so. We do this with people all the time. You can tell a lot about a person by the way they dress, the words they use, and by what you see when you enter their bedroom. Psychologist Samuel Gosling did a study to measure how well friends vs strangers know an individual. As it turns out, complete strangers were able to assess a person—their trustworthiness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, and openness—better than friends, just by studying their rooms for 15 minutes (via Blink, pg 36).

The same is true for websites. People, within seconds, assess the value of a company or person and make decisions on whether or not they want to take further action, or go to another website. Over the coming weeks I will cover some basic things that people subconsciously pick up on while visiting websites:

Week 1 - Design
Week 2 - Up to date info & transparency
Week 3 - Clarity & content

Do you ever notice anything specific about websites that either attract and intrigue you, or frustrate and turn you away?

What in the world is RSS?

Brent — March 03, 2010

Ever see those strange RSS boxes
in your browser bar?

Firefox

Safari

Internet Explorer

Or those bright orange RSS icons? Most probably don't notice them. If you've ever clicked them you'll know that it takes you to a funky format of information. It looks pretty boring. This is an RSS feed. What is it? It's a standard format of information that makes it easy for computers to decode and understand. It stands for "Really Simple Syndication," or "Rich Site Summary." Typically you will find these on websites that have a lot of updates, especially blogs and news websites. What would you do with it?

Organized blog reading

For those who read more than a few blogs, a feed reader is a great way to keep up to date with your favorite blogs. They allow you to have view things like blogs in one location without going to the actual website. If you browse a lot websites, it would be pretty tedious to visit each site, much less remember them. I currently am subscribed to 117 blogs. I confess many of these I don't keep tabs on all the time. But keeping these organized through a reader helps me remember them, and browse through them at my convenience. There are a lot of online applications and software that allow you to organize and read blogs. I personally like, and would highly suggest Google Reader because it is all stored online, and it is very easy to organize and use. Google Reader is set as my home page, and when I have free time I'll browse my subscriptions and find interesting articles to read (as well as do this in down time on my phone).

Read RSS and
change your life

I say everyone really should read blogs. You could probably find a decent blog on virtually any topic. For myself I read mostly design, programming, and photography blogs, as well as blogs from friends and authors, and news. It helps me keep informed about what's going on in specific industries, peoples' lives, get inspired, and it can even be a good way to communicate with others, via comments and responses. It's an invaluable resource for staying informed, inspired, and educated.

Have a favorite blog you subscribe to?

List a few of your favorite below

Welcome to the New Website

Brent — February 16, 2010

Welcome to the new website. After many months of planning and many hours of work, I've finally completed the new website along with a new CMS. Why would I create another website? Well apart from it being due time, I thought I would simplify the layout of the website and make it a bit more usable, likable, and useful to the average person (unfortunately some were a bit taken back by the craziness of the 3d background on the old website). Also I thought I would better showcase what I'm capable of by not only building this website in a custom programmed content management system, but by adding practical features that I've used with other clients (Testimonials, Twitter & Facebook integration, nifty interactions etc.).

Behind the scenes

Behind this nifty website is a content management system (or CMS) that I have built. It's a system that's evolved over the last couple years; one that I have built to be a foundation for future projects and website, allowing for more complex features while still keeping a simple interface for people like you to manage your website super easily. The system was hand coded myself from scratch using Ruby on Rails (read more about Rails, view well known Ruby on Rails websites). In the future I plan on releasing a public version of the CMS which will allow you to log in and see how it works yourself. Stay tuned for that.

In the meantime, subscribe to my RSS feed to stay tuned for future blogs and work (click here for more info on blogs and RSS feeds). I plan on writing posts regularly. Hopefully it will all be useful and intriguing information pertaining to websites and this crazy world of the internet.

Thanks for stopping by!