There’s usually great deals on external drives, especially Western Digital brands where you get 1TB drives for about $50. However, they don’t respect Apple’s system settings to prevent hard disks from going to sleep (spinning down). Whenever you browse files and folders in Finder, those hard drives will instantly awake, even though you might don’t want to view contents in those hard drives.

It helps save sanity. No longer will you have to wait for the disks to wake up.

http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/31158/keep-drive-spinning

Thankfully with a quick search, I found out through a Google Groups thread that you’re still able to use the old method without having to downgrade or use an extension. Thanks Larry and Dave!

Here’s how to do it:

Type “about:config” in the url bar and agree to the terms that you won’t break anything.
search for “browser.tabs.insertRelatedAfterCurrent”
double click to set it from “true” to “false”

and you’re all set to go!

<?php
header('Content-type: text/xml'); //change file type to XML
include("the database!");  //get config
?>
<rss version="2.0">
<channel>
 <title>Feed Name</title>
 <description>Feed Descriptiondescription>
 <link>http://yoursite.com</link>
<?php
$result = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM entries ORDER BY id DESC"); //get the information
while($row = mysql_fetch_assoc($result)){ //repeat the info
?>
<item>
 <title><?php echo $row['title']; //echo the title
?></title>
 <description><?php echo $row[short]; //echo the content
?></description>
 <author>SiteName submissions@yoursite.com</author>
 <link>http://yoursite.com/index.php?id=<?php echo $row['id']; //another link to the article
?></link>
 <guid>http://yoursite.com/#<?php echo $row[id];// Quick Link
?></guid>
</item>
<?
} //end the while
?>
</channel>
</rss>

Special thanks for runnerjp who supplied the above code!

Thanks to this thread about the same issue with MAMP conflict with Navicat, it needed a socket to connect.

When you connect with Navicat, you go under the Advanced properties and enter the following in.

/Applications/MAMP/tmp/mysql/mysql.sock

How to use the zebra striping layout via a tutorial and demo

I’ll never go back to the old methods as this will take some processing off the server.

You can read the debate on jQuery vs Moo Tools here.

Web Development

MacRabbit has these two promising looking applications, one that just got released to the public called Espresso. It seems to fall short of Coda without quick preview. However it does have the benefit of including a FTP program inside so I don’t have to use Transmit when updating files.

CSS Design

CSS Design is usually a big headache, especially with cross browsing since they all never play nice *cough*internet explorer*cough*.

While the feature with Coda is nice, but it doesn’t really work for me. With CSS3 and HTML5 coming around the corner, there will be a new set of rules to learn. Not to mention that finding how CSS is working with Safari is not possible since there are no plugins like WebDeveloper for Firefox. CSSEdit is there to help. The X-ray feature alone is worth getting the program. There are also many other features worth taking a look.

Project Management

For getting projects on time, I would normally use iCal to set up dates when things were due. While it’s nice, it can get messy. Just the other day, I found Things. Finally I can get my projects organized. It’s like an extension of iCal.

Before we begin, you need to download jQuery (current release 1.3), otherwise you’ll get a bunch of errors. Also make sure that you’re making a connection to the javascript file. So often the script won’t work because the browser cannot find the jQuery javascript file on the server.

Now once you upload that javascript file and make sure that it’s there, you’re ready for the form.

<script type="text/javascript" src="jquery-1.3.2.min.js"></script>
<script language="javascript">
function ajax_submit(){
var nameField = $("#name").val();
var emailField = $("#location").val();
var commentField = $('comments').val();

 $.ajax({
 type: "POST",
 url: "submit.php",
 data: "name=" + nameField + "&email=" + emailField + "&comments=" + commentField,
 success: function(msg){
 $('#message').html(msg);
 }
 });

}

$(document).ready(function () { //begin document ready
$('#name').focus();
$('#submitbutton').click(function() { ajax_submit(); return false; });
});
</script>
<form method="POST" action="submit.php">
<div id="message"></div><br />
Name: <input type="text" name="name" id="name"><br>
Email: <input type="text" name="email" id="email"><br>
Comments: <br /><textarea id="comments" name="comments"></textarea><br />
<input type="submit" value="Send email" id="submitbutton">
</form>

Now for the submit.php page, which is simplified for the purpose of getting an answer.

<?php
$name = $_POST['name'];
$email = $_POST['email'];
$comments = $_POST['comments'];

if($name) { //if someone typed in a name
echo "Thanks for using the comment form!";
} else {
echo "I don't know who you are...";
}
?>

You can test out the script demo to see what it will look like. You can add more creative stuff to it, but this will get you started.

<?php
$today = strtotime('today');
$yesterday = strtotime( '-1 days' );
$beforeyesterday = strtotime('-2 days');
$lastweek = strtotime('-7 days');
$lastmonth = strtotime('-30 days');
$lastyear = strtotime('-365 days');
$showtoday = date('M d');
$showyesterday = date('M d', $yesterday);
$showweek = date('M d', $lastweek);
$showmonth = date('M', $lastmonth);
$showyear = date('Y', $lastyear);
$now = time();
?>

I hope this is helpful for other PHP coders out there.

The first thing you’ll see is a 5 step setup. This is the fun part, you get to choose a number based on either area codes, numbers, or a phrase. Click the image to enlarge.

It’ll then ask you to add a number and call you to verify a number that they display. Once you completed the step, it’ll ask you to either setup voicemail over the phone or give you the option to hang up. This is the mail screen you’ll see:

The tough part is to have everyone update their number to your new Google Voice number. In the mean time, you can setup the numbers for your contacts.

Click the image to enlarge

Some more screenshots of the settings (click the images to enlarge)

Manage your real phone numbers here

The groups section gives you the ability to choose which phone rings depending on the person/persons calling. Or you could just let it go straight to voicemail.

Call Widgets, it won’t be long until we see these on blogs.

The most fun section, billing!

Just a little tip for those who are still waiting to be blessed with an opportunity to try Google Voice. You don’t have to wait long for an invite, I requested an invite about 2 weeks before I got the email. It might help if your Gmail account is older, since I got mine back in the days when they were being sold on eBay.