One of the useful features in Firefox 2.0 is the ability to add keywords to bookmarks which in turn can be used for quick navigation to your favorite sites. For example, if you bookmarked www.google.com and added a keyword of “g” you could then type “g” in the location bar of the browser, hit Enter, and be whisked away to Google’s homepage.

The keyword functionality can also be used to perform quick searches. I’ll use the Google example again. You can perform a search for the word “blog” using Google with the following URL: http://www.google.com/search?q=blog. In order to create a quick search you could bookmark http://www.google.com/search?q=%s and again add a keyword of “g”. Now, if you were type “g blog” in the location bar of the browser the “%s” in the bookmark is replaced with “blog” and you are taken to the results page for your search.

You can find more details at the following links:

Mozillazine - Using keyword searches

Linebacker - Firefox and the art of keyword bookmarking

A useful Firefox extension for keyword bookmarking is mentioned in the Lifehacker article. You can find the extension here.

[tags]Firefox, bookmarking[/tags]

I recently came across Merrion Computing’s Eight Secrets of Successful Programmers. They are listed below, but you should read the article for their explanation of each of these points.

1. Code for human consumption
2. Comment often and comment well
3. Layout code to increase legibility
4. Expect the unexpected and deal with it
5. Name your variables to aid readability
6. Keep your functions and subroutines simple
7. Scope functions and variables appropriately
8. Never stop listening and learning

These “secrets” remind me of what I’ve encountered so far in Code Complete 2nd Edition by Steve McConnell.

[tags]programming, code, tips[/tags]

Recently I tried out SUPER (Simplified Universal Player Encoder & Renderer). SUPER is a “GUI to ffmpeg, mencoder, mplayer, x264, mppenc, ffmpeg2theora & the theora/vorbis RealProducer plugIn”. It’s a simple application that let’s convert between multiple audio and video formats.

After installing SUPER and converting a few videos I found out that SUPER installs an out-of-date cygwin1.dll in the System32 folder on Windows. Unfortunately this screwed up my Cygwin install.

After uninstalling SUPER and getting rid of the unwanted cygwin1.dll I remembered a piece of software called Altiris SVS (Software Virtualizaiton Solution). According to the SVS website:

Altiris® Software Virtualization Solution™ (SVS™) is a revolutionary approach to software management. By placing applications and data into managed units called Virtual Software Packages, Software Virtualization Solution allows you to instantly activate, deactivate or reset applications and to completely avoid conflicts between applications, without altering the base Windows installation.

Using SVS to create a virtual software layer for installing SUPER I am able to run SUPER when needed and deactivate the software layer when I’m not in need of it thereby avoiding conflicts with my Cygwin install.

Although I haven’t used SVS extensively it seems to be doing the trick right now.

[tags]software, Cygwin, SUPER, Altiris SVS, software virtualization[/tags]

DevFYI has lots of typical job interview questions (and appropriate answers) organized by programming language/framework.

I have to take their word for it that these are the kinds of technical questions that would be asked of a would-be software developer. Can anyone confirm?

[tags]programming, software development, job interview[/tags]

Google is starting a new coding competition for students.

If you’re a student with an email address ending in .edu, the Google Gadget Awards is your chance to win a Google programming competition – even if you’re not a programming ninja. If you’ve ever taken a web design class, you can probably create a gadget in a few minutes – no need to download anything or even own hosting space. Once you’ve submitted your gadget, people can add it to their Google homepage with a few mouse clicks.

Creating a Google Gadget seems easy enough, but creating an award winning gadget would be a bit more difficult. Of course, you will get some notoriety if you win.

We’ll let everyone know who the top student gadget innovators are by promoting the Gadget Award Winners page on every Google personalized homepage. We’ll also send each winner a trophy to show off to friends and tough professors. (Not to mention the fact that you’ll get to list this accomplishment on your resume and grad school applications forevermore.)

For more info see the Google Gadget Awards page.

[tags]Google, Google Gadget Awards, programming[/tags]