16 octobre 2009


Free iPhone Programming PDF

Free iPhone Programming PDF: "
Hopefully you've been enjoying our iPhone series of articles over previous weeks.The topics recently covered in this series have looked at both developing native apps with Xcode, and developing webapps with Dashcode. Xcode and Dashcode are two IDEs supplied with the iPhone SDK.

Now you can get a PDF download that covers both of these approaches to programming for iPhone in one handy document. The content has been arranged (by Wei-Meng Lee) into two practical 'Labs', and is ideal if you are just starting out and want a chance to dip your toe into both approaches. And did I mention it's FREE...?

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14 octobre 2009


A Guide to Mobile Emulators

In a previous article, I put forward a three-point plan for testing mobile Web sites. One of the points involved the use of emulators for first-pass device testing. This article concentrates on configuring emulators for mobile site testing (it also highlights emulators that can be used to test mobile applications too). It outlines the different types of emulator available, the best ones to use, and the various ways in which they can be used.
For the uninitiated, an emulator is a software program that aims to replicate the functions of a specific piece of hardware or software.

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Le nouveau site du W3C est en ligne


Le W3C inaugure son nouveau design, après plusieurs mois de travail. Cet organisme chargé de promouvoir les standards et la compatibilité des technologies du web (HTML, CSS, XML, RDF, PNG, SVG, DOM, SOAP, URL...) acquiert ainsi une nouvelle dynamique avec un site bien plus clair.


La présentation des rubriques et des documents est agréable à la lecture. On peut remarquer la présence d'un menu en haut de page pour modifier dynamiquement le style en version mobile et print. Les actualités occupent bien entendu le contenu central de la page d'accueil.


Nouveau design du site W3C


Le menu principal intitulé 'Standards' à juste titre s'articule autour des catégories suivantes :






On pourra noter que le site est délivré en XHTML 1.0 Strict, encodé en UTF-8, qu'il fait appel à plusieurs feuilles de styles CSS, dont certaines via media queries pour les navigateurs mobiles, et des sprites pour les icônes. Certains comportements JavaScript non obstrusifs sont adoptés pour raccourcir les listes dans les pages, et développer les contenus. Certaines sections ne sont pas encore à jour.

Urbanspoon Updated With Augmented Reality View


Urbanspoon [App Store, Free] has been updated to add an awesome shiny new augmented reality mode called 'Scope'. When viewing it on your device normally, it shows your location as a blue pin in Google Maps, and nearby restaurants in red pins. Aiming the camera at the horizon, however, causes it to switch over to a live camera feed with nearby restaurant locations layered over it.

11 octobre 2009


Scrum doesn’t do anything

Brilliant post!


“Doing Scrum” is as meaningless (and impossible) as creating an instance of an abstract class.  Scrum is a framework for surfacing organizational dysfunction.  It is not a process and it is not prescriptive.  The core framework of Scrum, as described (e.g.) here and here does not actually do anything.  It is, in a sense a contract we put in place between those seeking value and those building it.  But a contract doesn’t produce anything.  An interface is passive.  We need an implementation.
Scrum begins to work when people understand it well enough to create a concrete implementation, to emerge a process that is their own.  Understanding and respecting the Scrum framework and the set of rules allows you to become aligned with others, to have a common set of values and principles from which to operate.
Scrum itself can be thought of as similar to a set of game rules.  Think chess, think soccer.  The rules are easy to learn, and knowing them means you can play the game with others.  The rules are the ties that bind us together.  But just knowing the rules means nothing in terms of deriving pleasure from the game.  You need to play, to be involved.  It is doing, not knowing that brings about results.  To play well you need to develop strategy, and in team games you need to develop relationships, and trustful interactions.
In any game, once you start breaking the rules everything falls apart, and no one will want to play with you.  It is the same with Scrum.
So respecting the contract, the rules, or in software parlance, respecting the interface, allows you to create a process that suits your context — and your context is many things… people, industry, business, market place, product, location, language, physical environment, culture, people.  It starts and ends with people.  Scrum doesn’t actually do anything, people do things.  The Scrum process will emerge through the interaction of the people, and it will be different for each organization or team.  And this is where people trip up; too many think that creating their own process starts with breaking the rules.  It doesn’t.  Do that, and you have failed before you begin.
The Scrum process being created must operate within the agreed parameters, must be bounded by the rules.  All methods of the abstract class must be implemented, or the class won’t compile, won’t run.  Try to move your bishop in a straight line in a game of chess, and your opponent will leave the table.  Pick up the soccer ball and throw it and you’ll be red carded.
The framework of Scrum is a powerful mechanism for surfacing organizational and personal dysfunction.  It is that very power that causes people to try to circumnavigate the rules, to take shortcuts.  They don’t want to look.  But not looking doesn’t cause problems to go away or broken things to mend, it just delays the inevitable giant crash.  We don’t call out the value of courage in Scrum for nothing.
Comparing Scrum then to implementation practices such as XP or software craftsmanship makes little sense.  Each of these movements offers excellent tools for implementing a solid Scrum practice, for making the abstract concrete.  Scrum offers a strong framework and a relentless rhythm to shake out the dust of years.
You cannot “do Scrum” but you can certainly embrace it, and the more courageously you do so the stronger will be your emergent process.

From http://agileanarchy.wordpress.com/2009/10/11/scrum-doesnt-do-anything/

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