Source Code
IoTBue Workshop – Getting closer to a real IoT device
Recently the Buenos Aires Internet of Things (IoTBue) Meetup held a workshop to train developers on IoT development from scratch. This workshop was hosted by developers from R/GA, Patagonia Technology and Cran.io. The goal was simple: build a Nest thermostat clone in 6 hours. We split the exercise into 3 phases. We established communications with the sensors, then added a […]
Determining Indoor Position using iBeacon
iBeacon provides a convenient solution for indoor proximity detection. Integrated within Apple’s Core Location framework, it supports the following modes: Monitoring – detects if the user is inside predefined region, covered by one or multiple beacons with the same identifier. Ranging – determines how far the user is from a beacon, providing output such as proximity (e.g. […]
3 Tips for Rolling Your Own SQL Compare Tool with Database Metadata
In most cases a database vendor’s default SQL Comparison tool will do the job, but every once in a while I need a little more (e.g. a tool embedded as part of a continuous deployment process). Luckily I’ve found that it’s not difficult to build my own customized SQL comparison tool if I follow these […]
Programming a flying bull with Node.js, Coffeescript and Parrot AR 2.0 Drone
When I was very young, my father used to take me to an airfield where hobbyists would gather to show off their model planes. I think that memory forced my hand into buying a Parrot A.R. Drone 2 a month ago. The Parrot AR 2.0 Drone is now widely available with a 1GHZ ARM Cortex […]
Connected-Devices, Node.js, Arduino, Responsive, NoSQL in a Box, and the ClockPareil
Some experts think connected-devices will increase productivity by several trillion dollars in the coming years. From jet turbines to industrial food processing machines, there are over three million different types of machines that can be controlled and maintained more efficiently with help from the internet. Hoping to learn more, I found time over the vacation to […]
Can you write a better Javascript function than this?
Yesterday, I decided to write a bit of JavaScript code to evaluate classes. The first version of my code looked like this. function hasClass(el, className) { var r; r = new RegExp('(^| )' + className + '( |$)'); return r.test(el.className); } function addClass(el, className) { if (hasClass(el, className)) { return false; } el.className += ' […]
Five ways to handle Technical Debt
Despite best efforts, development teams always leave a trace of hacky approaches in their code. All of these inefficiencies in the code are called tech debt. Just like a financial debt, it incurs interest. Our accrued interest would be: bugs that require extra effort and introduces more development delays, as well as complicating future updates […]
Copying Code is Like a Copying a Logo
Like logos and taglines, code is a powerful way to reinforce brand identity and attract customers; in many respects, code is similar to a branded typeface. Just as appropriating choice copy and visual assets is a sly way to bootstrap a company’s brand, swiping code can give a lift too. For example, shortly after we launched a […]
The Home Automation of Tomorrow, Today
With the release of Android @Home, it’s increasingly obvious that big companies are finally getting behind home automation. But what if you want to control your appliances from anywhere in the world and not just from within your home with your phone? Here is system that I developed to allow you to do just that. […]
Improving iOS code with blocks and block programming
Programming languages are like people. Some are better at some things than others; some can do things other’s can’t. If they’re taken care of they get better over time. While I could look at a number of languages and frameworks for demonstration I’m particularly inspired by the relatively recent improvement of iOS development due to […]
