In the last few hours, I have been working on improving the information architecture and the URLs for my tutorials. For the last six or seven years the way the URLs to my tutorials have looked is like this:
/courses/web/css/1/2/
Now, with a bit of work, I've written a much more beautiful system, and that makes the URLs look like this:
/courses/web/css/using_css/
The new system uses URL rewrites alongside a clever automated (cron) generated JSON in which all of the titles are given friendly names:
[{
"page_name": "What this tutorial is",
"category": "web",
"category_name": "Web",
"topic": "css",
"topic_name": "CSS",
"route": "/courses/web/css/1/1",
"area": "1",
"page": "1",
"title": "what_this_tutorial_is",
"friendly_path": "web/css/what_this_tutorial_is"
}, {
"page_name": "What CSS is",
"category": "web",
"category_name": "Web",
"topic": "css",
"topic_name": "CSS",
"route": "/courses/web/css/2/1",
"area": "2",
"page": "1",
"title": "what_css_is",
"friendly_path": "web/css/what_css_is"
}, {
"page_name": "Using CSS",
"category": "web",
"category_name": "Web",
"topic": "css",
"topic_name": "CSS",
"route": "/courses/web/css/2/2",
"area": "2",
"page": "2",
"title": "using_css",
"friendly_path": "web/css/using_css"
}, {
"page_name": "Why CSS is used",
"category": "web",
"category_name": "Web",
"topic": "css",
"topic_name": "CSS",
"route": "/courses/web/css/2/3",
"area": "2",
"page": "3",
"title": "why_css_is_used",
"friendly_path": "web/css/why_css_is_used"
}, {
"page_name": "Classes, IDs and tag selection",
"category": "web",
"category_name": "Web",
"topic": "css",
"topic_name": "CSS",
"route": "/courses/web/css/2/4",
"area": "2",
"page": "4",
"title": "classes_ids_and_tag_selection",
"friendly_path": "web/css/classes_ids_and_tag_selection"
}, {
"page_name": "Display, positioning, floating and visibility",
"category": "web",
"category_name": "Web",
"topic": "css",
"topic_name": "CSS",
"route": "/courses/web/css/3/1",
"area": "3",
"page": "1",
"title": "display_positioning_floating_and_visibility",
"friendly_path": "web/css/display_positioning_floating_and_visibility"
}, {
"page_name": "Width, height, padding, margins and overflow",
"category": "web",
"category_name": "Web",
"topic": "css",
"topic_name": "CSS",
"route": "/courses/web/css/3/2",
"area": "3",
"page": "2",
"title": "width_height_padding_margins_and_overflow",
"friendly_path": "web/css/width_height_padding_margins_and_overflow"
}, {
"page_name": "Borders, box shadows, border radius and box sizing",
"category": "web",
"category_name": "Web",
"topic": "css",
"topic_name": "CSS",
"route": "/courses/web/css/3/3",
"area": "3",
"page": "3",
"title": "borders_box_shadows_border_radius_and_box_sizing",
"friendly_path": "web/css/borders_box_shadows_border_radius_and_box_sizing"
}, {
"page_name": "Color, backgrounds, opacity and gradients",
"category": "web",
"category_name": "Web",
"topic": "css",
"topic_name": "CSS",
"route": "/courses/web/css/3/4",
"area": "3",
"page": "4",
"title": "color_backgrounds_opacity_and_gradients",
"friendly_path": "web/css/color_backgrounds_opacity_and_gradients"
}, {
"page_name": "Font families, sizes, weights, variants, styles and alignment",
"category": "web",
"category_name": "Web",
"topic": "css",
"topic_name": "CSS",
"route": "/courses/web/css/3/5",
"area": "3",
"page": "5",
"title": "font_families_sizes_weights_variants_styles_and_alignment",
"friendly_path": "web/css/font_families_sizes_weights_variants_styles_and_alignment"
}, {
"page_name": "Descendant selector",
"category": "web",
"category_name": "Web",
"topic": "css",
"topic_name": "CSS",
"route": "/courses/web/css/4/1",
"area": "4",
"page": "1",
"title": "descendant_selector",
"friendly_path": "web/css/descendant_selector"
}, {
"page_name": "Child selector",
"category": "web",
"category_name": "Web",
"topic": "css",
"topic_name": "CSS",
"route": "/courses/web/css/4/2",
"area": "4",
"page": "2",
"title": "child_selector",
"friendly_path": "web/css/child_selector"
}, {
"page_name": "Adjacenct sibling selector",
"category": "web",
"category_name": "Web",
"topic": "css",
"topic_name": "CSS",
"route": "/courses/web/css/4/3",
"area": "4",
"page": "3",
"title": "adjacenct_sibling_selector",
"friendly_path": "web/css/adjacenct_sibling_selector"
}, {
"page_name": "General sibling selector",
"category": "web",
"category_name": "Web",
"topic": "css",
"topic_name": "CSS",
"route": "/courses/web/css/4/4",
"area": "4",
"page": "4",
"title": "general_sibling_selector",
"friendly_path": "web/css/general_sibling_selector"
}, {
"page_name": "Universal selector",
"category": "web",
"category_name": "Web",
"topic": "css",
"topic_name": "CSS",
"route": "/courses/web/css/4/5",
"area": "4",
"page": "5",
"title": "universal_selector",
"friendly_path": "web/css/universal_selector"
}, {
"page_name": "Attribute selector",
"category": "web",
"category_name": "Web",
"topic": "css",
"topic_name": "CSS",
"route": "/courses/web/css/4/6",
"area": "4",
"page": "6",
"title": "attribute_selector",
"friendly_path": "web/css/attribute_selector"
}, {
"page_name": "An introduction to pseudo-selectors",
"category": "web",
"category_name": "Web",
"topic": "css",
"topic_name": "CSS",
"route": "/courses/web/css/5/1",
"area": "5",
"page": "1",
"title": "an_introduction_to_pseudo-selectors",
"friendly_path": "web/css/an_introduction_to_pseudo-selectors"
}, {
"page_name": "Advanced CSS pseudo selectors",
"category": "web",
"category_name": "Web",
"topic": "css",
"topic_name": "CSS",
"route": "/courses/web/css/5/2",
"area": "5",
"page": "2",
"title": "advanced_css_pseudo_selectors",
"friendly_path": "web/css/advanced_css_pseudo_selectors"
}, {
"page_name": "Shorthand CSS",
"category": "web",
"category_name": "Web",
"topic": "css",
"topic_name": "CSS",
"route": "/courses/web/css/6/1",
"area": "6",
"page": "1",
"title": "shorthand_css",
"friendly_path": "web/css/shorthand_css"
}, {
"page_name": "Precedence and specificity",
"category": "web",
"category_name": "Web",
"topic": "css",
"topic_name": "CSS",
"route": "/courses/web/css/6/2",
"area": "6",
"page": "2",
"title": "precedence_and_specificity",
"friendly_path": "web/css/precedence_and_specificity"
}, {
"page_name": "CSS rules",
"category": "web",
"category_name": "Web",
"topic": "css",
"topic_name": "CSS",
"route": "/courses/web/css/6/3",
"area": "6",
"page": "3",
"title": "css_rules",
"friendly_path": "web/css/css_rules"
}, {
"page_name": "Optimising CSS delivery",
"category": "web",
"category_name": "Web",
"topic": "css",
"topic_name": "CSS",
"route": "/courses/web/css/6/4",
"area": "6",
"page": "4",
"title": "optimising_css_delivery",
"friendly_path": "web/css/optimising_css_delivery"
}, {
"page_name": "Cross platform and browser compatibility",
"category": "web",
"category_name": "Web",
"topic": "css",
"topic_name": "CSS",
"route": "/courses/web/css/6/5",
"area": "6",
"page": "5",
"title": "cross_platform_and_browser_compatibility",
"friendly_path": "web/css/cross_platform_and_browser_compatibility"
}, {
"page_name": "Server-side generated CSS",
"category": "web",
"category_name": "Web",
"topic": "css",
"topic_name": "CSS",
"route": "/courses/web/css/6/6",
"area": "6",
"page": "6",
"title": "server-side_generated_css",
"friendly_path": "web/css/server-side_generated_css"
}, {
"page_name": "CSS and Sass",
"category": "web",
"category_name": "Web",
"topic": "css",
"topic_name": "CSS",
"route": "/courses/web/css/6/7",
"area": "6",
"page": "7",
"title": "css_and_sass",
"friendly_path": "web/css/css_and_sass"
}, {
"page_name": "An introduction to responsive web design",
"category": "web",
"category_name": "Web",
"topic": "css",
"topic_name": "CSS",
"route": "/courses/web/css/7/1",
"area": "7",
"page": "1",
"title": "an_introduction_to_responsive_web_design",
"friendly_path": "web/css/an_introduction_to_responsive_web_design"
}, {
"page_name": "Tablet and smartphone friendly CSS",
"category": "web",
"category_name": "Web",
"topic": "css",
"topic_name": "CSS",
"route": "/courses/web/css/7/2",
"area": "7",
"page": "2",
"title": "tablet_and_smartphone_friendly_css",
"friendly_path": "web/css/tablet_and_smartphone_friendly_css"
}, {
"page_name": "CSS transform",
"category": "web",
"category_name": "Web",
"topic": "css",
"topic_name": "CSS",
"route": "/courses/web/css/8/1",
"area": "8",
"page": "1",
"title": "css_transform",
"friendly_path": "web/css/css_transform"
}, {
"page_name": "CSS transitions",
"category": "web",
"category_name": "Web",
"topic": "css",
"topic_name": "CSS",
"route": "/courses/web/css/8/2",
"area": "8",
"page": "2",
"title": "css_transitions",
"friendly_path": "web/css/css_transitions"
}, {
"page_name": "CSS counters",
"category": "web",
"category_name": "Web",
"topic": "css",
"topic_name": "CSS",
"route": "/courses/web/css/8/3",
"area": "8",
"page": "3",
"title": "css_counters",
"friendly_path": "web/css/css_counters"
}]
On the front end, the page is found via its friendly_path value. To keep the order correct, the pages are not given a key. Although it would make it slightly faster to give them this key, it would mean that the order isn't correct any longer.
Changes to title names will actually break the system and any changes made will need to be followed by a running of the automated script (which happens every evening anyway).
I'm still testing this feature out, so if you find any bugs, let me know.
ZPE 1.9.7 (Galashiels) is one of the most solid updates yet. Many major bug fixes have been introduced, new performance gains and a new typing system (TYPO v2).
TYPO v2 is perhaps the biggest improvement to the whole ZPE Programming Environment in the last few months, and it changes the whole way that it works underneath. Instead of doing type checking at compile time and thus making starting and interpreting programs/scripts slower, it is now done at runtime. The impact here is actually slightly smaller and relies on the underlying implementation of variables to perform this check.
TYPO v2 also removes the STRONG_TYPED property from the properties list and allows side by side strongly typed, statically typed and weakly, dynamically typed variables to be declared side by side in a single program or script.
All ZPE/YASS documentation has been updated to reflect this new change, particularly the page on Assignment and variables.
ZPE 1.9.8 is looking to use more static hidden objects to improve both performance and lower memory usage. This might be another big update.
TYPO has been completely redesigned from the ground up to make it even better. Compared with the first version of TYPO, the new version uses late static type checking which is done during runtime rather than compilation time. This does add a slight performance penalty compared with untyped data, but it is far more stable than attempting it at compile time since so many functions may return multiple data types.
For example:
declare $i as number = 50 declare j as number = 32 $i = "Test"
This would crash when it gets to setting $i from a number to a string. Previously this check was carried out by the compiler but it wasn't effective in comparison, whereas defining it this way ensures 100% efficiency in comparisons and although late typing often has performance penalties, in comparison to the previous iteration of TYPO so much has been improved that these penalties are actually minuscule.
Another major change to TYPO is that is now always enabled and doesn't need to be set in the ZPE Properties file, and can be used in parallel with untyped YASS code for the first time.
The formalised specification of the language has yet to be updated with this new information but will be sorted at some point over the next few days.
With ZPE and YASS featuring more and more unit testing capabilities, I thought it was time for me to look into adding proper testing methods.
ZPE unit testing will broaden and expand the current situation with unit testing to the point where specific unit testing scripts can be produced separately from any code.
Unit testing, known as zUnit, will feature its own language parser, also built upon the Zenith Parsing Engine, of course. It will use a language different from YASS entirely and will also allow multiple tests to be carried out on code very quickly.
Like when ZPE started out, it will likely begin as a very basic tool for testing but will expand to provide more and more features as time goes on.
As a result of the sweeping new changes brought to unit testing so far, ZPE 1.9.6 is now available much earlier than I had originally planned for. Please also note that this version removes the new record structure as this is under redevelopment.
Over the last few years, the landscape for our business has been heavily changed by the outbreak of COVID-19. Jambour Digital has had to adapt quite a bit to both continue to grow and to retain existing clients. We've supported our existing clients by offering them both financial support and extra features. But as we move back to something a bit like normality, how do we plan to expand Jambour Digital?
Challenges faced
Over the last year or so, we've faced a tremendous amount of challenges within the business, ranging from not being able to see new clients, to not being able to meet with our existing clients. All of this makes development much trickier. Further to this, we've encountered that a lot of our clients themselves are so busy that things like updating a website or even simply checking out a new feature on a website is becoming a difficult task to fit into their schedules.
Leading us back to normal
As the leading managing director of Jambour Digital, I have overseen all plans to support the business out of this difficult time and to support our clients in doing so.
We have adopted a new member of the company on contract, Kyle, who works with us when we need him. This will help me focus on the business side of the company alongside my brother and my mother who are the other managing directors of the company.
We plan to take things one step at a time to minimise risk and to ensure a safe return to normal.
We understand our clients who hopefully understand that the most important thing here is safety.
I'm really happy to announce BalfSlider V2 as of today. It is now fitted out with the generator and the samples as well as being used on my own website without any issues.
V2 breaks compatibility with V1 but offers much smaller file sizes and easier to maintain code. Packaged as always with the slideshow is the BalfSliderAnimations package. This has changed too, albeit, very marginally. Effects are still the same but the structure of the code differs.
Why did I bother?
The old version was, at the very least, difficult to maintain. I needed to streamline this version and move away from passing objects. The new version offers more functionalities that will allow future animations to be created with ease.
You can download the latest version from my website from today.
Over the next few weeks, I'm moving all of my teaching resources from PowerPoint and Google Slides to my own website which will bring them to HTML and CSS and bring them alive.
By bringing them to the web, I can use what I know best to make these slides highly interactive and useful. I have in the past done this with some of the slide decks I have used at talks I have carried out (such as my talk at Amazon on a small business using AWS to promote growth) and also as an introduction to ZPE but things haven't been as smooth as they will be this time.
This project stems from my hatred for both Google Slides and PowerPoint due to the lack of something that mirrors CSS - I have been developing my own PowerPoint theme over the last few years and every time I think of something new, I need to update all of my slides. CSS fixes this and it's something I've wanted for a very long time.
It's now found at https://www.jamiebalfour.scot/teaching/slides/.
As many of you know, I'm an Apple fan that has simply spawned from my love of my Mac and as deeper integration between devices became a big thing, I began to move entirely to Apple starting with iPads, then iPhones (I've had iPhones for years but I've always tried switching from time to time and then realising that it's better to stick), Apple Watch in 2019 (after my very anti-wearable technology stance that I had stopped when I bought my second Apple Watch) and AirPods last year.
The spring event was very exciting and once again, Apple didn't disappoint. However, it wasn't all good. As someone who owns an iPad Pro I was slightly disappointed to see the M1 powered iPad but at the same time realise that it's not targetted at me anyway (but I do like to have all the gizmos and gadgets and Thunderbolt would have been amazing for me).
However, I will say that it's blurring Apple's own vision of a distinction between tablet and laptop/desktop computers. Apple has always said that they would never merge iPad and Mac devices and would never unify the operating systems and whilst they haven't done this yet, and they may never do, there is one particular area where Apple's latest iPad breaks everything and that's the MacBook Air.
On the left are the specifications for the base model MacBook Air and the specifications for the iPad Pro. You will likely notice that the iPad has better graphics specifications than the Air does at the base model. This then makes me wonder, what's the purpose of the Air?
As I pointed out in my review of the MacBook Pro M1, the fans are almost impossible to ramp up to any speed at all, even when I'm working outside in the sun. I also pointed out that the MacBook Air has no fans in it at all whereas the Pro does, and for the majority of people (including me) the MacBook Air would be a more suitable computer system because other than that the systems are practically the same.
But now that iPad Pro has the M1 with better performance than the Air which then suggests that those who are looking for an entry-level system in the Apple M1 ecosystem could look straight to the iPad Pro rather than the Air and those who will need that extra performance brought on by the MacBook Pro's thermal capabilities, would only need to think about getting a Pro, not an Air. That then leaves the Air in a place that doesn't really exist other than for those wanting to get a decent yet cheap Mac running on macOS.
AirTags
AirTags look good, as you would expect, and what astonished me the most was that the batteries are replaceable which isn't available on all models of Apple's biggest competitor - Tile. This is surprising since Apple seems to be going the opposite way (along with the rest of the industry) and removing user-serviceable components.
I've actually ordered an AirTag for my Rad Power Rad Runner bike (aptly named the Rad Revolution).
The biggest criticism for me is that the tag has no option for sticking it to something. Another thing is the lack of choice with them since there's not even one with a carabiner attached to it, and even if Apple did decide to release something like this, based on the price of some of the accessories for them (or cases) I would expect them to be priced ridiculously anyway.
Since it's Apple nothing is cheap, but in comparison to Tile's offerings, they are priced at a similar level which is surprising.
Apple TV 4K
It's good that Apple didn't give up on TV a few years ago when it was next to nothing since they have only just made it worthwhile by bringing it to several existing TVs, Macs, iPads and now to other TVs with the Apple TV 4K. The ATV4K is a welcome update to the older model which hasn't been updated for quite some time.
iMac
I saved the best to last since I think the new iMacs are exactly what needed to be done with the iMac, apart from a few minor things.
The much slimmer design and smaller bezels have worked very well in this design and fit with the design of the iPad Pro with the curved edge (which I really liked on the iPad Pro).
But. And this is one of those things where I cannot understand what happened at Apple when they designed this. I can understand it with the Mac Mini, but why does it have the same processor as the iPad Pro, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and Mac Mini? Why didn't it get something like an Apple M1X or M2?
Another criticism of the new iMac is once again down to the fact that like everything Apple works to achieve, they aim to garner awe in their products by announcing stuff such as "the world's most advanced operating system ever" or "the most powerful phone on the market". In the case of the iMac, they wanted to shrink the whole computer down so much and by making it thinner had to reduce the size and placement of the motherboard. Thumbs up on this one to Apple for making the board smaller, but thumbs down as a result of moving the board down to make the system slimmer and smaller, they have added back the 'chin' design of the iMac. And the worst bit of all, where's the Apple logo gone from the front of the iMac?
I will say though, I think I will, or, at least, my mother will end up buying one of these (my mother still has an iMac from early 2009 and it still runs fine but it's a bit chunky).
ZPE 1.9.3 brings a really nice feature that I've wanted in YASS for a while. That's Python/JavaScript variable names. It's more like ES6 than it is Python but have a look for yourself:
let x = 10 print(x) //Or a lambda function let x = function() print("Hi") end function x()
This works by adding additional information into the compiler that allows it to distinguish variables from functions within the compiler.
I'm pretty impressed since the only performance penalty from adding this is within the compiler which is almost minimal.
Diablo II came to me back in 2003 and whilst I was a little late in getting into it, I still enjoyed it as though it was the latest game to come out. It is still one of my most played game of all time. I had hours of enjoyment out of that game and it didn't stop after one competition. No, in fact, I have 'completed' Diablo II about a dozen times with new builds each time.
My favourite class was either the Druid or Sorceress or even the Necromancer. Normally, I would be the assist character in the party. One of the things I liked most about Diablo II was that you would have a very diverse party. When I played recently with my buddy Campbell, he went as the Paladin. When I played with my brother he was a Barbarian. When I played with my old friend Nick, he was a Sorceress (and he would constantly spam Ice Blasts dealing hundreds of damage at a time).
But when Blizzard announced the game was being remastered I was, much like with Warcraft III: Reforged, over the moon!
I still play Diablo II, and that happens almost every year that goes by, but it's getting increasingly difficult to run. Recently I had an issue with my latest graphics card not being supportive of me wanting to play the game, even after running the D2VidTest.exe file that normally fixes these issues.
A remaster would definitely lift these issues and fix the problems that I encounter.
What worries me most
What worries me the most about this is that we have another Warcraft III: Reforged whereby the game became unplayable and it was almost impossible to go back (I say almost because I have over 30GB of Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne installations from version 1.21 up to 1.31).
Diablo II: Resurrected deserves to be perfect on launch day and not a mess like Reforged was on its launch day. So come on Blizzard, make sure it is perfect!
