Mockup Tools FTW #DesignGeek

The more I strive to meet customer expectations for excellent web-based applications the more I come to appreciate the value of mock-ups and prototypes.  While we were still dating my now-wife worked as a User Experience engineer for Dell and routinely batted me (a Dell software engineer) over the head with the subject of usability years before "Web 2.0"  and user-experience were en vogue.  She gifted me with Jakob Nielsen books and offered (unasked-for) assistance in critiquing my own applications.  Back then low-fidelity prototypes and early user feedback were still a novel idea.  Now, however, I find them to be nearly-indispensable steps in satisfying customer expectations...

OpenSpan Certified (and there was much rejoicing)

I'm now certified in a nifty software automation product called OpenSpan.  The initial in-person teaser demo I saw back in 2011 was quite interesting.  Later, hands-on use of the product itself quickly highlighted a number of limitations. That said, I do believe it to be a worthy automation solution for the right type of problems...

B4A adds Object Oriented support

Last year I began dabbling in Android programming.  Just for fun and only as time permitted so....not a lot.  I did manage to find time enough to run across Basic4Android (B4A), a visual IDE and language similar to VB.Net.  Though not overly advanced, B4A was inexpensive to get into and much easier to set up and churn out a first app than Android Java + Eclipse.
 
This week B4A took a big step forward by adding support for classes and, therefore, objects -- the fundamental requirement for object oriented programming (OOP).  Suddenly B4A is looking a lot more attractive for serious app development...

Me, an Apple III and programming the 6502 #CodeGeek

Way, way back -- back when I was a grade school kid with plenty of free time, my father brought home an Apple III computer.  Although I'd previously tinkered with a loaned Sinclair ZX80, the Apple was the first computer that was ours (er, mine!)  My father's company had moved to using Apple III and Lisa systems and, always the forward-thinker, he was determined to have the same capabilities at home.  Though unintended, that decision determined my own life's direction...

Android programming with Google AppInventor

This year I finally got around to joining the ranks of proud Android device owners (so long, Windows Mobile 6.5!) It was therefore only a matter of time before I dipped a toe into Android app development...