Java developers and testers should use FindBugs to find and fix Java bugs. It’s free, and the FindBugs team has concentrated on having a high hit ratio, as developers won’t use lint’ing tools that spew out pedantic non-errors. FindBugs can run standalone or as an Eclipse plug-in. Watch the Google Labs video linked on the front page for a good 45-minute introduction. Continue reading ‘Detect and Fix Java Bugs’ »
Archive for April, 2008
When making charts, graphs, or other figures to be presented to an audience, use a safe color palette, and use color-alternate hints to differentiate data (e.g., shading, hatching, varying line thickness).
“How to make figures and presentations that are friendly to Colorblind people” is the best document I’ve seen on the topic. Save the PDF for handy reference. The authors point out that protanopes and deuteranopes can’t see red laser pointers very well or at all, so use a green laser pointer instead.
Pie charts are worse than useless. Use a simple table or bar graph. Continue reading ‘Don’t Use Pie Charts’ »
I encourage most everyone I talk to to view the online Stanford Energy Lectures given by Amory Lovins, of the Rocky Mountain Institute. There are five lectures of about an hour and a half per, and Amory is an interesting speaker. It’s great knowledge and pertains to efficiency in general, not just electrical.
A recent LifeHacker thread on natural water flavoring has me thinking I should have a couple of small pots in the office, so I can grow cucumber and mint. I’d have never thought to put a sliver of cucumber skin in my water. Cucumber under fluorescent lighting should do fine, and mint is impossible to kill.