Tumblog archive for May

Google are using their CDN to host a number of Javascript libraries (including jQuery, prototype, and others). This means that a browser should only have to download the code once, rather than once for each site they visit that uses it.

You can link directly to the .js files, or use a Google API call to always load the latest version of a library.

The Contacts Data API allows client applications to view and update a user's contacts. Contacts are stored in the user's Google Account; most Google services have access to the contact list.

Your client application can use the Contacts Data API to create new contacts, edit or delete existing contacts, and query for contacts that match particular criteria.

Malcolm Tredinnick's fantastic work on the Queryset Refactor Branch in Django is coming to a close.

This mammoth change alters the way Django interacts with the underlying databases to improve the queries that are built and make future additions easier. Malcolm (and, I assume, many others) have spent over half a year getting this re-factoring done. Well done to all involved!

Django Dash, which I linked to the other day, have just announced two sponsors: Apress, publishers of the Django Book, and WebFaction, web hosting favourite of Djangonauts everywhere.

Congratulations to the DjangoDash team for managing to get these two great names involved, and top points to Apress and WebFaction for generously supporting the open source community.

After listening to This Week in Django Episodes 19 and 20 which discussed Internationalisation and Localisation, I've realised how important it is to make applications work in languages other than English. I've begun implementing i18n hooks in some applications, and started the somewhat laborious process of testing. This Firefox addon lets you easily switch locales in FireFox, allowing for easier testing of Django's i18n/l10n functionality.

The Django Dash competition has opened registration - you've got to get in before May 24th to be able to partake in the event which will run over the weekend of May 31st to June 1st.

I've registered, hoping that I will have nothing on that weekend!

It also looks like they've done a great job getting a few big-name sponsors - this should be some good fun.

A fantastic project by Bryan from Revyer, showcasing Django applications. These applications can all be easily downloaded and installed into existing Django projects, very simply and easily.

The site is beautiful with a no-bullshit approach, and includes very useful information such as the developers involved and source-code repository activity.

My only concern is that I know of at least two other application directories being developed right now, including one of my own. Since I've done the least work of the three I won't pursue it any further, as the two other options (being Djangoapps, by the django-hotclub guys at Google Groups, and djangopluggables) are both much more comprehensive and will have more momentum behind them.

Nice work to Bryan, and I look forward to seeing the 'hotclub' version when it launches.

This up and coming Django application provides a new user-authentication interface built on top of the Django 'auth' module and Simon Willison's Django OpenID Consumer application.

It allows users to sign up with either OpenID or a traditional username/password, and use them interchangeably. I've started integrating it with DjangoSites to allow users to get away without having yet another username & password to remember. Whilst I haven't made it live yet, it's basically been a case of install & tweak templates. Very easy, and it works on top of the existing userbase which is a win-win situation.

This code certainly trumps my early OpenID integration - much more stable and it's simpler to piece together.

Beautiful work by Benoit Chesneau.

Wilson Miner has written a fantastic article for A List Apart discussing how he built the text and CSS-based charts for the fantastic data representation on EveryBlock. Whilst it's simple and really only going to be useful for barchart variants, it seems to me to be a great way to visualise data using basic technologies.

I've just put this post up on the Jutda blog, discussing the choice of technology when it comes to building a new product within a startup company. My main point: Use tools you know well rather than trying to learn as you go - your final product will be better for it.