Coda, the new all-in-one web development application from Panic, promises a lot. So much, in fact, that I doubted it could deliver. Combining my text editor, file browser/organizer, terminal, SFTP, and reference all into one is a tall order.
To their credit, Panic doesn’t claim to have the best of every individual function, only that they’ve combined these functions into a unified, elegant interface. And they’re right. Coda is a masterpiece.
As a recent “switcher� to Mac, I’ve yet to find a coding/development style that suits me. I don’t (yet) run a local webserver, so my process was fraught with code, upload, test, repeat. I used a combination of Fetch and Textmate to accomplish the bulk of my work.
Coda greatly simplifies the “code, upload, test, repeat� process by combining the upload process into the file organizer and text editor. It’s quite a simple idea – when you edit a file in Coda, it gets marked as edited and ready for upload. Clicking on an icon next to that file sends it up to your testing server.
There is one workflow process that I haven’t seen anyone master either on Mac or PC. When you’re running a small or medium-size website (1-5 people involved), you’re often at the point where you are working with a testing server, but working fast enough that you want to push changes to the live server quickly after testing. Here, Coda doesn’t necessarily shine, but does perform better than traditional methods. I created two sites with nearly identical properties, save for the remote address and host. This works decently, but I have to manually mark files for upload to get them to the live site.
What’s needed in this marketplace is a way to move files from “testing� to “live.� I’m sure there are better ways to do this using versioning systems and some server voodoo, but for small, growing sites with limited IT expertise (read: me and a few other DIYers.), it would be nice to be able to do this locally.
But I digress. The bottom line is this – I’ve used Coda for a few days and I’m completely hooked. There wasn’t a single moment where I wanted to be back in Textmate (though I love it!). Kudos to Panic for seeing a hole in the marketplace and changing the game a bit. Bravo.
April 2007 Archives
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Former speakeasies in NY.
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How to trigger expirations for design refreshs and enable caching the rest of the time.
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"Historians will likely see the 2006 midterm election returns as indispensable to their work. Without a change in party control, we would never have a chance to get to the bottom of what has happened to this country."
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"It happened to me about 10 years ago. I had called David Sedaris’s memoir “Naked� a “tour-de-farce� in a review in Newsday. Shortly thereafter, the publisher ran an ad in which my 600-word review had been boiled down to one phrase: “tour de f
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Finally! This is a key part of Firefox that I miss on MacOS.
I noticed this in a bunch of places, and really don't have much to add except to confirm that the new AOL looks an awful lot like Yahoo. Explanations?
In relation to this post on cancelling Windows Onecare, I was finally able to cancel my account by calling Microsoft at 1-866-672-4551.
I spoke with a man who sounded like a robot. (No, seriously). Within 5 minutes my account was cancelled, I received a confirmation e-mail and will get a refund to my Amex. Why doesn't Microsoft just list this information on the website?
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Ridiculous.
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For offenders whose crimes are usually relatively minor (carjackers should not bother) and whose bank accounts remain lofty, a dozen or so city jails across the state offer pay-to-stay upgrades.
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Congress, it turns out, plays fashion favorites.
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On Joseph Perella - Lehigh alum
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I love Bill Moyers.
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"If you didn't watch Bill Moyers' documentary last night regarding the joint, coordinated behavior of our government and its media in the run-up to the invasion of Iraq, I can't recommend it highly enough." Echo that.
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Well worth the hour and a half, I promise
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An Earth-like planet that may be capable of supporting extraterrestrial life has been discovered orbiting a distant star.
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This works.
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SO true!
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The actual way to cancel OneCare
Following up on the parking meters post:
As expected, he has both caught grief and heard hosannas for his most contentious proposal: a charge of $8 for cars and $21 for commercial trucks that enter Manhattan below 86th Street during weekday business hours. It’s the vaporizer solution: a way to break up congestion, all that traffic choking Manhattan streets. For decades, little has modified driving habits that pretty much everyone agrees are wasteful and unhealthful. Many people drive into Manhattan because they prefer to, not because they necessarily have to. Some don’t even mind traffic jams. In the age of cellphones and BlackBerries, the car can double as an office during a crawl through Midtown. Mr. Bloomberg’s goal is to nudge these drivers into subways and buses, or force them to pay for refusing to change their ways.I haven't looked - are there studies on how well this has fared in London? (And sorry that the link is TimesSelect only...)
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History loomed large as the mayor presented his blueprint for an “environmentally sustainable� New York over the next quarter century.
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Try Onyx?
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I don't always agree with Jeff Jarvis, but in this case he's absolutely right. This is a huge pet peeve of mine.
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Hahahahaha
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Sheryl Crow and top presidential adviser Karl Rove got into a heated exchange over global warming at the annual White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner...LOVE IT!
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Personally, I don't see anything wrong with this sponsorship deal.
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Give this a try?
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I hear this has worked really well in other parts of the world...(eye roll)
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"Strategic incompetence isn't about having a strategy that fails, but a failure that succeeds. It almost always works to deflect work one doesn't want to do -- without ever having to admit it."
...I was browsing around the internets and came across the Bank of England's site, which nicely sums up its mission:
The Bank sets interest rates to keep inflation low, issues banknotes and works to maintain a stable financial system.As opposed to the Federal Reserve:
The Federal Reserve, the central bank of the United States, was founded by Congress in 1913 to provide the nation with a safer, more flexible, and more stable monetary and financial system.My guess is that the Bank of England took some time trying to make their job easier to understand. The Federal Reserve grabbed some boilerplate text and repurposed it for the web.
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No comment.
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Without getting gruesome, the Times is doing some fantastic visualization work lately. This is a key way that big media players will differentiate themselves in the internet-centric world.
I've lately been annoyed by a bunch of folks who have been comparing the cost per gallon of gasoline to the cost per gallon of other items. While I respect the attempt at reducing consumption, especially around Earth Day, I think the comparison is more than vaguely misleading.
Let's be realistic here - the cost of something is related to the amount of consumption. The more people require of a substance, the easier and cheaper it becomes to obtain. It doesn't help anyone to compare the cost of Evian to gasoline, because we don't consume the same amounts for even remotely similar purposes. I don't care that Evian is $6.40 per gallon. What is that supposed to prove? That gasoline is too cheap? Of course it is!
But, regardless of the monetary value of gasoline, our entire lifestyle and economy is based on the mobility it provides in some ways easy to quantify and others tough to fathom. This isn't true of Evian bottled water or Folger's coffee grounds, so frankly the comparison isn't applicable. But nice try.
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"Why should your judgment prevail over mine for what I take? Why, as a competent adult, should I need your permission before I can take the substance I decide is best for me?"
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Love it!
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Yahoo goes carbon-neutral. Way cool.
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As Bush's approval remains in the Nixonian range of the upper twenties and lower thirties, Pelosi hits 53 percent—an historically high figure for a Speaker of the House.
Several years ago, I had the good fortune to work at the Banana Factory, an incredibly cool art center in Bethlehem. While there, I had the even better fortune of meeting my friend Ann. Her work has always captured my interest and imagination, so I've always known that when I purchased my first piece of original art, it would be signed "Schlegel" in the corner.
Recently, I accomplished my goal and purchased "Collect $200," one of several "Paintings a Day" focused on the classic Monopoly board. I read Ann's Painting Each Day blog both to admire her work and read the stories behind each piece.
So, why now? I was drawn to this painting because the idea of wealth and fame is juxtaposed against the "poor house" right around the corner. One moment we're paying for luxuries, living the high life, collecting big money, but the next roll of the dice could bring us back to where we started. We're all out there to "Collect $200," and this painting reflects that, but it's an ample reminder that we never know what lies ahead.
Thanks, Ann! -
Chong Won workers don't want to lose their jobs; they are fighting to be able to organize a union, without fear of violence and intimidation. Wal-Mart is doing the wrong thing, and shouldn't get away with it.
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The BBC will this week announce plans for a massive online program archive. Speaking to paidContent.org, a BBC spokesperson confirmed a report in the Sunday Observer that the corporation aims to put “nearly a million hours" online.
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If only it were true that Monday's mass murder on the campus of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University was the kind of tragedy that moves us to quiet reflection.
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I have a theory: the more e-mail there is, the more Prozac there will be, and the more Prozac there is, the more e-mail there will be. Maybe I should explain.
When Kurt Vonnegut passed away last week, I was in the midst of traveling up the coast to Bethlehem and then New York. I wanted to reflect on it a bit, but still haven't had the time. I do wish I had the time for proper reflection, because I remember well Vonnegut's speech at graduation a few years ago.
I've always wished Vonnegut would have shared the text of his graduation speech with the world. But, things being what they are, I think this quote sums up both his attitude and one he wished more people shared:
“Oh, she says well, you’re not a poor man. You know, why don’t you go online and buy a hundred envelopes and put them in the closet? And so I pretend not to hear her. And go out to get an envelope because I’m going to have a hell of a good time in the process of buying one envelope. I meet a lot of people. And, see some great looking babes. And a fire engine goes by. And I give them the thumbs up. And, and ask a woman what kind of dog that is. And, and I don’t know. The moral of the story is, is we’re here on Earth to fart around. And, of course, the computers will do us out of that. And, what the computer people don’t realize, or they don’t care, is we’re dancing animals. You know, we love to move around. And, we’re not supposed to dance at all anymore.� - Kurt Vonnegut, 2005(source)
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The implication is this: If nothing changes in how globalization currently works, Americans will be increasingly exposed to downward pressure on incomes and living standards.
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The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are the first with significant United States military casualties to take place in the Internet age.
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I'd like to test this out on a few sites and see how it stacks up to the Yahoo! reset.css I currently base my work on.
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One of the many annoyances of buying a Windows PC.
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“Who are you, George Costanza?� the lady asks. Replies George: “I’m the opposite of every guy you’ve ever met.� The Iraq policy pursued by the Bush administration satisfies the Costanza criterion...
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This is disappointing...
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Yes, this is now getting more than a bit ridiculous.
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I like this idea of "cumulative advantage."
I've been using Mint to track basic web stats on a few sites for about a year now. It's a great product - simple to use, nice to look at, and helpful in understanding your site's visitors.
That said, in late January Shaun Inman released a version 2.0 of Mint, which for the past few months has not operated correctly on one of my sites. I'd tried without resolution to get a fix and was about to uninstall Mint from my server, but I'm happy to report that Shaun fixed the issue with version 2.06, making me once again a happy customer.
That said, in late January Shaun Inman released a version 2.0 of Mint, which for the past few months has not operated correctly on one of my sites. I'd tried without resolution to get a fix and was about to uninstall Mint from my server, but I'm happy to report that Shaun fixed the issue with version 2.06, making me once again a happy customer.
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“Now they have to open those files for Congress’ inspection in order to demonstrate that they have complied with the 1978 Presidential Records Act, a law that comes straight out of Watergate.�
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Nancy found this incredibly interesting use for Google Earth - the Holocaust Museum is mapping genocide around the world.
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Not surprised at this, really...
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Can't wait for Japan!
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In every bit of satire lies a little truth?
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Political influence on this report?
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So is this a non-profit? It doesn't seem like one. "Half the profits" go to non-profits - where do the other half go?
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This is interesting.
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Approval now 40%...up from, what, 20% in Sept-Oct 2006?
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Dwight!
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An attempt to standardize XHTML and CSS markup for forms. Interesting.
One way to foil international diplomacy? Stop reading your mail:
Case in point: One the night of January 25, 1995, Boris Yeltsin found himself dusting off the old Cold War-era nuclear command briefcase when an early warning radar station detected a missile rising out of the Norwegian Sea and heading for Russia. Several tense, finger-on-the-trigger minutes later, Yeltsin received word that the rocket, though real, was actually part of a Norwegian scientific mission to study the northern lights—a mission Moscow had been informed of months previously. Turns out, bureaucratic error had stalled the message before it could reach the folks over at the early warning defense system.
Following up on this post about dramatic photography, I noticed that Kottke has written about the famous photograph "Migrant Mother." It too is part fiction - the mother pictured was not a recent migrant in 1935, but had instead been living in California for nearly 10 years.
(Also, I have a weird deja vu feeling that I've recently seen the photo somewhere else - trying to place it...)
(Also, I have a weird deja vu feeling that I've recently seen the photo somewhere else - trying to place it...)
A bunch of people told me I would love The Prestige, but I never had the chance to see it in the theatre. Finally watched it tonight. It is fantastic.
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Congress needs to address the college loan scandal that has unfolded...
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CAN'T WAIT!
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State tax revenues around the country are growing far more slowly this year and in some cases falling below projections, a result of the housing market slowdown...
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thanks matt
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Heavily focused on New Jersey for some reason, but interesting overall.
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And it is increasingly difficult to imagine yet another two years of slow bleed with a leader so clearly unfit to lead.
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Jesus and Mary Chain side project
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Learn to Charleston!
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Everyone who knows my passion for anachronism and F. Scott in particular trusts I'll do the Charleston the next time we go out.
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This makes a few interesting points. I've noticed the same thing about the 37s blog. More importantly, I've noticed that few of our users are *really* using Basecamp, as opposed to signing on when they feel it's absolutely necessary.
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Seriously, how long has the Times been waiting to print this on Easter Sunday?
Last year about this time, when my free subscriptions to my employer's antivirus solution were going to expire (because I left!), I decided to give Microsoft OneCare a try. At the time it was $20 to protect 3 PCs for a year, which was a deal to protect both my laptop and my design/development PC.
Aside from the typical Microsoft bloatware, the program works fairly well. Within a few months I had moved a few hundred miles away, decommissioned one PC (now my media server), and purchased a Mac. My subscription to Windows Live OneCare became fairly useless, so I installed it at my parents house to protect their systems.
Now it's time for renewal so my parents are getting their own subscription and I'm looking to cancel my own. Microsoft tells me that unless I cancel by April 22nd, I'll be charged $49.95 for the next year. Here's the problem: Microsoft offers no way to cancel Windows Live OneCare. Sure, there are links that *say* you can cancel, but none of them work!
Here's what I've tried so far, though I warn you that I have yet to be successful:
1) Sign on to billing.microsoft.com. What the *$*%$ is my Windows Live ID password? I know what it is, but Microsoft doesn't agree. Reset password.
2) "Welcome to Microsoft Billing and Account Management"
3)Enter Windows Live OneCare (who names these things?) account management page. Three links:
"Cancel My Account"
"Cancel My Service"
"FAQ: How do I cancel this service?"
4) Click "Cancel My Service." Window resizes, new sidebar appears.
5) "You must contact Customer Support to cancel." Dumb, but if that's how it has to be.
6) "For Windows Live Services, go to Help Central." What? "Help Central?" Another screen? Another product? Another website? I'm so confused!
7) "Select your product from the list below." Ok, though I just came from there.
8) "Welcome to Windows Live OneCare Help Center. Click 'Launch Instant Support'." Ok.
9) "Search Instant Support." Ok. I'll type "cancel."
10) "Microsoft: Is it true you want to cancel your Windows Live OneCare subscription." Yes.
11) "To cancel your subscription, visit the Microsoft Billing and Account website." (See #2)
This is perhaps the worst user experience I've had in a long time. Companies intentionally try to make canceling a service hard in order to retain customers. Think of AOL and other subscription-based companies - they're famous for walking the fine line preventing customers from canceling.
To me, this seems wrongheaded, and Windows Live OneCare is a great example. This is a product in its relative infancy (1 year!), so it's important to understand what customers like and dislike about the product. Cancellations are an opportunity to learn from customers. Instead, I'm just telling Amex to decline the charges.
Further, canceling customers are already dissatisfied in some way. Companies have a small window here to provide a pleasant experience to an already-dissatisfied customer. Though I'm in the business, if I were a regular consumer, why would I try another Microsoft product if I can't get customer satisfaction?
Update: I was finally able to cancel my Onecare subscription.
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Lots of big, high-profile banks here. Bad news.
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This isn't a huge surprise.
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All your Cheney remixes are belong to us.
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Why is anonymous group suicide so popular in Japan?
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Chumleys! NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
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Senate Hearing Attacks Credit Cards' Ridiculous Fees - Consumerist
Amy points out this movie that shows the ways that traditional media organizations use Photoshop to make photographs seem more dramatic. Frankly it's disgraceful.
The launch of Google Desktop for Mac reminds me to begin an experiment I've been wanting to run for a while now. As much as people applaud Mail.app, I've never liked it. I'm a recent switcher and I'm forced to use Outlook 2003 at work, so that might contribute, but I just don't think I will get used to Mail.app.
So, for the next month I'm switching solely to Gmail, using Google Desktop and Notifier to keep me connected via my Macbook. I think it will actually be a big usability improvement for me as I'll have a single integrated view of my e-mail whether at home, on my Blackberry, or on my work PC.
So, for the next month I'm switching solely to Gmail, using Google Desktop and Notifier to keep me connected via my Macbook. I think it will actually be a big usability improvement for me as I'll have a single integrated view of my e-mail whether at home, on my Blackberry, or on my work PC.
Anyone know the details? I'm a huge fan of the morning news on WAMU.
DCRTV hears that there is a "mass exodus" of news people from American University's mainly news and talk WAMU (88.5 FM). Two have left and two more have given notice and are "actively job hunting." We're told that there's "major unhappiness with new news director. Just as they are enjoying being the only public radio news outlet with WETA returning to classical, they seem to be shooting themselves in the foot." Says another WAMU source: "They will soon be down to just one fulltime and one part-time reporter. WAMU management plans to dumb down local news by replacing fulltime professional reporters with interns from American University".....
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I love Harpers, but hate their redesigned site.
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Some tips I'll use in Japan this August.