For such a simple task, using an app seemed wildy inefficient, IMHO. I found this great terminal command from OSX Daily. I’ve had no problems running it on 10.6.8. Your mileage may vary if you’re on Lion or you use an app to switch out the desktop wallpaper every n minutes/hours/days.

Below is a gist I created that sets these commands up as two aliases: showdesk and hidedesk

This comes in handy if the CSS changes you are making/testing are extensive and would be annoying to perform in Firebug. I use this method to hash out some of my invasive changes before I migrate them into files, which, will affect other content areas controlled by other teams.

Installation

This method works under Firefox using the Greasemonkey extension. It hasn’t been tested under Greasemetal or GreaseKit, though I expect it would work.

I recommend changing the @include value to the domain where you are using the script, or it will fire for all domains. Update the two variables: orig and newFile, specifying the file name of the stylesheet to be replace and the path of the test stylesheet you would like to “inject” after page load. Save as *.user.js and drag it into Firefox to install. You can leave newFile blank, an the script will then just remove the target CSS contents.

Copy the source here:

// ==UserScript==
// @name              Inject CSS File
// @namespace     http://www.kdwolski.com/
// @description     Replaces a specific CSS file with an alt.
// @include           *
// @version           0.1.0
// @contributor     kdwolski
// ==/UserScript==

//CSS filename to replace:
var orig = "style.css";

//Path to replacement CSS file on filesystem:
var newFile = "path/to/test/css-file";

for(i=0;(l=document.getElementsByTagName("link")[i]);i++){
if(l.getAttribute("href").indexOf(orig)>=0){
l.href=newFile;
}
}

Feel free to leave any comments about this post below. You can also find me on Twitter: @kdwolski

I’m using an awesome script called ImageFlow written by Finn Rudolph to display the sequence of photos. It is an adaptation of the classic “cover flow” component I’m sure you’ve seen in various media players, like iTunes. You can use the slider or your keyboards’ arrow keys (the best method IMO) to cycle between the set of photos and (hopefully) see the daily growth of this year’s Christmas Amaryllis.

For those curious: the bulb was planted on 11.30.09 and sits in a southern facing window. The bloom should be red with white striping. I’ll be updating each night with the latest picture and height measurements. I have my fingers crossed that it will be in full bloom before Christmas. You may be seeing a massive growth spurt towards the end of the month if it doesn’t make it before my holiday travels begin. Maybe next year, with a little more planning, a web cam setup will be implemented. Consider this year an exploration, and unlike NASA,  failure IS an option…

Side note

Interestingly enough, what many people regard as an Amaryllis is actually called a Hippeastrum. This fact may prove to be useful if you encounter a lull in conversation around the punch bowl this holiday season.

Feel free to make your thoughts known in the comment section below. I’d love to know what you think about this post. If you care to reflect on your own unusual holiday traditions that is cool too. I may tweet updates to this little experiment, so feel free to follow me (@kdwolski) if you like.

Post Image Source: @tanakawho - http://www.everystockphoto.com/photo.php?imageId=3240621

I am always on the look out for great little ways to organize daily life in an attempt to improve upon my general level of productivity. Here’s the problem: I find this to be a daunting task in itself. I’m impatient when it comes to organization. I need something that is straightforward and returns a result quickly, if not instantly.

I remember when I was in elementary school and was given an “agenda” to track homework and school schedules in. Sure enough I would diligently fill it out for about a month or so; come winter break, it would be merely a collection of doodles and blank pages. When monotony rears its head in regard to an organization process, if possible, I  typically abandon the said process.

Recently, I have tried using project management software (dotProject & Clocking IT ) to manage day to day tasks for both work and home. When it comes to long development projects where scheduling and milestones are key, these are two excellent options. Using them to manage to do lists and smaller projects often tips the productivity vs. usability scale out of balance. Where the monotony of using the tool outweighs any productivity success. The more clicks and button pushes it takes me to add a task or project, the harder it is going to be for me to adopt into my daily organization process. Managing more than one worker, long time lines and ever changing requirements all but tip the scale the opposite direction. A few more clicks and a little longer session could be seen as a small price to pay for the fine grain detail and oversight the organization tool will record.

Enter: Emergent Task Planner

When it comes to everyday time and task management,  project management software just won’t cut it. In addition, I  don’t require a tool that can be accessible anywhere at anytime. I just need something that is easy to use and  lets me plan out my day with as little pain as possible. The Emergent Task Planner (ETP) by David Seah does just that. Simplicity at its finest. Print it out and fill the sucker in with your favorite writing utensil. Gaaassspp! But you’re a web developer…shouldn’t you store your to dos in the vast storage arrays of the internet? I do and I don’t. When it comes to simple things  I find that writing them down helps me remember them far easier than typing, clicking and tagging inside a web application ever will. With the advent of technology rooted task management utilities, the shear bliss that comes when you get to briskly cross off an item is all but lost. Most of my “analog” based task lists were overly simplistic and congregated in large numbers making reference a little chaotic. The Emergent Task Planner solves this issue by providing usable structure to ensure your efficiently jotted notes are easy to reference and take action upon.  Below is a list of my favorite components which make up the ETP:

1. Schedule Blocks
   Great way to visually see how you planned your tasks for the day.
2. Task “Timer”
   I don’t use this too much, but for longer tasks it can be useful to track the time you spent working on it, in a given day. This can also provide insight into how you should schedule the task the following day.
3. Plenty of Note Space
   Below the scheduled tasks you’ll find a good amount of room for jotting down daily “scope creep”. I find this especially useful. I’ll get an email or an IM detailing another task or an addition to a current task, and I can quickly jot it down for future scheduling.

Resources

If  you would like to give the Emergent Task Planner a test drive you can find all the information you need below. Check out the other great downloads David Seah has available on his site. If ETP doesn’t fit your style, he has other productivity downloads which may provide a better match.

Emergent Task Planner:
http://davidseah.com/blog/comments/emergent-task-planner-free-version-updates/

Twitter – David Seah: @daveseah

Have a great productivity tip or process? You can leave a comment using the form below. I’d love to hear your recommendations and tips.

When I look at the current state of men’s magazines, the assortment is the same through and through. Covers with large breasted women and a myriad of articles detailing the best ways to sculpt rock hard abs, how to become a chick magnet, etc. It is all a bunch of bullshit jargon cooked up by editors looking to sell magazines to an “emasculated” generation of men. When you look at generations of men from the past and today, it is hard not to see this huge difference in values and virtues. It is not to say one generation is better than the other, but I think some of the great traits and values of older generations were lost in translation. Technology may be a bit of a culprit here. With the advent of the Internet and rapid improvements in technology, messaging and marketing can be disseminated faster than ever and video games and other tech toys can pull boys away from doing other things: like going out for a hike or a round of golf with their fathers. The elements making up these generational differences are not always negative, and it is safe to say generations can learn from one another. The Art of Manliness is a great place for this generational exchange to take place.

One thing that the Art of Manliness does well is topic diversification. The blog discusses everything from dress shirts to Ben Franklin’s 13 Virtues. I found some of the posts about historic male figures to be very interesting. Hate the thought about shelling out $15+ a month on quintuple blade razor cartridges? Check out their post on How to Shave Like Your Grandpa. I think I have spent $10 total this year on razor blades as a result of reading this article. There will be topics and posts you’ll enjoy and others you could care less about. I think this is a typical trait of any blog and is also present at AoM.

The Art of Manliness has its own community site where you can connect with other AoM followers and perhaps discuss and learn more about some of your favorite topics the blog covers. I have to say, this is one of the better community sites I have seen on the Internet lately. It is small (4000+ members) in comparison to other community sites, but the smaller membership makes it feel like your voice can be heard a little more. The member interaction is quite amazing. The easiest way to describe it is as gentlemanly, a far cry from the vulgar-laden comment sections of Digg and YouTube. A great break from the norm indeed.

The Beef

Nothing in life is perfect, so I have dedicated this section to discussing some of the areas of improvement I see in the “webstuffs” I will be plugging. The Art of Manliness fairs well in this section with only a few menial beefs on my end.

1. Advertising

I understand a blog needs to monetize in some way in order to keep the server running, the authors paid etc, etc. But every now and then  AoM features a video ad which is set to play on page load. These kinds of things annoy the crap out of me. If I want to view the video ad, I’ll click play. Hell, I often click on an ad or two, just to show a bit of appreciation for a great site of content. My main worry is that an ad like that could deter a first time visitor.

2. Bottom Toolbar

I’ve never really liked the bottom third-party toolbar. I understand the purpose, but I would rather see these types of tools built into the page. They seem to be so disconnected from the site that I just ignore them all together.

Resources

Take a look at The Art of Manliness. I think you’ll be inspired by the frequently updated quality content. It is a far cry from the repetitive crappy content you’ll find in men’s magazines today; it doesn’t cost a dime or require you to begin dressing like Grandpa. See how it can fit into your life, I think you may be surprised.

Main Website: www.artofmanliness.com
AoM Community: community.artofmanliness.com
Twitter: @artofmanliness

An initial caveat:The main commentary of this post is based around my experience as a web technology professiononal and enthusiast. I don’t have an MBA and my only formal business training has been sitting though a painfully boring microeconomics class as an undergrad.

To start let me cite the source and define what Twitter is. This is only necessary for any  ex-hermit readers out there experiencing the Internet and running water for the first time.

Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?

Simple and succinct, but fascinatingly powerful! Before the rambling begins about how something this simple in concept is so powerful, I would like to make two comments on Twitter’s formal definition. You don’t just have to follow your tech hip grandma; strangers and organizations are game too, and they are probably more interesting and beneficial. Correlating your posts to the question: “What are you doing?” should be revised. Sure, let everyone know you’re headed out to catch Britney Spears in concert, but also voice your opinion, share your thoughts and services, and hell, share an LOL cat once in a while. “What are you doing?” is just one angle in the shape that is Twitter. Here’s how I read the definition as someone who works with web technology and as a Twitter user:

Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co–workers society to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing? snippets of information.

It’s Like Salt, Less is More

Art has always played an important role in my life. I passed over joining the Boy Scouts and playing sports, for something less traditional for a middle schooler: I took oil painting lessons. My elderly painting teacher taught me many lessons, but her idea of relating creation to the use of salt: “less is more”, is a concept that rings true to me all the time. Twitter fits this mold. A brush stroke on a cave wall to Botticelli’s Birth of Venus. Both are born from an initial simple action. One doesn’t move past a certain state, while the other is compounded with additional simple fundamental actions. Both are powerful in their own right. Twitter can follow this same convention. An individual can create a simple thought; it can stand out there in the World, informing, annoying, humoring, inspiring. It may get overlooked, lose relevance or become outdated but it was there. On the other hand, that idea can grow and transform in the hands and minds of those who see it and act upon it. Less is more. It’s a powerful concept, which I probably wouldn’t have learned playing soccer. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have anything against intramural sports.

OK, It’s Seasoned. Now What?

Just as there are different reasons for one’s use of Twitter, as I mentioned in the opening of this post; Twitter’s power and importance is comprised of other sub components surrounding the ideas of efficient collection, growth and dissemination of information (essentially a refined concept of the Internet). So what am I trying to get at? Dissemination of information, that’s what. You’ve already made it past my overly artsy definition of Twitter’s power as an information aggregator and information breeder, but the other benefit of Twitter is how it pukes out this data to the world.

Following the Followers

This section is going to be a change of pace,  it is going to be short and to the point. One way Twitter displays data is by displaying follower links to other profiles, which have follower links to other profiles, which have follower links to other profiles… Profiles which you can follow yourself. “Isn’t that like Facebook friends?” Yep. It is a social web requirement and nothing new, just a standard way to relay information. Powerful, yes. New idea? Hell no.

Searching for Answers

All Internet users are quite familiar to searching for information. Google, Yahoo, Ask.com, you name it, we’ve all used them to find stuff on the web. We’ve used site searches to find information contained within a certain website. Twitter has this too! Why the exclamation point you ask? Because Twitter search isn’t your normal search. “Really? Doesn’t it just search through the information (tweets) contained on Twitter.com?” Yep. We need to look past just the actions of searching for content. Who cares how you get to the content, as long as you get to the content. The content is king (sorry P. Diddy).

When you do a Google search, you get a listing of websites relevant to your search topic. These websites can be created by any number of individuals or organizations, just like tweets. Search results are all truncated pieces of content that “should” provide some insight for information that can be obtained else where, or absorbed on the spot. Tweets can function like this as well. So how are they different? Well, ranking comes into play with Google results, and recency comes into play with Tweet searches, but that’s not all. Tweets have a different meaning than a website returned in a Google search. Someone needs to make a conscience decision to”Tweet” about something, good, bad, the point doesn’t matter, the intent to create does. That idea of intent is what makes Twitter search different than what most people are used to on the web. It is a little more human, and perhaps over time could be seen as a little more trustworthy. “Can’t I do that on Facebook too?” Yep. Go for it. The nice thing about Twitter is that it is open, so you can run a search without having to log in, or perhaps be confined by certain privacy settings. Twitter has the ability to be providing a broader scope for a search, which could yield a better result.

Twitter search’s “brand new” sticker is hanging on strong and doesn’t show any signs of curling just yet. Will it kill off the beast that is Google Search? I’d bet against Twitter in that case. As Twitter grows in user base, and consequently in “Tweets”, or indexed data, it can provide a different “social” search experience for a user, that may be beneficial than say a basic search engine or site search.

Searching for a Use Case

I recently purchased a netbook, which I’m using right now to create this entry. I love it and wanted to buy a cool bag to keep it safe and carry it around with all my tech accessories. I wanted something compact, but had a little extra storage room. Not into the sleeve, didn’t want it to just look like a mini Targus bag, and I sure as hell didn’t want something that looked like a man-purse. I naturally began my quest like any Internet shopper does, I searched Google, Amazon and other websites for the term “netbook bag”. Simple enough right? Not so easy, netbooks are still catching on, and the results returned for my simple search illustrated the “netbook bag” offerings were reflecting the adoption rate of this new hardware trend. Nothing matched what I was looking for. I had an idea… maybe someone “tweeted” about “netbook bag”. Sure enough, hundreds had. I easily found a link to a forum discussing netbook bags through one of the tweets returned in my Twitter search, which was scraping a “social index”. 20 pages of posts talking about netbook bag options! Using this resource I located the kind of bag I was looking for with an actual human confirming it fit a netbook like mine. Sure enough, fits snug and secure and is working out well. Days of searching Google and Amazon didn’t help me find an answer as fast as using Twitter search. Searching a “social index” is a concept that is going to start becoming more relevant as the social web evolves and grows.

Getting Down to Business

So Twitter isn’t just a simple fad. It possess more breadth and usefulness than many people care to admit or take the time to investigate through the reading of this blog post. Turn on the news and you hear about Twitter all the time, you may also hear news that it isn’t currently making enough money. Bottom line is, is that it needs to make some more dough to stay alive. Venture capital can only take it so far for so long. Below are some of growing ideas on how Twitter can make some money and keep itself a float and the social web growing.

Paid Accounts – This has already been confirmed and is in the works. This should provide a decent stream of revenue similar to how YouTube charges organizations for “Branded” Channels, or flickr and pro accounts. If I were Twitter I’d make sure I charged larger companies higher prices, they can afford it.One worry I have is correlating different accounts to Tweet length. This is dumb. I am citing the sections “It’s Like Salt, Less is More” and “Searching for Answers” to defend my point that moving past 140 characters is not a good idea.Idea: Providing a paid account analytics for their Twitter page, i.e. demographics, location, visits, unique visits etc, would be supremely valuable for not just organizations, but individuals.Idea: Paid accounts could have their re-tweets tracked, which could bubble up their content in a search feature (think Google sponsored links) or on other areas of the site. This could help drive traffic for a Twitter user and grow followers.

Ads – Duh. No brainer. Lots of relevant information to serve ads off of. I’m betting CPM would be healthy and profitable, if they were to implement a third party option. They also have the ability to serve ads like Facebook, selling the real estate by user demographics or Tweet contents.Paid accounts could have the option to not see ads. Free accounts wouldn’t be adversely affected if the ads we implemented ethically. Internet users are going so ad blind as it is, I wouldn’t be surprised if there were people who didn’t even notice.

In Closing

Thanks for checking out this blog entry. I hope my take on Twitter has helped you derive your own opinion and hopefully got you thinking about the emerging trends in the landscape of the social web, Twitter being one of them.

I’d love to hear your thoughts! Feel free to make a comment here, or you can find me on Twitter: kdwolski

http://www.sarahlrozene.com

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Sarah has been working hard on designing this production’s set. I’ve seen some initial sketches and have heard lots, in terms of set ideas, and I can tell you, first hand, it is going to look awesome. I’ve seen several Brandeis Theater Company productions over the past year and have always been impressed. I posted a link to the production’s website where you can learn more about it and purchase tickets. You should go, it will be cool to say you saw one of her set designs before she won the Tony award.

As You Like It – Brandeis Theater Company – February 7-17, 2008

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