For the last coupe of months I’ve been using a program called IETester, which sole purpose is to allow you to preview/browse on all versions of Internet Explorer. For all these years working in front-end development, the single biggest frustration has been Internet Explorer and to add even more, it was not possible to have more than one version of Internet Explorer in the same operating system. So this has meant that:
a) you own or check multiple computers and preview on all, and go back and forward
b) you find out about a bug through user feedback and go back and forward
c) you have multiple OS on your machine and go back and forth.
Most likely it’s d) all of the above. You can imagine. Now we have this program that saves web developers a lot of time in this lengthy process; and best of all, It’s FREE!
One of the key features that stands out is the tabbing interface, which allows you to have any version of IE on any combination you may need. The latest version added a even better interface with easily accessible buttons to open a new tab for the version you want.
The program is a little bit buggy but for the all the goodness and joy it provides, it is certainly tolerable. The biggest bug is that it freezes when you go back and forward with other programs. The exact problem seems to be when you minimize it and then try to maximize it by clicking in the taskbar. Eventually, it freezes. Not so bad! simply force close the program and restart if it freezes or avoid minimizing it and always minimize the other programs to get to it.
IETester is still in beta but it’s already a very powerful tool to have as a web developer. I strongly recommend it to everyone. It is in fact even more pleasant to browse on it than any version of IE from 5.5 to 7. =P
Visit My-Debuggar.com to get the free download!
I decided to do an early release of this hover accordion menu plugin I've built for one of my upcoming projects. It collapses and retracts on mouse over and mouse out instead of the typical mouse click.
View Demo
This jQuery plugin makes use of another plugin by Brian called Hover Intent which tries to determine what the user's intentions are when they are rolling over/out of the menu too fast. It is a very helpful plugin for mouse hover behaviors.
How to use:
The menu is a simple html list.
HTML:
<ul class="menu">
<li><a href="http://www.sam3k.com/blog/#">Link 1
</a>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.sam3k.com/blog/#">SubLink 1
</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.sam3k.com/blog/#">SubLink 2
</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.sam3k.com/blog/#">SubLink 3
</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="http://www.sam3k.com/blog/#">Link 2
</a>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.sam3k.com/blog/#">SubLink 1
</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.sam3k.com/blog/#">SubLink 2
</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
Call the jquery function like this:
JAVASCRIPT:
$
(document
).
ready(function(){
$(this).hoverAccordionMenu();
});
Feel free to download and use on personal and commercial projects.
View Demo
Download
So a much needed second beer garden opened up this weekend in Astoria. It's called Studio Square. This place is beautiful!!! It's incredibly well designed and at the center of the Kaufman Astoria Studios. Not only is aesthetically beautiful but it makes good use of its surroundings. Like the fences on the main floor also serving as a place to hang out and it provides plenty of stools for people to sit there in case the main tables are full.
The old beer garden Bohemian Hall is great and I have great times there but recently it has become so popular that you can't even find where to sit anymore. Last few times there with friends, we found ourselves sitting in that little stage they have. It's so popular! that it even made it to Grand Theft Auto IV.
So how do they compare? well, in my opinion, Bohemian Hall is just about the stripped down experience of European beer gardens while Studio Square garden adds to it a bit of class and elegance. Beer is cheaper at Bohemian Hall; like $14 in average while the new one is $18.
It will be interesting to see how the new beer garden evolves but by the look of the gatherings this weekend it will be a huge hit. And the best thing about the new beer garden? it's right by my house. =] The hood just keeps getting better and better. Oh, this is going to be a great summer.
