Tag: how to

Categories
Applications Coding Games

How hard could it be to setup a Minecraft server?

Cables connected to electronics components
Photo by Randall Bruder on Unsplash

My son and his friends are getting back into Minecraft, and they’ve been playing on some random server that they have some issues with.

I gave it some thought, and decided that I could set up a Minecraft server for them on a Digital Ocean. I mean, how hard could this be, right?

It turns out, it isn’t that easy. At least, I’m hitting a wall with this after my initial setup. So, what I did was the following:

  • I first created a droplet on Digital Ocean, with a view to following this guide I found somewhere;
  • I installed the current Minecraft Server version on my shiny new droplet (via SSH);
  • There were a couple tutorials for configuring the server (here, here, and even here), but all I think I managed to do was install a bunch of stuff I don’t know how to use.
  • I did register a custom domain that I’m mapping to the droplet for when I eventually figure out how to configure the server.

I’ve reached out to a couple gaming colleagues to see if anyone has any ideas. In the meantime, I’m tempted to just go the official Minecraft server route if I can’t figure this out.

unsplash-logoFeatured image by Randall Bruder
Categories
Useful stuff

Awesome batch print trick for macOS

I came across an old, yet awesome, batch print trick for macOS yesterday. I had a series of PDFs that I needed to print and didn’t want to have to open each file to do it. I read about it in a post by Jesse Chapman titled “How to batch print multiple files in Mac OS X without opening them“.

The other day I wanted to print 25 PDFs without having to open each one and go to File > Print. Sounds simple enough. Turns out, it’s so simple that I couldn’t figure it out for quite a while.

There’s probably a command line way to do this, and I’d love to find that too. For now, this is pretty cool!

Image by Geraldine Lewa

Categories
Coding Education Useful stuff

Making sense of JavaScript array methods with Array Explorer

Sarah Drasner shared her awesome Array Explorer tool on Twitter the other day. It’s design is pretty simple, and yet a powerful way to learn JavaScript arrays. What you do is pick a couple options from drop-down lists to find the right array method you need for a project.

I still find arrays challenging and yet learning how to work with them in JavaScript is so important. If you’re still figuring this stuff out, definitely take a look at Array Explorer, bookmark it, and use it.

Sarah even made the code for Array Explorer available on GitHub so you can see how she put it together too.

Categories
Tutorials Writing

A reminder how to use a semicolon

How to use a semicolon by The Oatmeal
How to use a semicolon by The Oatmeal

Now and then I feel like I need a refresher on how to use certain forms of punctuation. Today it was the semicolon, which I have abused on multiple occasions.

The most feared punctuation on earth.

I did a little Googling and found this awesome guide on The Oatmeal titled “How to use a semicolon“. Not only is this guide really useful and worth bookmarking, it is a reminder of just how awesome The Oatmeal is, generally.

Other terrific grammar guides include:

Even people who write for a living could use a reminder now and then. I certainly do.

Source: How to use a semicolon – The Oatmeal

Categories
Business and work Devices

Using the iPad Pro for everything, in detail

Is the iPad Pro, the "everything" device?

MacStories’ Frederico Viticci has published a very comprehensive guide to using the iPad Pro for everything. I saved it to Instapaper and I have a 79 minute read to look forward to. That about covers my train rides to and from work.

I’ve been thinking about the viability of using the iPad Pro for everything I currently do on my MacBook Air as part of a forward-looking thought experiment. The prices of Apple hardware have a tendency to skyrocket due to currency fluctuations. The prospect of replacing my MacBook Air one day (may that day be in the distant future) leaves me more than a little breathless.

On the other hand, a tablet could be a very convenient replacement if it has enough flexibility to cover my day to day tasks. My very rough estimation, before reading Viticci’s essay, is that it probably would meet virtually all of my requirements. My big question mark is what to do about my photography but, perhaps, there is answer to that too?

With that, here is “A Computer for Everything: One Year of iPad Pro”. Boil some water and get comfortable.

Image credit: Pexels

Categories
Business and work

Better management

This man was directing earth moving equipment at a Modi'in construction site from a large mound of earth.

I had opportunities to manage people in my various roles and becoming a manager was definitely a work-in-progress. Because I have been both a manager and an employee at different stages of my life, I’m pretty interested in what successful managers do that creates their successes.

I’m really enjoying this episode 76 of Debug about management. Some insights that appeal to me include –

  • Managers need to constantly watch for burnout and adopt tactics to avoid it or, failing that, alleviate it through varied projects, changing the pace and constantly talking to your team members.
  • Take an active interest in your team. Get to know them well enough to be able to pick up on negative trends (perhaps due to overwork or stress) before they become problems so you can address them constructively.
  • Being a manager doesn’t make you the king/queen. It doesn’t mean ruling by edict.

If I were to flip through a book on management best practices, I am sure I would find myself ticking off a number of the worst practices poor managers have adopted. The positive side of that is that it has given me a helpful perspective on how to do the job better (if I ever, hypothetically, found myself in a management role again). I have also learned a fair amount just being an employee.

One theme which fascinates me is finding a constructive balance between planning and metrics on the one hand, and allowing for a degree of flexibility and autonomy that is both empowering and helps employees achieve their targets. The challenge with too much planning and structure is that it can basically squeeze the creativity right out of your employees. On the other hand, your work must ultimately make a positive contribution to the company’s bottom line so a degree of planning and measurement is essential.

Most interesting, for me at least, is how even creative work like mine has to have some form of structure and must be measurable. After all, content marketing is supposed to help boost sales and there are often clearly defined success metrics you need to achieve even though the work itself may be relatively unstructured.

Image credit: The conductor by me, licensed CC BY NC SA 2.0

Categories
Business and work

Paul Graham’s tips for start-ups, curated

Power Point by Robert Scoble, licensed CC BY 2.0

Stelios Constantinides has curated his favourite Paul Graham tips for start-ups in a handy Medium post titled “Paul Graham’s Startup Advice for the Lazy“. Handy reading for entrepreneurs of various shapes and sizes.

Image credit: Power Point by Robert Scoble, licensed CC BY 2.0

Categories
Books Education Legal

A great guide to GPL for WordPress developers

Light Reading by Martin, licensed CC BY 2.0

Richard Best has a terrific guide to GPL for WordPress developers along the lines of the famously simple “human readable” Creative Commons license explanations on his site, WP and Legal Stuff, in his post titled “A human readable summary of the GPL“. He actually has two versions, both of which are worth taking a look at. I like his version modelled on the CC license explanation format:

A human readable summary of the GPL by Richard Best
A human readable summary of the GPL by Richard Best

Best has also published “A Practical Guide to WordPress and GPL” and it is available in three packages. The top package is the “business package” which includes –

access to a terms of use builder through which you can build draft online terms of use for your WordPress commercial themes or plugins shop, with open and honest GPL licensing as well as protections for your business.

The terms of use builder isn’t exactly revolutionary but what I like about it is that it is designed for a specific niche: WordPress theme and plugin developers who license their products under GPL. Best also released a demonstration video which reveals a nice, clean interface and a great looking end result. You’ll have to view the video either in his blog post or the promo page for the ebook packages.

The standalone ebook option is a little pricey at $25 for the PDF but if you consider the cost of legal advice on the topic, it is probably worth it.

Image credit: Light Reading by Martin, licensed CC BY 2.0